How can I balance writing with other parts of life? I won’t tell you how it should look for you, but I can explain what it looks like for me.
The saying, “comparison is the thief of joy” resonates with me. I write much slower than most of the authors I know. I think about a scene for a long time and play it out in my mind before I know how I’d like to approach it in writing. One chapter per week is comfortable for me. Most of my writing happens on weekends, but some weekends don’t leave room for that. My family live close by and I am quite involved with them and my community. I don’t want to neglect real-life friendships.
Sometimes the world feels like it’s spinning so fast, that detail-orientated people like me could be ejected into space. I left only 2 weeks between draft 1 and 2 of my sequel and after a couple of months of pushing hard, I realised I couldn’t sustain my rewrite pace. Not without losing my vision for this book.
Measuring my editing progress per week left me feeling like any spare moment had to go into writing. The problem is, I seldom come up with good ideas on command. They most often come when I am alone and thinking of something completely unrelated to my story. While dedicating every weekend to writing, I wasn’t going outdoors and I wasn’t making art. But revising 2-3 chapters a week was worth it surely? Because I would be done sooner, and then I would be able to catch up with life when the revisions were over. Speed always promises more leisure in the future, but ever since the first industrial revolution, we’ve seen that it doesn’t deliver on that promise.
I’ve tried following advice for writing fast, but I don’t think my biochemistry agrees with it. I can’t power through it like I can with exercise, chores or other non-negotiable tasks. I’d sit in front of the computer, all distractions removed, and feel nothing when I looked at the next chapter. It’s not that the chapter was a mess, but I got to the point where I could read a favourite author’s work and still feel numb. I was just unable to process text in a meaningful way. The academics among you can probably tell that I had trouble studying back in the day (I only studied what I needed to start working).
The joy had left me. I needed to draw again.
Art is a different creative outlet to writing. In some ways it is more intuitive. Once I know what I am drawing, I can listen to music or an audiobook without losing focus (something that isn’t possible for me while writing). If I deny myself the chance to draw for fun, I get agitated. I start resenting the thing that is keeping me from it.
Designing the cover for Book 2
I decided to design my sequel’s cover. I reworked an earlier composition, and came up with a new way to position the typography. Having finished draft 1, I knew what objects held symbolic value in the story, so I could include them like I did Illanu’s brooch on the cover of Book 1. I was excited again. Putting the two duology covers together makes me so happy. The greyscale figures are a common feature, but the overlays of colour take Book 2 in a new direction. They are the same but different – just like my protagonists.
I shared a quick preview of my sketching on my YouTube channel. It’s always a bit scruffy-looking in the early stages. Carpal tunnel syndrome is a threat that looms over me, so I need to pace myself and not worry about fine details until later.
Estimated Release
I called my editor and we extended my deadline (this is the third extension, but I am done being embarrassed about it). I know what it is to freelance and each time I’ve moved the date, I’ve given him plenty of notice so he can fit in other writers. This has all added 2-3 months to my estimated release date. Book 2 will most likely be an April or May ’26 release. ARCs should be ready by February.
When it comes to goals, I am less concerned with unbroken writing streaks, than I am with sustainability. If I allow myself to skip posting or writing for a day or two, I will still love writing next year. If I let myself worry about falling short of ambitious goals, I could burn out. There is a time to push your limits and a time to hold back.
C B Lansdell 