Work and life

[louiselux]

Hello all. It seems ages since I last posted, but I have been kind of busy and under pressure for a while. I haven't been keeping up with lj very well or commenting much, so I'm sorry about that. I did post about this under filter when it was happening, but to keep everyone up to speed I am newly made redundant, starting from last Tuesday. I've been feeling very strange and fuzzy since then, with a vague sense that I am missing a meeting or should be getting on with a report or, or something. I'm adjusting though, and it really helps that it was voluntary and I wanted to leave. My colleagues gave me a classy send off that involved a great deal of Pinot Grigio and they gave me some thoughtful presents.

Obviously, I now have all this free time. It suddenly feels like if I'm not careful I'll waste it and won't have enough, somehow. I could spend weeks simply puttering around the house doing all those things that we've put off for years. I could put all the things on ebay that I've been meaning to. I could go to the gym, I could hoover the stairs (they have dust shadows from the newly removed book piles because we have NEW SHELVES). I could do the garden, fill out my passport renewal form, go shopping for new furniture, make nutritious meals or buy things on the Internet. I'm confused. I have a to do list, which is helping.

Of course, there is the small issue of having to look for a new job. I have a lot of transferable skills so I'm hoping this won't be too hard but the way things are that the moment, who knows? I would love something that is less than full time, because I've been investigating setting up my own business. This is one of my dreams, even if at the moment it looks somewhat remote.

That other thing that's been tapping me on the shoulder is to finally sit down and write a novel for publication. It's odd how I feel embarrassed to admit that, as if somehow I am not allowed to write novels and try to get them published. It seems far too ambitious somehow. Perhaps I just grew up too British?

Maybe today, then, should look like this:

Get those stairs hoovered, you know you want to!
Go to the gym
Drink coffee drinks
Write
Don't maunder on about things, there's no point

That's a plan to be going on with, I think. How are you all?

Comments

[sffan.livejournal.com]

That sounds like a pretty solid plan. :D

Me? I'm still incredibly obsessed with Merlin. I am slightly embarrassed by the level.

[louiselux.livejournal.com]

Merlin ate your head? That seems to be happening to a lot of people recently. Embrace your inner obsessive!

[2metaldog.livejournal.com]

I believe you could be published. You're one of my favourite writers and you tell a damn good story.

Not gonna lie. Getting a manuscript ready for a publisher is hard work and the waiting to see if they want it or not is gnaw your fingers to the bone time. Rejection hurts, but just because one publisher didn't want it doesn't mean others won't. it may just be that your style or the genre of your story didn't fit with that publisher at that time.

Of course, it's more work when it is accepted as you need to go through rounds of editing (I'm kinda weird as I enjoyed that part). And there's nothing like the feeling of having a publisher say they wanna publish your book.

[louiselux.livejournal.com]

Thank you for the encouragement, a lot. I appreciate the words of advice too. I do think it will be hard work, and may go on for longer than I can imagine, but I still want to try it.

[2metaldog.livejournal.com]

I believe you can do it *nods*. It is hard work, but once you've actually got your story written, a big chunk of the hard work is done.

I would suggest you make good use of beta readers to help with any random plot holes/WTF moments you may not see (because you know what you meant in location X), and get/find a grammar/spelling nazi to help with the final polishing as you want it to be as close to sparklingshinyperfect as you can get it before submittal.

Of course, no matter how good you believe you have it, there will be edits. But, a publisher will be more willing to give your work a go if you present yourself (and your work) as professional and complete as possible.

And in the event of a rejection, the best advise I can give is something a fellow author told me. Send them a polite thank you email for taking the time to read your work and that you hope that in the future you can work with them on another project. Being polite and mature never hurts and they may remember that about you the next time you sub something to them again (which would be a plus for you).

[niennah.livejournal.com]

It's odd how I feel embarrassed to admit that, as if somehow I am not allowed to write novels and try to get them published. It seems far too ambitious somehow.

I have the exact same feeling. As if I'm aiming too high and just being silly. But I second the opinion above - you have a strong prose style and you build solid stories, you should definitely go for it. It would really help you structure your time now, too, until you get a new job.

Fingers crossed for you on that, btw. :)

[louiselux.livejournal.com]

I really appreciate your words of encouragement about the writing, it means a lot. So, thank you!

Oh, job hunting, how I hate it. Gahhh.

[new-kate.livejournal.com]

NOVEL

I have much more to say on that and I shall when I see you next which better be soon because I miss you so much. It's srpingtime, we need to travel and hang out, we need to.

[louiselux.livejournal.com]

We do!! Soon! I miss you so much. daeager mentioned coming over soon so I'm thinking we should have a proper get together very shortly. Or you can come down and we can just hang out anyway. I booked up for squee fest this year too, are you going to come?

[secretsolitaire.livejournal.com]

Ugh, sorry to hear about your job. But I think it's awesome that you want to try writing a novel. Good luck with it!

[louiselux.livejournal.com]

Thank you, I really appreciate the encouragement. :)

[scribblemoose]

I really do hope you get around to writing that novel. There's a lot of people who'd love to read it.

Go for it, and your other projects. There are many doors open for you to choose from. :)

[louiselux.livejournal.com]

Thank you! I so appreciate your support and encouragement. It makes me feel like I can actually do it. Which is an amazing feeling.

[doire]

Just do what pleases you each day.

I was made redundant just shy of three years ago and, with hindsight, I missed out because, if I wasn't doing what I should be, I thought I wasn't allowed to do anything else.

And sign on; it's a bizarre experience, with highlights like the "No. I don't want to manage a tyre emporium. Why do you think I'd be at all suitable?" conversation and the "You've got a job! Have a new shoes grant." moment. If I'd know they would subsidise new shoes I might have got a job sooner.

[louiselux.livejournal.com]

That is good advice, thank you.

if I wasn't doing what I should be, I thought I wasn't allowed to do anything else.

Yes, that. I'm slowly getting my head around realising that I can plan my day exactly how I want.

I have a signing on interview on the 15 of this month, so am feeling slightly trepidatious about that. I never knew about new shoes grants!

[lauand.livejournal.com]

You're a better writer than tons of people who get published. I'd like to say it in a way that made you understand that it's not empty flattery or that I'm blinded because you write what I want to read. I like to think that I can tell apart what I like and what is good. And you're good, I think. Some of us can write fanfiction, but I think that you can write whatever you want. Good luck.

And don't slack off, everytime I have free time I waste it! (Although I'm happy that way, too...)


Go for your dreams.

[louiselux.livejournal.com]

Your encouragement means so much to me, thank you!

Yes to the not slacking off thing. I can feel how it would be so easy to do that, then look back in a few months and think 'what did I just do?'

[kispexi2.livejournal.com]

Good luck looking for a new job. Hopefully this will be the start of something wonderful!

That other thing that's been tapping me on the shoulder is to finally sit down and write a novel for publication. It's odd how I feel embarrassed to admit that, as if somehow I am not allowed to write novels and try to get them published. It seems far too ambitious somehow. Perhaps I just grew up too British?

Oh, I know just what you mean! Add to the audacity of thinking someone might be interested in a novel, the fear of revelation and it's a wonder there are ANY British authors! I think it helps to know people who know people - you know, agents, publishers, that kind of thing? Do you have those kind of connections? I suppose there must be specialist journals ... Hmm. Think I better stop trying to fix your life for you and go back to sorting out my own!

[louiselux.livejournal.com]

I have friend of friend type connections, so there are avenues there I could explore, but you're right, networking is something I need to work on with this because I read so often about how it's important in publishing. Maybe some workshops or something would be a way to achieve that.

Thank you for the encouragement! It means an awful lot.

[avierra.livejournal.com]

I know what you mean about that feeling of disorientation when you leave your job. Luckily it doesn't last long and then you start truly enjoying the extra time. :D I hope you will find another job you like more than you did the last one.

Oooh a novel, wonderful! Would it be a fantasy story? (Since I adored Cupidity so much.)

[louiselux.livejournal.com]

Hehe, I think the getting over it part sort of kicked in today and now I'm feeling pretty good about my situation. No work! I can do what I like! For a little while at least, and I plan to enjoy it to the full.

I have an idea for a story based around the real life of Vlad the Impaler. I need to fully understand what it is I want to write yet though. I have something in mind that is part historical part fantasy so I'm just in the stage of wondering if that will even work.

[mainekosama.livejournal.com]

Sounds like a plan!

I really hope you will try to get published, because I love your work.

[louiselux.livejournal.com]

Thank you so much for the encouragement! :D

[indelicateink]

A novel by you would kick serious ass. Best of luck--you very much deserve to be published.

And good luck on your job search, and your business plans! Sounds like you have a lot of exciting things in your future.

[louiselux.livejournal.com]

Thank you! I really hope so!

[buckle-berry.livejournal.com]

Don't maunder on about things, there's no point

yeah, i probably need that on my to-do list every day of the week.

also ilu.

[louiselux.livejournal.com]

mb tells me my new to do list consists of 'write moar tennis porn' and i think she makes a good point there.

♥

[cicer.livejournal.com]

Good luck with the job search and newly-acquired free time! Also, good luck with the novel-writing! I know exactly what you mean about feeling silly about admitting that you're writing a novel and trying to get published. Unfortunately, there seems to be something about that we've been conditioned to thinks is foolish or overambitious, but of course it's not! You're a fantastic writer, and I would totally buy any novel you wrote, so there! :) Best wishes!

[louiselux.livejournal.com]

Awww, thank you for saying that. I appreciate it hugely. :D

[morebliss.livejournal.com]

Lounicorn's new to do list:

*write moar tennis pron

♥

[louiselux.livejournal.com]

You know me too well, mb! ♥

[kaiserkuchen.livejournal.com]

Good luck with everything ♥!

[louiselux.livejournal.com]

Thank you! :)