Drafted Into Writing Lots of 'Non-Writing'

I've been busy again.

I should be taking a break and filling up my creative-juice tanks but noooOO!

Apparently my subconscious decided I should be working on other aspects of this writing-for-a-living thing instead. It'll all be useful in the end of course but right now that means my novel has languished for yet ANOTHER day...

So what's been occupying my time?

The baby has a new nickname: Og. His current favorite toy is a very long wooden stake, about one and a half times his length, and he carries it like a caveman ready to do battle with mastadons. It's both endearing and inspiring so he's been the subject of many Twitters...

Twitters? I hear you ask? Yes. I joined Twitter. In an effort to continue networking with other writers and podcasters as well as potential readers I joined the current new social media buzz and signed up - as 'inkgypsy' (no surprise there!).

It's like mini-blogging - letting hundreds of people know what you're up to in two short sentences or less and seeing what they're doing too - instantly. I gather the average Twitter has a lot about being hungry, needing sleep and being bored but having writers on my list means I get much more entertaining Tweets to skim AND get first notice of any blogs they're posting, any web discoveries they've made and other nicely random and entertaining things.

It's cool.

It's kind of addictive.

And already I now have a new archive of interesting subjects and tangents to mine for weird ideas (did I mention I was cleaning werewolf teeth today?)*

So that's one thing. Then there's the issue of My Space. I had to sign up in order to reach someone who tried to contact me about her writing. Though the sign-up process probably took less than two minutes I didn't realize the next two HOURS would be taken up filling in the About Me sections! Because I had to make it unique for anyone looking for something new of course! Aren't I considerate..?

Whatever. Its done. And I've set it up to email me me should anyone try and contact me. One less site to check at least.

And then there's the returning important/urgent-return-emails-writing and the keeping- you-all-updated-writing... wow. The night just flees!

And I've done no reading and no novel writing.

This was NOT the plan people!

I've been trying to finish a barely-started Tales blog post too but I always leave it to last - because it's more 'serious and literary' than anything else - and falls off the proverbial table. I'm rather bothered I haven't gotten back there in so long and need to rectify that.

In fact I need to rectify the whole not-writing-on-my-novel thing!

The other stuff is good. The emails are good. The feedback is good. The research on Creative Processes is good... BUT it's not writing my novel. Just like writing the non-fiction book was good and productive - it STILL wasn't writing my novel.

As I'm never going to be obligation free. I need to 'just do it' and hope people understand. I always have a sneaking suspicion that working on my own novel is selfish and I should be working on one of those 'other' writing projects for someone else instead... time to change that broken record! In fact I think I need to promise myself that my writing won't get left behind because everyone's else's is more important. (I may have to tattoo this on myself somewhere before it really sinks in!)

Being that it's already tomorrow I'll start today - you are all witnesses:

I, InkGypsy, solemnly promise to not only open my novel file but to add some words (hopefully many words) to the manuscript at least every other day. The days between I promise to work on taking my creative multi-vitamins... and sleeping. Yes - I promise to (attempt to) sleep, as soon as Og does the same!

Non-writing-writing. It's a trap.

And I'm teetering on the edge. Where's my superpowers when I need them?!

* Besides it's pretty funny reading hubbie's tweets even when he's just in the other room! Ukuleles featured prominently today...