Off and Running in 2024

Babysitting, packing up Christmas, house cleaning, editing, and meetings. This was my first week of January. The first curveball of the year is that my sister requires surgery which has now been set for February 7^th, the day she’s supposed to fly with us to Mexico. We’re not sure what to do yet, but we’ll sort it out at a family gathering this weekend.

Meanwhile, writers’ groups have reconvened after the holidays. Planning for upcoming events this spring are underway and escalating rapidly. Most of the editing is done in the mornings when my brain functions at its best. In the afternoon, I go for walks. The weather’s gotten colder here in the Lower Mainland, but I still get out. The stores are only a fifteen-minute walk away, so even in winter, I see no reason to use the car. Every year, I try to improve my fitness and go a little greener, with mixed results. Like else, it’s about making a consistent effort.

Although I write and edit on a computer screen to not overuse ink cartridges and paper, the final part of the editing process still requires printouts. Typos and superfluous words are easier to spot when I read every page aloud. It’s not the most environmentally friendly approach, but I’m using old manuscript drafts from the days when I printed out everything.

It’s getting exciting to be close to finalizing the manuscript, at least from my end. I think I started this novel six or seven years ago, and the original idea came long before that. But I’ve always worked on multiple writing projects. The time it takes to write a book isn’t something I worry about that much unless I’m working with a publisher’s deadline.

I’m writing the first draft of the second installment of this trilogy and running it by my critique group. I usually don’t share my work until the third or fourth draft, but my critique partners have been through the first book and know the characters, and I trust their judgement. Whether it speeds up the editing process remains to be seen, but I’m enjoying the journey. 2024 has already become an adventure with unexpected twists and turns. My word for this year might just be PIVOT.