A Month in a Writer’s Life – May 2017

After a little glitch and my website being down for a while, I’m back and fashionably late (at least that’s what I’m telling myself!) with another Writer’s Life report. May turned out a strange month for me. It seemed it just started, and before I realized, most of it was already gone in some unexplainable way. I sure hope that “runaway time” is not going to be a theme for the rest of the year…

Writing-wise, I managed to write every day, though rarely more than a couple of hundred words. I still met my monthly goal, and worked on a short story that presented itself (along with the title this time, so I won’t have to dread finding a suitable one), and refused to let go until I wrote it. The first draft is far from what I had in mind, but at least I have the story down, and now I can focus on polishing it. I’ve also done some rewriting of other projects, and jotted down some random ideas for the future.

Editing didn’t go as well, with less than 10 hours (hitting 60 total for the year), but I wasn’t pushing for it. More than having Humanborn done already, I prefer to have it done right, so I took my revision slowly. I partially blame it of the week of the “staycation” we had with Inq which didn’t encourage much of routine. I’m still determined to have the revision done by the end of June (a goal as motivating as unrealistic).

 

Last month I mentioned working on an art piece called “Patch Hills”. I finished it, and it’s now available on both Society6 and Redbubble. Part of it has also become my new header. I also made a fun art of “I Love Writing (sometimes)” which was inspired by one of my “writerly” sketches: a character in a picture I was drawing wore a shirt with this graphic, so I thought it would be nice to make the actual graphic.

“Purple Patch Hills”

Entertainment-wise, May has been my return to Skyrim, this time the remastered edition for PlayStation 4. I’ve played this game so many times already, and it never fails to engage me, helping me both to relax, and get the creative juices flowing.

We also went to watch Guardians of the Galaxy 2, and I enjoyed the movie, though I have some mixed feelings about the story structure they’ve chosen. It made the movie feel more of a wrap up of previous plots and setting up for the future (Thor: Ragnarok, Avengers: Infinity War, and I’m guessing, also part 3 of the Guardians).

I’m still learning how to drive, and even though it might seem like ages since I’ve started, the slow progress is dictated by the irregularity of my lessons. As time passes, though, I’m becoming more confident with my driving, and polishing my skills.

While keeping my writing routine, I’m also working on my exercising routine, and I’m happy to report that May marked the 3rd consecutive month in a row of daily workout. There’s a steady improvement in my health and my shape is getting noticeably smaller. Even though some of this process started a year ago, when I started my on-and-off exercising, the last three months made a huge difference.

All in all, I’m very happy with the progress I made, and hoping that the hot summer months to come won’t put me in the “lazy” mode. To avoid that, I have the tight deadline on Humanborn, and I signed up for July’s Camp NaNoWriMo, hoping to start writing book 2 of By the Pact.
How did May go for you? Do you have any plans for the summer?

Joanna Maciejewska

Joanna Maciejewska is a fantasy and science fiction author who enjoys all things SFF: books, movies, and video games. Her short stories appeared in magazines and anthologies in Polish and in English. Her epic fantasy adventure series, starting with By the Pact, is available in ebook and paperback at all major retailers.

This Post Has 8 Comments

    1. melfka

      Thank you :).
      And I hope you’re going to get a breath of free time soon!

  1. sjhigbee

    I’d say you had a really good May, Joanna. I do like the phrase ‘fashionably late’, though I have my reasons for particularly endorsing it – I haven’t yet posted my writing progress during May, so I’m going to be even more fashionably late! Congratulations on the daily writing schedule. I know only too well how hard that is to sustain. And though you might not be completely happy with your editing progress, do be mindful it is something you have to be clearheaded to be able to do well – I think you’re wise to stay reasonably cool about your progress.. I love your Patch Hills header – it’s beautiful.

    I’m glad to hear the driving lessons are still going well and even more delighted to hear your keep fit program is really taking off. Here’s hoping June is every bit as good as May, if not a bit better:)

    1. melfka

      Thank you, Sarah. The “fashionably late” phrase is something Polish people use (well, they used to), and I like it too, so I decided to adapt it to English :).
      And you’re right about editing and clear head. Better to not have any progress than edit with the wrong mindset.
      June turned out quite nice too, but shhh! no spoilers! I hope to share my progress next week. And since I’m very late to catching up with blogs, I won’t even notice you were late with your update. 😉

  2. saraletourneau

    I meant to comment on the new header during the Desert Island post… so I’m glad I waited till now. Great job! I really like the intricate graphics in each “row” of hills and how the color gradually turns to violet.

    It sounds like you had a very busy and productive May, between driving lessons, new writings, art, and exercising. Fingers crossed for your editing / revising goal with Humanborn this month. But I also know it’s been awfully hot in your area lately… Has that disrupted your routine, writing or otherwise?

    1. melfka

      I’m glad you like the Patchhills, Sara. Using it as a header this way was my friend’s idea (she dabbles in web design), and I’m happy I listened to her.
      I’m in the Northern part of Arizona, so we were spared the +110 temperatures (we’re high in the mountains), but after years in Ireland I can’t even function in the 90-95 we got, so yeah, it makes me tired and feeling less energetic. I do my best to keep up with things, but also take it easy (no full exercising routine, etc.).

      1. saraletourneau

        Well, at least you’ve been able to avoid the worst of the heat. And it sounds like you’re taking care of yourself as best as you can. It’s so early in the summer that I know saying “I hope the worst of the heat is behind you” would be silly… But at the very least, I hope it doesn’t continue to be too taxing on you.

        1. melfka

          It shouldn’t be too bad, thank you :). Monsoon rains just started, so it cooled down a bit.

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