This morning I talk about modeling organizational skills for me kids and enlisting their aid in chores around the house.
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When I retired from the Navy I took a year off then started trying to do web design from home. I soon found out that I had no time. In fact I could not figure out how I ever had time to go to work. Between the honey do list (never ending), Grandkids, and domestic stuff around the house, there was just no time. I had to get anal about it and just set aside time every day to work. Everything else had to get delayed. After a while I found myself working 4 days a week on web stuff and three on the other things. Makes for a seven day week but then it always has been in one way or another. I almost rented an office but decided I would find lots of REASONS not to go to the office.
You mentioned that the Steampunk short you did, at 7,000 words, should have only taken you a day with your normal speed of writing. However, that misses the time you spend world-building, that all feeds into the story, but doesn’t actually count as words on the page.
I’m certain when you started on the Trader’s Diary that you spent quite a bit of time building the structure of the universe, and as you built the first book, that worked into the building of the next, and then the next – so any time you’re starting a new universe completely, there’s going to be a significant delay to develop it. Now, you’re working on Odin’s Outpost, which takes place (from what you’ve said so far) a fair bit of time before the basis of the universe you’d already developed, so it needs completely new development, plus the time to make sure it doesn’t conflict with later canon (except where it can be written off to the decay of time).
So, you’re building universe for Cape Grace, for the next Lammas Wood novel, for the new stories about Ismael, and whatever other projects you’re working on. Goddess, how have you had the time and attention to *TEACH*????
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In the future, the only scarcity will be attention.
Concrete, start with very concrete. The kids have done well, so do it for yourself. I write at this time—period. Elder daughter does dinner this day. Excuse me, when is dinner I am HUNGRY. Huh. oh yes—- supper. Clean clothes, yes, even MY smalls.
Where is my underwear? This was wash day. Oh, yes, where is chapter (insert #), Nathan, you were supposed to get to chapter X. Where is it. Organization, yes!
Nate, please allow for a few suggestions.
First of all, do (definitely) set aside a fixed block of time for your writing each day. You cannot be a wonderful father to your lovely wife and talented daughters if you fail in your own tasks.
If you haven’t already done so, also set aside a closed off (preferably sound-proofed) room or office in which to think and write. You might take a tip from the the photographers and movie industry on this one. Mount a red light on the outside of the room. Red Light On = ‘Do not enter’.
Last of all, although I dearly love listening in to your daily oral ruminations I think that your morning walks present the ideal time for you to speak not to us, but rather to yourself in order to develop plot and/or character discourse ideas for your yet-to-be-born writing masterpieces. Follow this up with a balanced daily application of that oh-so-necessary “Butt in Chair” and you are good to go.
It has occurred to me that I did not realize just how tired I really was when I posted previously on this topic. I knew I was tired from an extremely busy and productive day, but sheesh! From two days later, it does not make sense even to me and I know what I was trying to say. However, Ignatz said it very well. Sorry about the nonsense.