Sign up to hear about new releases and other exciting news from Annie Bellet.

Posts Tagged ‘writing job’

New Keyboard!

Due to wrist/tendon pain, I’ve taken a couple days off writing (oh noes!). But now, thanks to my many and awesome writer buddies, I’ve adjusted my desk, adjusted my chair, gotten wrist braces, and have a brand new keyboard due to arrive on Friday.

So hopefully that will end the pain, because while I’ve proven to myself that I can write through the pain (Over 50,000 words this month, which took some doing 20-30 mins of writing at a time, sigh), I’m not all that fond of pain and it really makes the fun part (telling the damn story) a lot less fun. I’ll let you all know at the end of next week how the new set-up and stuff is going. Hopefully solving this new issue will mean unparalleled personal productivity, or at least a couple novels finished by the end of the year.

Speaking of productivity and finishing novels, Kevin J Anderson put up an amazing and blunt post about writing and putting in the time. I recommend anyone who is still stuck in the “writing slow or writing less = better” mindset go read his post (or really, anyone who wants to be a pro writer should read this post). From everything I’ve read and seen, those writers who treat writing the same way you’d treat any business and day-job tend to do the best and stay publishing consistently.  This is why I’m following the path I’ve chosen and why I (try to) put in consistent hours of writing and treat my writing the way I’d treat starting up a small business.

Writing for a living, and a very good living, is totally possible.  But it is work 🙂

Deadline!

Well, today (the 10th) has passed me by.  And no, the novel is not done.  It’s close, but not quite there.  Oops.

However, I think I know what factors have gone into my total fail to finish on time (mind you, I have some leeway, I set my deadline a little ahead of the actual doomsday because I always try to factor in life things).

First and foremost, a lack of focus.  I’ve actually written quite a few words in the last month (need to update my progress meters, I’ll get around to it), but on multiple projects instead of just focusing down one project at a time.  I switched which novel I wanted to do and lost about a week of productivity before I realized that I didn’t have the time I needed to write that novel.  I could really use that week back (if I’d stayed with the current novel, I’d be done!).  So I’ve learned my lesson there about multiple projects.

Second, writing in a wholly new genre involves a learning curve and the work definitely goes more slowly.  I’ve been working very hard on getting a thriller pace and character milieu and all the other things that come with writing a book like this.  It’s been slower going and a lot of second-guessing and pep talks to myself these last few months.  Didn’t plan on that. But hey, now I know.

Third, I’m sick.  First was migraines, then they left a nasty cold in their wake.  It sucks. Writing while my head is a fog from drugs or stuffiness or fever is lame.  I’m pushing through because I have to, but it ain’t fun and I’m making mistakes in the manuscript.  Caught one today where I’d changed a character’s name mid-book.  Yay for find/replace.

So yeah, /end whine.  I will finish this novel sometime this week.  And then my Q4 entry for WotF which I haven’t even really thought much about.  Then… well, I’ll tackle that once I hit Sept 30th.  Until then, the novel and my Q4 entry are my focus.  That’s what is up with me.  Getting toward the wire, time to work.

(In happy news, I got the proof for my Contrary Magazine story, and that was pretty cool. It’ll be up soon!)

Wrenches

Well, I’ve been offered a job in Technical and Marketing Writing.  It’s sort of using my degree, at least one of them.  The pay is low for the work, but not too low.  It has benefits and such.  It’s also full time.  Which means no more days free for writing.  I know me, if I have no me time, I don’t get to write.  I can’t do it with distractions or too much structured time.

The pros are real experience in a field that actually pays reliable money.  And it’s about double what I’m making part time now.

The cons are a commute, and no more free time.

So, do I choose fiction writing?  Or money?