Sometimes the universe throws you a curve ball. In the past couple of months it has managed to pitch me quite a few and I’ve gotten very behind in several areas of my life including my writing schedule.
Every year at this time I take a look at my yearly goals and decide if I’m realistically going to meet them. I’m a very goal-oriented person and at one point in my life I would have done anything to meet a goal including miss meals and sleep. I don’t do that anymore because by the time I met the goal, I’d barely be able to string two words together and have them make any sort of sense.
Revision is a familiar term for most writers and I find myself in a position of having to revise a few goals at the mid-point of my year. I’m back to having a specific word count each day and will finish the full length paranormal but in all probability will only finish one of the novellas instead of three. What can I say, I’m not a speed demon but I’m persistent.
What about you? How do you handle your career when life throws you a curve ball? I’m talking that wicked, outside ball that you’re going to have to stretch to hit and you know there’s a chance you aren’t going to make it.
Until next month,
Paris
26 comments:
After stressing for a bit and beating myself up, I realize I can't control those curve balls and I roll with it. :)
Amber,
Rolling with it sounds like an excellent plan. Stress never helped a thing:) Thanks for stopping by
Sorry to hear you've been thrown some curve balls, Paris. We all get them, at the most inopportune times, and like Amber said, you just have to roll with it.
Paris,I understand your dilemma. I've done the same many times. You would think I would learn.
I've failed to meet one of my goals this year, too.
I would write a revised goal plan based on time lost for illness and mechanical failure. You were very ill and you're still alive. That's a goal some people don't reach. You're a success! :)
Tina,
Rolling with it does seem like a good plan:) thanks for stopping by!
Sandy,
Just roll with it...it's really the best way to go:)
Don't be too hard on yourself!
Miriam,
Thanks for your kind words. I have revised the plan:)and I'm shooting for three instead of four projects this year!
I think the main thing is to not obsess with the fact you haven't quite reached a goal. Maybe you weren't meant to, or maybe you overreached. You gotta let go and move on...I beat on myself too much and am still trying to learn to be nicer to me. Jean
Hi,
My curve ball was being diagnosed with Stage IIc Ovarian Cancer on April 4th this year. Talk about hitting me out of the career ball park : ) Major surgery and a year of chemo are playing havok with my writing schedule. In fact I haven't written a bit of fiction since I woke up in the hospital and someone told me I had the fight of my life ahead of me.
Unfortunately I'm right in the middle of writing the fourth book in a five book series. My publisher (TWRP) is being VERY understanding and not pressuring me at all to finish. However, I am a little anxious about hopping back in the saddle.
My writer friends have all told me to do what I need to do for me first. So I've been writing everyday, but it's my blog about beating the crap out of cancer instead of paranormal romance.
My mom, one of my biggest fans of course, wants me to start writing fiction again, at least a little each day, just to start to feel "normal" again. Although I don't think I will ever be the same again : )
I think I'll give it a go next week and see if I can get my head back into Victorian Egypt (setting for my current WIP).
BTW: Ovarian Cancer can NOT be detected by a pap smear. I was healthy (running every day) and my tumor grew and started spreading in a period of 5 months. The symptoms are: bloating, pelvic or abdominal pain/pressure, difficulty eating or feeling full quickly (I didn't have this), and urinary symptoms. There are a few others that are so "normal" it is hard to distinguish. My hope is that every woman learns what the little "whispers" of OC are so they can see a doctor when they hear them.
Take care!
Heather McCollum
SOrry Paris i posted my blog on the wrong blogsite this morning! I've removed it and yours is fantastic!
My middle name this year s/b changed to CURVEBALLS!
Still, I try to stay positive and focused, but it's not always easy. I've tried to create a writing related life -
blogging, writing book reviews and judging writing contests, so I can't goof off too much. But yes, I
need to finish my second book, my novel Night Surfing,
and all of these things I just mentioned keep getting in the way. I dream of having an assistant, but really, how would that help me to sit in the chair and WRITE!
I was just throwing out last week's NY Times and saw an article written by a CEO saying the most important thing in life is to BE PREPARED. Hey, wasn't that our Girl Scout motto! He's right, of course, but the ways we need to be prepared in publishing are ever changing and eating away into our writing time.
A while back, I joined an online group called 500 words. We tried to check in with one another most days and tried to get our 500 words in. It really helped me to stay on track, having to be accountable to something beyond myself. Anyway, great post.
Happy Sunday all. It's cold and rainy here in Northern California...Mary Kennedy Eastham www.RP-Author.com/MKE
I believe that everything happens for a reason. I look at what happens, and try to figure out why, and what I can do to learn from it. Most of all, I never stop believing in myself, and in my ultimate goal of making a living from my writing.
I just give up and roll over. Snort.
Jean,
I've done the same thing all of my life but you're right--beating myself up won't accomplish anything positive. It's just time to move on and get back to work:) Thanks so much for stopping by!
Heather,
It sounds as if you've been thrown a pretty mean curve. Your blog sounds like part of your healing process and I'm definitely checking it out. Thank you for sharing your inspiring post and good luck with the fight of your life.
Hales,
No worries:) I've done the same thing myself! thanks for stopping by:)
Mary,
Happy Sunday to you too!
Yeah, I find that keeping a daily word count helps me stay on track and finish my books. Group efforts are a plus because you usually have a cheering section--always a plus:) thanks for stopping by!
Fran,
Do not disappoint your fans, ahem:) one of whom is yours truly. Put your fanny in the chair and write, write, write!
Paris, I think you can easily make a graceful comeback. I didn't come close to meeting my spring goals either!
XXOO Kat
Paris, I hope you're feeling better now. You'll be full-swing in no time.
I can handle curve balls--it's the knuckle ball that does me in. Then I step back, reprioritize, and get back in the batter's box.
Jacquie
Julie,
Yes, I believe the universe is always trying to teach us something. Making a living would be great!
Aw, thanks Kat:)
Jacquie,
Thanks so much. I am doing much better and I appreciate you stopping by:)
You've gotta take care of your health first. How awful it is to feel ill and not be able to think straight to write...been there and you just have to get better/gain your strength back.
Curve balls come in so many forms: illness, family issues, job problems, etc., and can drive you crazy.
Hang in there, tell stress to take a hike, and do what you can when you can!
Marianne,
Wise words from someone who knows. Thank you for the encouragement! It's good to be back:)
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