Sing Out

Gosh. I can't believe it's been almost a week since my last post! 

Two since I quit smoking. Feel like my normal self again. Though I was reading On Writing by Stephen King the other day, and he spoke about the writing/smoking link. I've always known it. It ain't good for you, but it puts your brain in the zone. 

Things are slowly better, but I think I'm more upset about moving again than I was willing to admit. 

This is my new place.

Three bedrooms. Only one bathroom, but this one has a hot shower! My first in six months. I shall no longer be stinky, and I can wash standing up rather than crouched over a bowl. It's behind the President's Palace so no problems for running water and electricity.

We've been having a lot of periodic blackouts lately. Went through a week of about mid-30s, now a week of spectacular thunder storms. They don't call Kigali the lightning capital of the world for nothing. Nose-to-nose with the gods.

Also got a front garden and small back garden. Nice and private. Only disadvantage is that it's unfurnished, so I've struck a deal with the landlord to buy some furniture off him. My friend and (soon to be) former landlord was trying to convince me to buy everything new - which actually would have been cheaper than what my new landlord was asking. But I used those prices to knock him down to less. Plus I'm tired. I just want to move into a house with a bed and a cooker. I don't want to have to go buying everything and having nowhere to sit, even for a few days.

So. I'm okay.

I'm torn in half at the moment. I very rarely speak about writing on here. Two separate lives. But this past week has been a bit of a whirlwind. Finally wrote something top dollar. Got to #6 in its category on the Amazon best sellers list. Been inundated with articles to write from my publisher, to help promote it.

I'm halfway through another novel at the moment but I hit a wall. I was sailing through - 60k - and now I can't get it to budge. Hit a tricky plot issue and can't see a way around it. 

The house move and Real Life (tm) got in the way. I find it hard to write when I don't feel settled, and I don't feel settled. Got turned down for a couple of contracts I was hoping for, so decided to clear my backlog of 50 e-mails, clear my in-tray of all the shit, everything that isn't important, file my tax return, and focus solely on writing.

I started offering mentoring and red-pen critique. Got one client right off the bat. Doesn't pay well at all, but felt there was nothing to lose. And, of all the things I do, writing is something I love. Development I can really take it or leave it. It's a means to an end. 

So, mind made up, that's what I focused on...

And had three e-mails through about potential contracts.

Taken up my whole day already.

Probably won't lead to anything, but I have to respond.

It's that sucky wheel of fortune shit. You lose a bunch of contracts, so you reason it must be the gods saying 'right, forget about that - concentrate on writing.' So you do, and then they're all 'only kidding, back to the grindstone!'

Which is no less than you deserve for thinking anything is preordained.

It's all what you make it.

I'm still determined to get on with writing, but I have so much on at the moment. Resigned to getting through the house move first, then setting up my room so that I can tippety tap through the nights. That's part of the problem. I write best at night. Leaves me in no fit state for work the next day. 

I've just really enjoyed the past week. The reviews have - to some degree - knocked my socks off. But in another strange way, I'm not so surprised. Without arrogance - I know that it's good. It's on another level to everything I've written before, and I want to chase that. See where it leads.

Meanwhile, got a workshop to deliver on Thursday. Quite looking forward to it. An NGO devoted to literature. Definitely a cause I can get on board with.

Just need to find a way to channel more of my time and energy onto the page. Cut back absolutely everything else that isn't either making money or inspiring me.