So I finished the latest draft of the novel last week and sent it off to my instructor for Write By The Lake. For the first time in a long time, I'm excited about that project again. And the fun part will be looking at it at the retreat in June, because a lot of it is really new and I haven't read it much. (Yes, I wrote it, but I haven't read it.) I'm hoping to be pleasantly surprised.The best thing about finishing a long project like that is the day or two of quiet in my head. That's my brain's vacation. No nagging worries about how I can make the plot tighter, or how I'm going to introduce more conflict. No characters talking to me, trying to work out their scenes. Just quiet. Ahhhhhh.
Of course, that doesn't last long, because there's always another project (or three) waiting in the wings. But at least my brain gives me a couple days of rest before we pick up again.
So far I've re-read the first six chapters of 1794, picked up a bunch of nonfiction research books from the library for the Constantinople novella, and found two short story anthologies I want to submit to. I've got one short story mostly outlined in my head, and another that's about halfway there. And of course Project Toadstool is simmering impatiently on the back burner.
I have to wonder how many other writers write so that they can have that day or two of quiet in between projects... I like the voices in my head, don't get me wrong, but they aren't exactly restful.
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