In Between

With the latest novel complete, I’ve hit that in-between stage of things where I became so used to waking up and knowing there was writing to be done. Then, after writing, I woke up knowing there were revisions to be completed. Finally, I did those last tinkering read-throughs, fixing the tiny things nobody may ever notice. I worked on the query — I sent things off.

And now…I wait.

Start the Next Book

This is where it’s easy to say, “Well, start the next book.” And while some of the next book is already written and I’m roughing other things out, I don’t want to get into full writing mode, only to have something good happen with the submitted book and have to jump back to that.

I’ve knocked around some ideas for promotion should something good happen with A Magic Life, but even there…it seems like wasted energy to dedicate time to a new podcast idea that hinges on other things happening — when it’s possible they might not.

Not About Lumberjacks

Of course, there’s Not About Lumberjacks, which received most of my attention in the last week. It will be my focus this coming week as well; hopefully, getting a story out there that I’ve teased for over a year…something that A Magic Life cut in front of repeatedly last year.

There are other short stories to write for the show while waiting to hear back about the novel…so I’m still writing.

There’s just something about writing something big!

Hovering

It’s a strange place to be, this in-between place where it feels like all routine suddenly changes. You catch up on reading. (Benjamin Dryer’s book, Dreyer’s English, is a glorious thing.) You look over old journals and decide you’ll finally watch some television — even though you don’t. You tell yourself all the podcasts you’ve not listened to in months will get their time, but when the time comes to sit and listen, you want to work on something else, to feed that craving of habit. (Although Jon Mooallem’s The WALKING Podcast has my attention because I can listen to the ambient sounds of his walks while working and writing.)

I’m usually good at waiting, but I’m finding it harder than usual right now. Normally, submissions go out, and I clear my mind and trudge along with life. The wait is more difficult this time around, for various reasons.

The Solution

I suppose the best thing is to acknowledge and appreciate this time, to remind myself I’ve written the kind of book I’ve dreamed about writing for most of my life…because if things work out, I suspect I’ll become busy enough that I’ll look back on this in-between time with a certain longing…

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Photo: KT