Tuesday, November 1, 2016

My Writing is Suffering

Here it is, November already. I am getting near the end of my latest Rocky Bluff P.D. police procedural mystery--but I've been at that point for several weeks now.

Life has really interfered--some of it good, some not so good.

Because, like too many writers, I don't make much money from my books, I do other things that do make money. I've been blessed to get several of these jobs one after another. Because these particular endeavors also entail writing, when I'm done, I don't really feel like getting into the fiction mode.

I have my own blog to keep up, Marilyn's Musings and I like to have new content every other day. Because I host many guest authors, though I don't have always have to come up with something new to write about, it still takes time to get the post done. I also maintain the blog for
the San Joaquin chapter of Sisters in Crime--though that one isn't as time consuming.

Other writing chores I have are three newsletters--my own (monthly) and one for residential service providers (also monthly) which involves keeping up with new regulations and requirements, and a quarterly newsletter for the Public Safety Writers Association. And by the way, there is an early bird fee for their most wonderful conference which expires at the end of December. Check it out, and you can read the last newsletter while you're there, if you're interested. http://policewriter.com/

And as you all must be aware of by now--I have a huge family. We've had lots going on.

I'm really anxious to get back to my writing, but at this point it's been so long, I might have trouble remembering everything, which means once I'm done I'll have to do some careful editing.

No doubt, all you writers who read this understand exactly what I'm talking about.

Now, this is one job I can cross off my list.

Marilyn


6 comments:

Elizabeth Delisi said...

Marilyn, I feel your pain! Everything else seems to be less important than writing, but more imperative. Sheesh. If you come up with a magic bullet to fix this, let me know. ;-)

Marilyn Meredith a.k.a. F. M. Meredith said...

I knew others felt the same as me. Thanks for you comment, Elizabeth!

authorlindathorne said...

I shared this on Twitter just now. The work you've mentioned here is a full time job, yet the pay in relationship to the work is not there. In my case, just starting out, I am significantly "in-the-hole" with making money. I think it's our passion for it that drives us on. And there's always that possibility, regardless how small, that someone will discover us - want to make a movie of the book, etc. I've actually witnesses this right here where I live with another beginning author.

Marilyn Meredith a.k.a. F. M. Meredith said...

Oh, my Linda, wouldn't a movie deal be wonderful? Thanks for your comments. I've always spent more on promo than came back to me in profit. Hasn't stopped me from writing though.

Morgan Mandel said...

I'm sure you'll get on the bandwagon again very soon, as you always do, Marilyn!

Marilyn Meredith a.k.a. F. M. Meredith said...

I am doing some writing, just not as much as I'd like to.