Holy cow! What happened to the lazy, hazy days of Covid shutdown?

I’m kidding, of course. I’m deeply grateful all the stay-at-home, stay away rules are on the verge of disappearing. As a result, though, my day job is suddenly kicking me in the butt. Mix in writing posts for the blog, and I’m in a serious time crunch.

Then there’s the book!

Disappearing Free Time

Obviously, I’m glad to have the work. No doubt about it! In fact, I could use more. LOL While I know plenty of people kept right on working – many from home, others on the front lines – through it all, that was not my experience. As a result, I’d grown accustomed to the increased free time. Now I’m scrambling to reschedule my life and figure out how to fit everything in.

Ups & Downs

In 2020, there were months when all I had to do was focus on writing my book draft and learn more about the writing craft. And I wrote. I sat for hours at my computer typing whatever came into my head that day to add to my fantasy tale (Title TBD).

From a creative writing perspective, it was heavenly. There were, of course, real down sides to the situation.

My bank balance was a source of extreme anxiety. The absolute silence from usually active employers I contacted was tremendously frustrating. The fact that every living soul I encountered outside my home could be the source of a deadly pathogen was … well, you know.

A Turnaround

The past two weeks, though, have been a real turnaround. The jobs have suddenly been coming in, and my days have been filled to the brim with work and preparing for work. Awesome, right?

Yeah … but what about my writing?

I’ve been able to sneak in enough moments to put together fairly regular posts here. My fantasy book, though, has been gathering dust this past fortnight. Deeply disappointing, disturbing even!

Refocusing, Rearranging, Rewriting

I’m going to have to pull myself together and plan some time for Title TBD. I do not want to let the book lag. I like my book. I BELIEVE in the book. Maybe if I set aside several hours on the calendar this weekend, that’ll be a way to kick start my efforts on editing the book again.

OK, I will! I’m going to put two-hour calendar blocks on both Saturday and Sunday dedicated to Title TBD (with reminder alarms). The second slot is a backup in case something unexpected pops up. And, hey, it would be great if I’m able to spend all four hours in the throes of my fantasy world again.

Long term, I’m hoping to get back into a regular rhythm – a balance of the necessary and extra-curricular activities, which now include blogging and the book. It’s definitely going to be an adjustment, but a welcome rearrangement. I’m looking forward to my fully-vaccinated, post-Covid life.