Storytime with Rachel F Hundred

Because sometimes small wins are the only wins.

I finally managed to get a story finished!

It has been months since I managed to write a story to completion. I’m thrilled that I have finally managed to achieve it!

I’ve also managed over the past month to write four poems, three of which I have submitted to the online magazine which I spoke about last time. It may be December before I hear back on whether any of these have been successfully chosen, but I’m excited to be back in the game.

I have tried to maintain my balancing act but it has been difficult. My primary work contract is very, very busy again. There are just not enough hours in the day to make the deadlines which means working extra hours, which means less time to work on my writing or my own business. It doesn’t help that I took a day off this week from the primary contract to deliver training and to rest. I needed the time away but it meant that I was playing catch-up all week and into the weekend. I have resisted working today, but I know that means an early morning tomorrow to make good progress on a critical piece of work which needs to be finished by lunch-time.

It had been a busy week on my own business with the training delivered for the fourth session. I’ve also had to focus on getting session five finished in draft as I am due to deliver that in a couple of weeks. Moreover, while I’ve made a start on session six, the final one, I want to get that completed this week too and essentially out of the way, bar the delivery. On the other hand, I should be starting the coaching side of the contract in the coming month which also means more juggling of my diary.

At least I have a plan which I am working through now and it feels like I am making progress.

I am also proud of how I am managing to balance things. It is not perfect – but what is! I have some networking events lined up which I am hoping to get to in the coming weeks. I’ve got a holiday planned (just in time for my Dad to return for a break in the UK) and I hope to spend a lot of November catching up with friends and family.

On the writing front, my next big focus is finishing off the next story in Another Dimension. I did get derailed by poorly worded criticism on one of the stories in the series and I lost my muse, but I feel like I can now get back on track with it. Slowly but surely as I hope to maintain the delayed date of the end of the year for it to be published. I also have an original story I’d like to complete.

On the original novel front, I have decided to write the second in the series and publish both next year. It feels right. While it would be great to meet my goal of getting a novel published this year, I have yet to sort out a book cover I like (any recommendations on a reasonably priced reputable artist would be much appreciated) and I need to think about marketing, about getting some pre-readers lined up who would be willing to do a review for me, and to think about how I balance that with all of my nine-to-five work.

But I am celebrating that I actually have some ability to even think about the book again. It has been a hard few months sliding back into my old work mindset, sliding backwards with my health again, and having to slowly but surely climb back out again – step by step on a very steep slope. I feel like I am getting there though, that maybe I’m not at the summit yet, but I can see the path.

Something to celebrate indeed.

End Note: Please like, comment or share if you enjoyed this writer’s log! If you would like to buy me a coffee in support of my original writing, check out my Ko-fi or my subscription/donation page.