On Today's Menu -- Liver and Onions, Beer, and Cole Slaw
Sounds really appetizing doesn't it. Well, that's kind of how I feel right now. All bloated and fat and just a disgusting mess. Not because of anything I ate, but just from the general let-down from getting the last two books out before Valentine's Day.
I gave myself the publishing date for Valentine's Day, way back in December when I knew it wouldn't be done for Christmas, and as the day loomed overhead, it was absolutely ball breaking to finish it. My timelines were off in the ms., (I write an overlapping series), I had just created another story with another hero who had to be enmeshed with this one, my ending wasn't going the way I wanted it to, and ugh, Christmas happened.
So for the whole of January I was rushed, and writing, and revising, and editing, and then off to the beta's and critters, and then I had to let it sit for at least a week, and then formatting and uploading and whew, I can finally breathe.
But then comes the crash and burn. All that stress, and then, I've got nothing to do. Nowhere to be. Nothing to write. And I kind of just lost myself.
I know some of you may know what I'm talking about. Actually most of you may know what I'm talking about. The rush, the excitement, the finishing up of a how-long-have-I-been-writing-this project, and then it's all done. And then what?
For me it was sleep. Then laundry. Then a good scrub down in the kitchen. You might have thought I would at least have gotten a nice dinner out of it. Not. I think I ended up with fish sticks and french fries.
And now I think I'm finally returning back to normal. I even managed to get three blog posts in this week.
So what do you do when you finish a big project? Do you celebrate, or do you vegetate?
Happy weekend!
26 comments:
I know what you mean about the let-down. Usually, I'll read - lots. That's how I go about celebrating.
Congrats on getting it finished. That's gotta feel good, too.
I celebrate. Hell, I look for any reason to celebrate. But I understand the let down. I do love the push and the rush (just not for extended times) and then release. Congrats on meeting your deadline, and enjoy your weekend.
Celebration! Followed by a lull of what to do next. I spent the second half of last year in that lull.
Same thing happens after opening night of a theater production. It's natural--the body can only ride the adrenaline for so long.
After I finish a book, I indulge myself for at least a few days. A movie, books from my TBR pile, maybe some totally trashy TV. Nothing productive. *grin*
Stacy -- Thanks. Yeah, I have been reading an old book. Jane Fairfax's story (from Emma). It's actually really good and I hate to put it down.
Em -- Thanks. When I told the Monster I had finished with all the hooplah she asked, "Does that mean we can get a pony now?" Yeah.
Alex -- Nothing wrong with lulling for awhile. I'm just too Type-A to lull longer than two days.
Linda -- Oh I know exactly what you mean about opening night. Been there. And then the day after closing night. I used to just sit and cry.
I did end up watching an episode of Downton Abbey on PBS the other day. I didn't want to because I didn't want to get enmeshed in the story b/c I knew I couldn't watch the whole series, but I couldn't help myself. It was sooo good. LOVE the BBC.
Sleep. That's what I do. Then a couple weeks later I celebrate. We plan mini vacations close to home three and four day excursions around the weekend and do fun family stuff.
I vegetate. I kind of go through withdrawal, actually. I feel lost and weird. You're not alone!
I take a little break and then get cracking again. I worry that if I'm not busy, that little thing called depression will swoop in. And don't worry Anne, I'll have something for you to do pretty darn soon. :)
usually when i'm done i immediately try to find some MSs i can beta read and critique to take my mind off of being done. It works pretty well
I've never been published, so I can't relate to the big let down, but I'm sure it's a lot like the minor ones I've been through.
Congrats on finishing!
I always feel a huge let down when I complete a project, so huge I'm afraid I'll never write again. That's why I always try to get a toehold in the next undertaking before the previous project is finished.
Writing is the most selfish thing I do. I fear laying down my pen in case guilt keeps me from ever picking it up again.
There is a let-down element. Like, what the hell am I gonna do now? But then comes the celebration. And Congrats on the Lit Lab news!!
Finish? What's THAT?
Oh, and by the way, I beg to quibble with you ... about your comment about busting your balls. Ahem, as a friend once told me, "You've got ovaries, man!"
Even though I haven't been published, I have a similar feeling when I finish a draft or an edit. I know I need to leave it alone for a while, but I still think what next?
I'm with you on the sleep thing. Actually, that's what I've been doing this week. Finished a couple big projects and they've left me the brain-dead zombie queen.
Ha! I definitely vegetate and take care of things around the house. :)
Have a great weekend!
I'll tell you the one thing I don't do...is eat LIVER. YUCK!! My mom used to force us to eat it when we were little, which meant some very long nights sitting at the table until I cleared my plate.
Congrats on finishing up all that work! :)
Oh, I veg for sure. You deserve a break after all work you did! Congrats!!
Oh, how I relate to this! Five novels & two anthologies in three months and then Christmas. When I got home after the holidays, I felt paralyzed. I couldn't do a damn thing. Not even celebrate. And because writing and book launching are so solitary, I didn't even have anybody to celebrate with. I plunged back into two new projects, sold one (which isn't written yet, yikes) and just recently realized: I just jumped right back into that rush-rush, push-push life I'd been leading before! I never gave myself time to wind down. Or read the books on my new Christmas Kindle (some of which are yours.)
When the paper version of The Best Revenge came out three weeks ago, I didn't even have time to promote it.
But this week, I'm finally going to take some time off. Wednesday is my birthday and I'm going to start living outside of my computer for a change. A party tonight. Another on Wednesday, and a massage on Thursday. And I'm going to take off some serious reading time.
And if you'd like a review copy of The Best Revenge (or anybody would) let me know. That's lazy, to just throw that into a blog comment, but this is my week for lazy.
I might suggest that for you, too. Lazy is good sometimes.
I wish I had that problem. I usually just start the next project right away. Sometimes I wish my brain would give me a break. Congrats on the finishes!
I like to veg out; play cards or put together puzzles. And watch TV. That stuff gets old quick :)
Congrats on being accepted in Variations. I've loved your submissions in the last two anthologies, so I'm eager to read this one too.
.......dhole
Stephen -- Mini vacations sound good to me. I wish I lived closer to the beach.
Anonymous -- Lost. Yup. That's how it's going right now.
Liza -- Hurry up before I get into something else! lol You know I'll wait for you.
Sarah -- That's what I'm doing now. And watching Downton Abbey. Can't wait.
Matt -- Major, minor, it's really just the release of the thing that encapsulates you.
VR -- So good to see you again!!! I know, what you mean about picking up the pen. I thought I might take a longer break, but I just had to go and open up another ms. I had to "do" something.
Yvonne -- Oh, I knew what I was going to do. Just didn't want to. And congrats to you on The Literary Lab as well.
Susan -- Metaphorically speaking. I don't want to think about my ovaries. They've been giving me trouble the last little while.
Patti -- I think that's all too common -- the "what next" that keeps me from staying stagnant.
Johanna -- Try as I might, I can't get past 6am. Probably b/c I go to bed at 8. I'll have to try and stay up later. lol
Jennifer -- The House. Don't even get me started! If the weather was warmer, I might break out the big guns and Spring Clean. But I can't open the windows yet.
Don -- Every Saturday night like clockwork. Long before it was bad for our cholesterol. I haven't had it in a long time. I should make some to celebrate. Hey what a good idea.
Elana -- Thanks. I'm dreaming of Cancun, but that's not in the budget. Maybe the Outer Banks for Spring Break.
Anne -- Happy Birthday. Lazy is almost impossible for me without the ocean nearby, so I guess I'll save it for June July & August. Then I can really be lazy.
Clarissa -- Thanks. I know. I think I ended up with 36 hours of lazy and then had to just sit at the keyboard and go through the rest of the mss. Gave me something to do anyway. Made me "think" I was "working".
Donna -- I kind of hate tv unless it's BBC, although I do grab a cooking show from time to time. And thanks. Congrats to you. We're in some very fine company.
Oh, I hear you - I can totally relate. My problem when I finish is that I have a lot of nervous energy left over and I can never just relax. I generally drive me and Mr TR crazy once I finish a project.
Talli -- It sucks to not be able to just "be" still for awhile. Only when I'm at the beach does it happen for any length of time.
CONGRATULATIONS Anne! You are amazing and I am in super AWE!! Well done you for meeting your Valentine's deadline! Yay!!! I truly wish you all the best with your stories - wow!
I think you deserve lots of beer and fish sticks! I hope you find time to vegetate and pat yourself on the back for a job well done! Enjoy your weekend! Take care
x
Post a Comment