Break Time or No Rest for the Wicked?

Last week I finished up my fall semester of graduate school. Only two more full semesters (plus one semester of writing my thesis) and I’ll be finished. Because of the massive amounts of reading I’ve been doing, there has been little time to even think about the website, reading for pleasure, or my own writing. But now? Ah, now I have the next 10 days off, with no work and no classes! Can I just say that one of the best perks of working in higher education is the fact that the Christmas holiday means a paid vacation when the campus shuts down? Yes I can say it, and I will. It is glorious!

In the past week since I’ve wrapped up my course work I’ve started editing one of my novels, I Want to be Like Jane. I hadn’t looked (or even thought about it) in over a month. But I used the feedback I had received from the contest I entered and decided to start looking at it, HARD, so that I could make the changes that needed to be made. I hadn’t realized just how difficult that could be. A writer really does become so invested in the words on the page and it’s like cutting loose one of your kids when you edit out a passage or change part of the story line. But the more that I sat with it, the easier it became. I want to add a few chapters and work on the ending a bit more, but I’m seeing the light at the end of the tunnel. One of the most rewarding moments was when I was reading a passage and stopped and thought, “This is good! I’d want to keep reading this!” Good sign, right? Hopefully, I’ll have it close to completion before the spring semester starts.

In addition to editing, I’m also thinking of new story ideas. So, I’ll be keeping this close by for any inspiration that flits into my brain. After all, you never know when genius will strike, am I right? Ha!

I hope you all have a wonderful holiday season and a very happy New Year. I promise (well, I’ll try) not to be a stranger in 2020.

Love,

Nikki