I Been Bad
This week I'm celebrating:
1) Playing hooky from my writing. I completed one new chapter but hit a stumbling block on the next one. I came up with a solution the following day, but by then ... I just didn't feel like writing. That's right! I just plain didn't FEEL like it. So there!
2) Since I felt guilty about doing nothing, I read and reviewed two books for author friends. :)
3) I also decided to put one of my stories for free this week and made promo ads for it for FB & Twitter. And then I realized I was using any image other than the cover because I hated the cover. (And I'm the one who made it. Go figure.)
4) So now I'm celebrating making a new cover for "The Inter-Galactic Gourmet" (see it on the right sidebar!) and uploading it to Smashwords, GR, FB, Twitter, and all the little places my book covers go. This is one of the awesome perks of self-publishing. Any time you want to change something -- YOU CAN!
Do you sometimes play hooky from writing or other responsibilities?
My kind and wonderful co-hosts of Celebrate the Small Things are:
L.G. Keltner @ Writing Off The Edge
Tonja Drecker @ Kidbits Blog
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When she finds great FREE STUFF, she'll feature it on Fridays Freebies posts -
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49 comments:
I think sometimes you have to play hooky. Your brain needs time off to work properly. Those chapters will get written when you're ready to write them.
That said, as much as I'd like to play hooky today, I can't. Too many things coming up that need my time, so I have to write while I can.
What? No, I never put things off, nope.
*tries to look innocent*
But good for you on getting reviews done.
I have been playing hooky since sending my last ms to my agent. I need a little recharge time. Sometimes, you just need a little break! Have a nice weekend!
Way to go Lexa! I love playing hooky on the spur of the moment! My best adventures happen playing hooky. (smile) Blessings as you enjoy your day!!
I've been a lazy bum all this week. Couldn't help it and enjoyed it!
Guilt often overcomes me when I play hooky, however, not enough to make me change my mind.
I've played hooky. Sometimes I just don't feel like writing. Then the next week I'll cram it in to meet my goals. I love the new cover.
This week, I played hooky too. I'm hoping to cram everything in this weekend, but already know this is wishful thinking. Call it vacation ;)
I call it a mental health day!!! And we all need it. But it sounds like you weren't just doing nothing, you kept busy. Have a nice weekend.
I have been taking lots of breaks lately, I am all for it.
Taking a break is good some times. Don't feel guilty. Celebrate that you were smart enough to do it!
I have not been writing, not because I have been playing hooky but my job has been crazy busy. It is actually leaving me crippled by the time I come home. This is only for the next couple of months and then it slows down. Hopefully by NANO.
Thanks for sharing the reviews. As always I promise myself nice books as a treat but give in to job and tiredness LOL
oh this makes me feel better lol I've been having tough days this summer getting into the groove, and yest I wrote nothing! It felt kind of nice lol we deserve it! :)
If I don't feel like writing, I don't write...if I do, it usually turns out to be garbage, anyways! Looks like you were quite productive, regardless. Congrats on the new cover!
I wanna hug the puppy!!! And don't feel bad about not writing. I had to step away from my project for a bit because i wasn't feeling it either—like two weeks, I think? And then when I came back to it, I ended up liking it! I'd been hating it for weeks. I think a break is needed to feel recharged :)
I have to take breaks every once in a while because sometimes the words just aren't there. It gives your brain a chance to get back in gear. The trick is to not feel guilty about it. Sometimes I'm good with that, sometimes I'm not, but I still take the break. Nice cover!
I think it's smart to take a break. Sometimes I read something else that charges my batteries again. Or sometimes I do a household task or yard I've been putting off (going through the closet and discarding things I no longer wear; ironing something; deadheading flowers.) Usually I find my writing improves from the time away. Like some of the others said, your brain really needs that break.
Love that puppy! And your new cover looks good.
Cool new cover, Lexa!
Nothing wrong with taken off and enjoying LIFE.... Sometimes we HAVE TO shut down our writing brains so that the ideas will flow again and when the times RIGHT, then we can type away!
Enjoy your weekend!
Lol, can't really blame you for playing hooky. My hands aren't clean! ;-)
Glad I found this hop :)
I'm amazed that I have yet to miss a day of Camp NaNo. It's going to happen soon, for sure.
Taking time off to enjoy and relax is the way to go indeed. Best wishes!
I definitely play hooky every now and then. Sometimes the ideas don't come or my creative energy just isn't there. If I push it when I'm this way the result is usually garbage.
Don't think you've been bad at all. Sounds as though you've been quite productive! Have a wonderful weekend.
Congratulations on finishing one chapter. That is an accomplishment. Sometimes it's good to take a break. I just keep rewriting and rewriting the first two chapters in my WIP. I know it's just the first draft, but it's just not right. :(
Yes, every now and then I don't want to write. So I don't.
Have a good weekend.
I do take breaks from writing and then often feel guilty about it, until I remind myself that it's okay to do something else.
I often play hooky. I am very good at doing nothing and feeling fine about it. I think I was born as a great do nothinger. ;)
Love your new cover:) Nice. How cool to change things as you like... yep, self publishing is very enticing indeed.
A friend of mine who, unlike me, is a full time writer, says that if you're not actually writing, there are plenty of other things you can do without feeling guilty. For example, watch something about your topic of choice. I mean, you wouldn't be writing about it in the first place if you didn't like it, would you? So when I was writing a book about crime and an article about forensics, I buried myself in TV documentaries about crime(and sneaked in the odd episode of NCIS!) Or you can just watch/read anything to get ideas. Anything! Which is one of the nice things about writing. So, don't feel guilty. Sooner or later anything you do can be wound into your writing.
A friend of mine who, unlike me, is a full time writer, says that if you're not actually writing, there are plenty of other things you can do without feeling guilty. For example, watch something about your topic of choice. I mean, you wouldn't be writing about it in the first place if you didn't like it, would you? So when I was writing a book about crime and an article about forensics, I buried myself in TV documentaries about crime(and sneaked in the odd episode of NCIS!) Or you can just watch/read anything to get ideas. Anything! Which is one of the nice things about writing. So, don't feel guilty. Sooner or later anything you do can be wound into your writing.
Sorry, this seems to have posted twice!
Great new cover!! And (hangs head in shame) I've been taking a very long break from writing. Off to tweet your free book!!
Yes, sometimes I think we need permission to play hooky from our writing. I had family in town, so I played hooky a lot this week.
Way to go on that new cover!
I think it's better to take a break from writing than to force out bad writing. I'll be downloading "Galactic Gourmet" toot suite.
I think taking breaks is good sometimes :) This is not so much one of those times for me - I'm in high gear because I just put my first e-book up on Amazon earlier today! Also celebrating my bday earlier this week, and coming back from an awesome vacay. Lots to love!
PS Nice, quirky cover. Did you draw it yourself?
Glad you have a cover you like now.
Yes, I often play hooky from writing. Just don't do it too long or it becomes habit.
I tend to procrastinate a lot when I should be working.
I love the sound of your gory book!
Hooky is a requirement, now and then. It keeps my brain from exploding.
Best to you!
Sadly I've been playing hooky all summer despite my best intentions. Absolutely love this little pup at the top!
And I saw your new cover on Twitter yesterday and thought it was so awesome. You are totally rocking these stories you are publishing.
Yep, I played hooky from my writing last week and read a book on Kindle. When I resumed my writing, I was all fired up. Its a good thing that I played hooky.
Those days happen, and if anyone says differently, they are not to be trusted. Some days the only thing I can write is the grocery list, and not too well at that!
Hey Lexa,
Finally, you can relax, for yes, yes indeed, I'm here to leave one of my highly collectable comments.
Never feel guilty about doing nothing. Heck, I'm an expert at such things. Then again, when I'm doing nothing, which I suppose is something, Penny the Jack Russell dog and modest internet superstar takes over.
Have fun celebrating making the new cover for "The Inter-Galactic Gourmet". After that, you might need the Inter-Galactic Laxative :)
I shall now share your post because I'm such a great guy!
All the beast, um, best, Lexa.
Gary :)
I always give myself a writing break after finishing a novel. The pause that refreshes. LOL.
Definitely! But I don't call it hokey, I call it a brain break. Fancy, schmancy education speak for keeping my sanity. I actually just finished a mini one where I focused on a home-improvement project so I could transition from the first draft of my second book back into yet another revision of my first. With the two different styles and genres, I can't switch without some sort of physical shift.
I love the new cover!
It's a good to take a break once a while.
I do play hooky sometimes. Sometimes I shouldn't, but other times I know it is good for me. :) Glad you took a little writing break- and it sounds like you got a lot accomplished.
~Jess
I actually played hooky all month to recover from the stresses of publishing two books at the same time.
Tommorow's d-day, though. ;-)
*Tomorrow. Gosh. I wonder how I'll manage writing if I don't have a handle on my spelling.
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