Decision

[rowyn]

One of the worst parts of the war for me is feeling like I ought to be thinking about it. Doing something. Having an educated opinion, at least. But I don't. And there's precious little I can do about it anyway, so what does it matter if I personally care or not?

I don't want to write about the war.

Right now, I'm not sure I want to write about anything.

But when I opened this browser window, I intended to take a moment to thank those who offered advice on my very personal quandary. (Thanks, wuf, Bard, Tufty. :) And to say I've made a decision.

For now, I plan to keep working on Prophecy through April. My goal will be to write my usual monthly 9500 words. This means I'll most likely fall short of my original year-long goal by around 10-15,000 words. That's OK.

Sometime in May, I'll re-evaluate the Master Plan and see where I stand on the whole book.

A big part of my decision-making process was realizing that, fundamentally, I don't trust myself, and I have good reason not to trust myself. Deep down, I don't believe that Scales will be really any easier to finish than Prophecy. Even in the last few days, my pace of writing has slowed noticeably. (Why, I didn't post anything Thursday night OR last night! Well, I did post something on Friday morning, but still.)

A part of me feels that I've lost my way with UnfinishedTales already. I was supposed to be writing this for me. If that's the case, why am I holding back on posting pieces until they're "done"? The point was not to care. But I do care. Instant gratification. I don't know where I'm going with this. I'll stop now.

Anyway, I'll follow the Master Plan and finish Prophecy, probably this year. If I keep working on Scales, too: Bonus! :)

Comments

[sythyry.livejournal.com]

[Bard smiles a lot]

Good luck, good skill, good writing, good will!

[rowyn]

Goodness! Thanks. :)

[jordangreywolf.livejournal.com]

Yay, you! =) Yeah, I was a bit afraid of that sort of revelation about Silver Scales. It seems that just about any bright shiny new project that I come up with seems like, this time, it'll be easy to see it through to completion. But there's something about that business of reaching a point of completion, that it's inevitable that somewhere along the way, it's going to become work. Some projects get further than others before I really become conscious of the "work factor," but it still boils down to the same thing. And if I abandon things as soon as they become work ... well, then, I end up with what I have right now, which is a whole mess of unfinished projects. =P

[rowyn]

I'll just see how it goes. In the meantime, I have some catching-up to do on Prophecy ...

[tuftears.livejournal.com]

Well, perhaps the reason you don't have other things in Unfinished Tales is because you haven't spent the creative energy to work on other things, so there are no other bits of business to put in. I know that I'm rather conservative with my creative energy.

Of course if you're stocking a bunch of creative bits you're just waiting to post until you've gone back and edited them to be world-worthy, well, it's a friends-only journal and we're generally good editors, so feel free to unleash 'em and we can suggest how to fix 'em up!

[rowyn]

No, I haven't written a bunch of things that I haven't put in. I do have the latest piece for Scales in incomplete state, waiting for me to wrap it up. I could post that, but I'm going to see if I finish it first.

I've had a few ideas for things that I thought about writing down, but I haven't.

Today I'm going to catch up on Prophecy (got about 500 words to do to get through quota for the week). Then I'll see what I feel like doing.

So far, what I feel most like doing this weekend is drawing. I've been trying to produce a half-decent likeness of Kildare, but no luck.

[minor-architect.livejournal.com]

Whatever your plans are for UnfinishedTales, I'm just along for the joy of the ride. If you produce more of Silver Scales, that's great. If you decide to veer off into another project, that's great, too. Finished or not, I will happily read whatever you post there, because I enjoy your writing. My motives are simple. :-)

[rowyn]

Simple is good. I like simple. :)

[level-head.livejournal.com]

I skipped this topic when it first appeared;
I did not want to steer you from your path.
With worry I saw that a crisis neared
And you faced some small self-directed wrath.

So I hung back, and now you've worked it out.
I'm pleased, and you deserve to much enjoy
The writing that you do, not suffer doubt
And be distracted by each shiny toy.

I wish you all the best! I'll follow here
The path of Silver Scales, or any thing.
I hope you overcome, and without fear,
The obstacles a writer's life can bring.

===|==============/ Level Head

[rowyn]

I do know that I wondered, just a bit
At those who chose to remark upon it
And moreso, p'rhaps, at those who chose silence
Which too often I take for indifference

A mistake that dishonors me more than
My well-wishers. My thanks to you, my friend
For all your time, and for every kind thought,
Silent or written, or in rhyme, or not.