Summer: The Countdown Begins
Here’s what my son’s next two weeks look like:
- This week-finals, for which I think he’s pretty much prepped. And, I’m guessing, no homework.
- 8th-grade party.
- One more weekend.
- Next week–two days of math games.
- One day of not-sure-what: do they practice for 8th-grade graduation ceremonies?
- One day at Great America.
- Last day of school/graduation.
Here’s what my next two weeks look like:
- Write
- Critique
- Market
- Pretend the calendar pages aren’t turning any faster
Normally, this time of year, I’m not ready for June. I’m not ready for the shift in schedule that disrupts my writing pattern. I’m not ready for hot weather.
Well, as all of you know who’ve listened to me whining this spring, I’m SO ready for hot weather! And the rest of it.
As my son gets older and, frankly, wants less time with me hanging around, it becomes easier to get my work done and then enjoy the bits and pieces of our days that do overlap. I have a child who pretty much epitomizes the sleeping-in teenager (wonder where he got THAT trait!), so I can turn off the alarm, wake up on my own, and still have plenty of morning time to write. And the other things I need to get done–critiquing and prepping for conference workshops, well…they’ll get done.
If I had a writing goal for this summer that I was brave enough to speak out loud, it would be to finish the draft of this WIP. Looking at that goal, I think it’s a good one. The more I open myself up to dumping those icky first-draft pages into my computer, the sooner I’ll get to revision. So I guess the push this summer will be for me to keep pushing myself–to come back to the computer each morning, throw a semi-thought-out dart at some path for my MC to head down, and write it. My son is heading into high school this fall–I’d love to be heading into a revision at the same time. Milestones for both of us.
What about you? How does your writing path shift and curve in this next month, and what do you do to keep things on some kind of track? However you make it happen, remember to relax and enjoy some of that vacation feel. I know I’m going to!
beckylevine.com 
12 Comments
Last June, my goal was to finish my character’s story. Didn’t happen but I made an important research contact that month and as a result it happened in July.
This June it is to finish his granddaughter’s story. Hmmmmm hope I don’t have to wait until July.
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I know for you, July sounds too far, away, but I’m just garnering hope from the fact that you DID get your goal for last June, even if not for another month. I’ll take that! 🙂
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Summer is no different for me than any other time of year in terms of how much time I spend writing or what goals I have. My day job doesn’t change.
I just have the illusion of longer days, because there’s more sunlight. 😉
This June, I’m actually on a WIP break, getting critique on something that I will re-attack at the end of the month. I hope to play with some short projects in the meantime.
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Jenn, I was thinking about this while I wrote the post–about when my summer didn’t change things and how, not tooo far into the future, that constant pattern will come my way again. In the past, I didn’t use that continuity very well–I the next few summers may be practice for me to keep things going, no matter what schedules life brings along!
And I love the image of you re-attacking! 🙂
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Without kids in school the only difference the summer makes to me is that I get more daylight hours and I have to run the AC all the time. 🙂
My goals are pretty much the same all the time, of late. Write some on the two WIP, do some art, write some more, walk in the garden, laugh, write some more, go to bed happy with the way I’ve spent my day.
Every day doesn’t unfold that way but that’s my goal.
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I’m trying to get into some kind of pattern like this, where summer is more of a slight shift than a dramatic slide into chaos! Here’s to all of us shooting for our goals. 🙂
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Oh my goodness, Becky! Your son is going to be in high school this fall? Enjoy this time!
Goal setting is good for the summer. I’m going to finish my revisions on PB and tackle a first draft of a new manuscript. Here’s to the summer!
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He is! And in his new hiking books for summer camp, he’s now taller than his dad. 🙂 I think it’s going to be a good summer…as relaxing as we can keep it without getting antsy from TOO much doing nothing.
Yay for finishing PB revisions. I hope maybe I get to read it?!
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Absolutely!
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Yay! 🙂
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Great idea to set some goals for the summer. I can’t believe I haven’t done it yet!
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Well, I didn’t do it until I was writing this post! Mostly, the plan is to just write as much as possible. 🙂
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