WIPs and Chains

I haven't written a word in a couple of weeks. As you know from my previous blog posts, I've been busy with writing work other than writing. I've also been struggling a bit with the two stories I have in progress, going back and forth betwen them.  I sat down and made a list of other story ideas. Many of the ideas I have involve secondary characters from other stories. I've worked through a few of them, made some plans, figured out some characters but wasn't excited about any of them. And then I got some really discouraging news and on top of the struggles with the writing and a blow to the self-confidence, I decided to take a break from writing. And in fact, not just from writing but all the networking stuff, too, like Twitter and Facebook and all the loops I belong to. I didn't even blog Friday, and considered not blogging today. Feeling like a big failure, I just need to get away from it for a while, I think. Take some pressure off myself. Really, I don't know why I push so hard when the publishing inndustry moves so slowly. I have three submissions out, with my agent and two with editors, so I can't send out anything else to them and I have ten completed mansuscripts waiting to go (though at this point I'm pretty sure they're all a bunch of crap). 

I can't say I've been happy spending the last week not writing. In fact, I've felt pretty down. On the other hand this is a good time to take a break. There are lots of other things to do to spend my time:

1. read a book

2. work out

3. have a bubble bath

4. gardening and planting flowers

5. read a book

6. go for a massage

7. watch TV (hockey playoffs!)

8. mani/pedi

9. clean toilets

10. bake cookies

11. go for a run
12. read a book

13. shopping