Welcome all to the last IWSG post of 2021. The past year has solidified how much the support of online groups such as IWSG is necessary for the mental health and motivation needed to keep going in this business. Thanks to the IWSG admins, our founder, Alex J. Cavanaugh, and all the participants who share knowledge, comradery, as we navigate the writing world. See the entire list of participants here.
This month's optional question: In your writing, what stresses you most and what delights you the most?
I don't think any one things stresses me. I worry about timelines when I'm writing fantasy. I worry about keeping it fresh when writing romances. A hundred different things are always bubbling about. Over the past year, not finding time to write is stressing me more than anything. I hope the major theif of my writing time is not a problem by next summer. Delight? There are those moments when the perfect solution or perfect scene appear in my thoughts out of nowhere. Doesn't happen every day, but I usually have some kind of delightful moment a few times in each novel I write.
"Time is what we want most, but what we use worst." William Penn
Thanksgiving was lovely. My daughter was able to be here after the pandemic kept her away last year. We even had the pleasure of two relatives from Myrtle Beach who were able to join us. For the first Thanksgivng in our new home, we had many things to be happy and grateful about. I hope yours was the same.
A little pet peeve here. I read a lot of library books and support our library system with donations. I love the library, and the workers there are so friendly and helpful. A few days ago, I picked up five books on hold for me. One was a new fantasy book by an author who is new to me. It is a delightful need which I'll probably finish by the time this post is published. Much to my disgust, a previous borrower had underlined passages throughout the almost brand new book. It's not the first library book I've found vandalized in such a way. But why? Why would someone do that to a book that doesn't belong to them? Such casual misuse of public property really offends me, and the obvious disregard to other readers is very arrogant and self-centered. Sorry about the rant. Guess it isn't such a small peeve.
"There is more stupidity than hydrogen in the universe, and it has a longer shelf life." Frank Zappa
I'm looking forward to reading the last book in The Expanse book series which was released yesterday. The Wheel of Time series on Prime is keeping my interest. I read the books, but most of the changes in the show make it better. They can't put everything in the books in a show. Some good shows coming in December. The final season of Lost in Space on Netflix is out this week. The final season of the Expanse is on Prime next week. And the following week, the next season of The Witcher is on Netflix. Enough to keep me occupied and fill those hours when I'm not watching my granddaughter and working on my responsibilities to Pennwriters.
I hope the supply chain issues are interferring with your holiday preparations and shopping. With my children all grown, my granddaughter is the only one I had to search for gifts for. All done and wrapped and under the tree. I only send a few Christmas cards to people that I don't see very often. It will be nice not to visit the post office at this time of year. It was stressful last year when I worried about packages arriving on time or even arriving at all. And we all plan to be together again and that what really makes the holiday special for me.
"The best thing to hold onto in life is each other." Audrey Hepburn
Anything particularly stressful about writing for you? Was Thanksgiving a good time for your family? Are your holiday plans coming along?
22 comments:
I'm glad you had a nice Thanksgiving. Ours was subdued but just right. I hope Christmas will be the same.
Hi Susan - oh people and books - just so unnecessary ... they had the same problem in 1937 - in the Senate House Library in London a small exhibition was there 'How to Handlebooks circa 1937' ... this is a quote I picked up when visiting:
“We should make the same use of a Book that the Bee does of a Flower; she steals sweets from it, but does not injure it.”
So pleased your new home is enjoying its early life with you! and that you had a happy Thanksgiving. Take care - Hilary
Wow! Marking in a library book is despicable. I'm with you.
Teresa C.
Why would someone underline a fiction book anyway? That in itself is weird.
We got our shopping done super-early and I've kept us well ahead on groceries, so the supply chain hasn't affected us.
Oof, I hate books being vandalized, and people just not taking care of them. The library should issue a fine! Glad you had a good Thanksgiving and I hope Christmas is great too. Things are very uncertain here with yet another ominous variant hitting the UK. Hope it doesn't reach your shores.
Hi,
I know how it feels with things to do that are taking you away from your writing. Oh, when authors only had to write! However, times have changed and we are very much involved in the marketing process.
Happy to hear you had a lovely Thanksgiving.
Wishing you a very Merry Christmas, my friend, and a safe crossover into 2022.
Shalom aleichem,
Pat G @ EverythingMustChange
I have a lot of worries about my writing too. Also, I worry about having to do marketing. Glad you had a good Thanksgiving. Me too. And I'm excited there's another series of Witcher coming.
I would never underline passages in a library book. It's not my book! Why would I write in it? Still, the underlining is better than some of the things I've found done to and in library books. The mind boggles.
I hope you and your family have a wonderful holiday season.
Glad you finally had family together this year.
Wheel of Time is good so far. I read most of the books but gave up when I realized the story would never end.
I completely agree with this quote, "There is more stupidity than hydrogen in the universe, and it has a longer shelf life." Frank Zappa
Happy Holidays and Merry Christmas in advance, Susan.
Hi Susan,
Sound like you've been busy. I am happy to hear that you enjoyed your Thanksgiving and that Christmas is coming along nicely for you.
I really liked the quotes you posted... so true!
I had a quiet Thanksgiving with two neighbors who had no where else to go. It was as it should be...grateful for what we all have (roof over our heads, food on the table, and our health).
Christmas will be very quiet. I sadly don't have family close by, but that is fine since we are really not that close. I DO plan to "DECK the HALLS!" I have a lovely old 1914 Craftsman home with a HUGE front porch. So, I most likely will be putting up three or maybe FOUR trees on different levels and each room with be decorated with a bit of Christmas Magic! I do it mostly for me. I hope to have a few friends drop by, but with COVID we are all on the alert. Another quiet Christmas, but there is something relaxing about that. I only need to purchase a few token gifts, the days of dozens of gifts under the tree are long gone for me. I DO wrap many empty boxes for decoration to fill up the empty space, and put the real gifts in front. I LOVE this time of year and I enjoy preparing for it. I even plan to bake again. I haven't in a few years. Now that I feel more settled in my new home, I am ready to bring on the baking!
Wishing you and yours a HAPPY, HEALTHY, and PROSPEROUS Christmas and new year!
Hi Susan,
Sound like you've been busy. I am happy to hear that you enjoyed your Thanksgiving and that Christmas is coming along nicely for you.
I really liked the quotes you posted... so true!
I had a quiet Thanksgiving with two neighbors who had no where else to go. It was as it should be...grateful for what we all have (roof over our heads, food on the table, and our health).
Christmas will be very quiet. I sadly don't have family close by, but that is fine since we are really not that close. I DO plan to "DECK the HALLS!" I have a lovely old 1914 Craftsman home with a HUGE front porch. So, I most likely will be putting up three or maybe FOUR trees on different levels and each room with be decorated with a bit of Christmas Magic! I do it mostly for me. I hope to have a few friends drop by, but with COVID we are all on the alert. Another quiet Christmas, but there is something relaxing about that. I only need to purchase a few token gifts, the days of dozens of gifts under the tree are long gone for me. I DO wrap many empty boxes for decoration to fill up the empty space, and put the real gifts in front. I LOVE this time of year and I enjoy preparing for it. I even plan to bake again. I haven't in a few years. Now that I feel more settled in my new home, I am ready to bring on the baking!
Wishing you and yours a HAPPY, HEALTHY, and PROSPEROUS Christmas and new year!
So glad to hear you had a good Thanksgiving this year. I think we all needed to be together after this two-year-long separation.
Thanks for sharing your self and your holiday happiness - thanks for sharing Audrey Hepburn's quote. I laughed aloud at Frank Zappas.
I've never witnessed the book vandalism you described, so I wholly agree with your rant. May a pox zap those scurrilous peeps and may the Grinch steal their gifts!
Writing is a mixed bag of hard-boiled candy that will break your teeth, and soft chews that will wash sweetness over all your senses.
It sounds like you had a wonderful holiday, and i join you in being outraged that someone would mark up a library book.
As for whatever stole your writing time last year, i say, Thief, begone!
Library book rant: you are so right. How awful.
Thanksgiving: better than last year when Hubs & I were alone
Delights: oh, yes. When it all comes together, it's marvelous
Online Community: IWSG has been such a help over the past almost 2 years; a place where we understand each other; a place to connect when we can't go out.
Hope you have a great month.
Hi, Susan! I'm glad that you had a lovely Thanksgiving and could see your daughter and other relatives. Terry and I shared a nice Thanksgiving at home. I, too, am enjoying "The Wheel of Time" series on tv. I haven't read the series although my brother, his boys, and my sister loved it. I've likely watched every episode of "The Expanse" twice. I love it! I hope to finish the books. The story is brilliant! I hate to see library books marked up. I tend to buy my own books because I mark up mine. No supply chain problems so far. Fingers crossed. Wishing you time to write more. Have a fun Christmas!
Great quote by Zappa. Made me smile.
I also use our local library a lot, and sometimes, previous readers mark the books in some way, but not often and not as badly as you describe. You're right to rant about that.
My hackles rose as I read about the defaced library book. It sounds as though your Christmas preparation is under control. What a great idea to get gifts only for the grandchild.
Oh wow, highlighting/underlining in a library book is so, so... rude. Why?
I was fortune to see family I haven't seen in awhile as well over Thanksgiving. It was really nice.
I can't imagine why somebody would write in a library book! That's unacceptable!
"There is more stupidity than hydrogen in the universe, and it has a longer shelf life." That nails it!
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