marysipe

For the past two weeks I have been feverishly editing my novel to get it ready for macro readers. I finished earlier than I'd expected and now I have a choice. I can either jump onto the next project and work like mad, or I can enjoy the down time and use it to do other things.

I'm choosing the down time. I recognize that, as a writer and workaholic, I often put too much pressure on myself. So, I am making a concerted effort to take the down time when it comes along. A lot of writers I've met over the years tend to think of "down time" as the time when you're looking for a project or you're not able to write. But I think we need that time. We need to stop, breathe and recharge.

I've met so many writers who charge forward until they literally fall down with exhaustion. They may not recognize it as such, but I do believe that that's the cause of some writer's block, of some of the illness and depression that can happen with writers. I think we're told so often that we always have to be hustling on something (Best thing to do while waiting on a submission? Write. Best way to deal with rejection? Write. Best way to make a penny writing? Write.) that we feel like we're letting our writing down by stepping away now and then.

Me? I'm gonna take this week of down time and READ!!! :-D Er, okay, so that's a little like work, but not really!