In Which I Fail to Keep Track of Things

So I set up this free promo for my book a while ago? And then apparently I forgot about it? And I just remembered when I went to check my kdp data and was like, what's that random number over there in that column that never has numbers?

Turns out I've given away 169 free copies. CRAZY. I mean, I thought I might give away, like, two. The timing is sort of a mess because in my imagination I thought I'd be launching the sequel soon. I wasn't expecting the sequel to be an evil devourer of hearts and dreams. It is currently in edits. That I am taking forever on. Because apparently cleaning the bathroom is more interesting. I SWEAR I'll get this book out before the end of July somehow. Probably.

Anyway, I should write my indiependence day post before I forget about that, too. And maybe look into a way to add a new harddrive onto my brain. And then magically become productive and write ALL THE BOOKS.

Sigh. Guess I it's time to drag my non-magically enhanced brain through some edits. OH LOOK THE INTERNET.

UPDATE: Since I'm #36 in teen/romance/free (I'm so excited! I've never been #36 in anything before!) I made myself an award. I MEAN, I won an award that I definitely did not just make in photoshop because I'm an over excitable crazy person.

Getting Better

So I wrote my last post while I was sick and upset? So I thought maybe I should post something new so my feverish ramblings weren't at the top of the page now that I'm better? Except I'm still not actually sure I have a topic? So I've decided to write about something I've realized lately: never write for anyone else.

Sure, it's good to involve other people after the writing, and I still think the point of writing things down is so that other people can read them. But I now know that when I'm in the writing stage, I can only write for me. I can't think about how it needs to be good because I'm going to publish it. I can't think about what someone else will think of it. When I do that I freeze and I panic and I can't write a word.

I've been getting away from all the writing I feel obligated to do this past week, and it's reminded me of how much fun writing is. Somehow I think I forgot that for a little while. I let myself get bogged down in worries and fuss and I forgot to go harring off after an idiot idea just because I want to.

It's ridiculous how long it took me to figure out how writing and publishing obviously need to be separated in my brain. Write for me. Publish for everyone else. Duh.

So that's my no-longer-deliriously-ill bit of optimism for the day. If you're having trouble getting words on the page, forget everyone else. Write something terrible. Write something so abysmal it would demons weep. Write something that's utterly yours and don't worry about giving it away until it's finished.

Go write. I've got a horse to teach how to tap dance.

Indie Life: Muddling Through

So my head is aching and I don’t really want to write this and I have nothing to say. Plus I keep making typos so this is likely to come out as pure gibberish. I just keep typing words onto a screen hoping some idea will appear out of the ether before my brain explodes out of spite (why, head, why).

And that’s kind of been how I’ve been writing everything lately. I’m at that messy point of slump where all the enthusiasm is dead but I’m persisting anyway because I said I was going to do this, dammit. It’s not a great place to be, but I know if I keep at it long enough the enthusiasm will be waiting for me on the other end. I know this because I’ve been through it before.

It’s the same thing I went through when I used to go to bootcamp classes at the gym. Initial enthusiasm, how is this still going on slump, followed by a resurgance of enthusiasm as I cross the finish line. It happens every nano, too. Sometimes the slump wins and sometimes I win. I’ve decided I’m going to win this time because I’m getting too close to what I want to let the slump knock me out now.

I guess that’s all I have to say this time. I’m just muddling. It’ll work itself out, eventually.