Last year during NaNoWriMo I was unexpectedly called out of state for two weeks. Yet, I still remained very close to the goal line in my daily word count. Looking back, part of that might be because I was called out of state, taking me away from my family and the demands of daily life. Life had different demands, but they were big and looming instead of tiny and multitudinous.

I knew I’d get a slow start because of my kid’s birthday party. I knew I’d committed to a blog tour to promote my contest entry (I didn’t win the round, but I think the publicity garnered other rewards) and that ate up a lot of time. But it’s the little things that are killing me… I had to get new glasses, the cat was sick, and then there’s the fun game I sometimes wake up to of “What’s that smell and where’s it coming from?”

I struggle with being assertive. I need to make more uninterrupted writing time for myself. I also need to figure out what I genuinely need in order to write. A calm environment makes a huge difference… like writing late at night. However that’s also the time I need to sleep. At this point in my writing career, I honestly don’t know what the difference is between being a selfish diva who says “I need this and this and that before I can write,” and the humble yet realistic “I know myself, and in order to be a productive writer, I need certain things to be in place.”

Last year, I prepared not only food for NaNoWriMo, but blog posts as well. I’m wishing I’d done that now. Interviews and the SciFi Question of the Day are my only two real commitments (except for these Wednesday updates, which take 10 minutes,) and they only take a few hours. I can also do those while there are distractions around me. But I’m realizing now just how great it was to not have them on my mind at all during November.

I’ve been riding a bit of a high knowing that I have my first published story in my hot little hands, and there’s another even hotter one coming out in a few weeks. But for me, this isn’t a “celebrate then sit down” time. It is a Precipice… a launching point. Hopefully for a flight, not a fall.

This week, I have a couple of important extras! A few weeks ago, my first story was published in an anthology called Precipice. It’s available in both print and electronic formats. Also, I have a short story entered in the America’s Next Author contest. You can read and download that story for free on the website. I’d appreciate your vote (just takes a click on the site, no log in) and if you’re feeling very generous, please leave a review! (requires a log-in with basic info)

♥