Why I've Neglected Blogging

I've neglected blogging for 11 days. Here's why:

I suppose it's time for my long vacation from blogging to end. The past eleven days hardly qualify as vacation because I've been totally wrapped up on writing projects that left no time for anything else.
There were a couple of 6,000 word mystery stories to go over and over - thirty times at least - until I was satisfied. Changing a word here and another there, moving text from one place to another, deleting some things and adding others, coming up with a different ending - those things take time.
Then there were three high school sports books produced between 1988 and 1999 to get back in print again. Doing so was a huge job, although nothing like it was the first time. That took several years of reseach, compiling and writing. Doing the books was a labor of love because each has a limited market.
All of it is fun though. Can't think of anything else I'd rather be doing.

That's enough inspiration for me!!! I'm getting to "work" here doing inspiring and pleasurable writing.

I'm working on putting together materials on my Cuba book that I will send to Pelican Books. I've taken some time off from submission since the waiting does get stressful and stress has been part of my life big time lately.

But now I'm ready and then will work on other writing.

Thanks for the inspiration as always.

Carol

Sometimes, work calls. As for me, I'm going to be gone for about 11 days beginning Saturday when my wife and I head for Alberta and Montana for a vacation. Neither of us is taking a laptop with us, so there won't be a temptation there to log on when we should be out enjoying Glacier Park, Waterton Park, and Banff.

Haven't been that way for 20 years.

Malcolm

Malcolm, you are heading into my old neck of the woods - I spent most of my life in Alberta and so be sure to really feel it for me while you are there okay?

Dick, your dedication and results are really inspiring, so you are forgiven for dropping your blog rate. That way we know you've at least taken a moment or two for your wife and maybe the hamster too.

As for blogging, I am trying to be consistent and regular with it...sounds like bowels though. I added an entrecard widget to my blog, but although it has increased my traffic in technical terms, none of my visitors are guaranteed to actually stop and read, nor be part of my target audience, so although I have upped traffic, I have not actually upped anything else.

Dick, I'm not impacting my time by blogging but I can fully appreciate how a couple of 6K stories can take up your time. I've been doing some of the same. I've been writing the story for the past month, tweaking as I go at the end of each day. I "finished" it a few days ago, at 6200 words, then let it simmer for a few days before going back for a final read. I made changes, then printed it for the first time. It's amazing how problems show up in print that are hidden on screen. I tweaked the new changes and simmered some more. Today I printed it final, prepared to stuff it in an envelope and send it away, and I read the "final" copy once again. I added a hundred words and had to print the last four pages one more time, and I had to change and reprint the submission letter to reflect the new word count. The package is complete, ready to be mailed on Monday. chances are that I'll read it again Tuesday, and wish I could recall it for last minute changes.

Jim Woods
www.ultrasw.com/jwoods

It's a chore, Jim, but it pays off. I agree about printouts. Things show up and a story sometimes seems quite different when you see it in print. I don't mind rewriting, in fact I enjoy it, but I always try to keep William Campbell Gault's advice in mind: "You have to rewrite, but be careful because you might be cutting out the good stuff."