Not behind the scenes. I think I stop when I actually sleep. Yes, I'm a direct contradiction to dear T.J.'s post.
Why? Well for the last seven...eight? days, I've been recreating a corrupted Novel length file . I've discovered my word is corrupted. It finally had a meltdown and there's not much I can do about it at the moment. Fixing the book in question is my priority. But really, this is only one facet of what happens behind the scenes.
A mangled file? It's like losing the middle five pages to the scene of a play...that debuts tonight!
You scramble to find those pages. I'm scrambling to get this file fixed for an on time release. What's funny though? During this uber stressful week, I've actually read two books and numerous short free reads, reading I haven't been doing at all because I have been working myself to the grind, a pressure of my own making. So one stress is imposed, and I know I'll get it done. I just need time. Somehow that's less stressful than working day in and day out on a number of stories for scattered submissions. I can read guilt-free during one stress. It's a little harder when I'm the one kicking my own arse to stay moving. I think I need my head examined... No, I'm not accepting volunteers, but thanks for thinking about it. *wink*
Somehow though, there's different levels of stress, or maybe different levels of importance. I know this applies to far more careers than just writing, but since we are welll, a writing blog, that's who I'm talking about, and to.
My point with this?
T.J. is dead on right. I know. I know. I'll give you a minute to pull your chair back under you and pop your jaws back into place. This is a minor emergency in the grand scheme of things. It affects my release schedule, thus it's gotta get done, but what happens when I'm not under the gun? Why do I still work like a fiend? I know I'm going to dry up eventually and need to take a few days off, or a week to find my last cowering brain cell hiding behind my office door. You'd think I'd learn. (I see T.J. is shaking her head at me.) But one thing that isn't taken into account, but needs to be just as controlled, is drive. Okay, mine borders on obsession, I'll admit, but this is a perfect case in point--me--to slow down. Because one of these days I'm just going to blow up.
*Kaboom*
Whoops! Too late!
Here, let me get you a tissue. *G*
I think I'm going to find a chocolate cake and make best friends with my couch after I get this file fixed. That sounds just about perfect.
What do you do to extricate yourself from the writing machine? What are your non-author destressing activities?
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2 comments:
Oh, poor Diana. So sorry about losing your novel. How horrible! Wiping tears from face. I dread and fear it happening to me.
I also read to let myself relax a bit, but it depends on if it keeps me awake like the last one I read. Not relaxing at all.
Usually, if I can read something light even if it's a mystery I can relax. I'm going on vacation next week, but my sister let me know I can use their Word processor to write and send home as an attachment in my email. lol I told her I was behind. Grin.
Sometimes the easiest thing for me to do is lock the office door and not with me in it. I just get away from it.
I'm notorious for getting pissed at a story or somebody but I'm not a great spouter - I get away from it all. Shut down and breathe for a few minutes.
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