Storytime with Rachel F Hundred

Until a week of resting like a sloth.

It has simultaneously been a long three weeks and a short three weeks.

The first two weeks post my last writing log flew by in a blink because I packed a lot into the hours and minutes.

Let’s begin with writing. I managed to publish my delayed Big Moxie fanfic just after my Writer’s Log. All Hallow’s Eve Mischief has been nicely received and it was good to get back to publishing my stories. I’m also still waiting to hear if any of the poetry I submitted has been accepted for publication.

What is great is that my inspiration for writing is back. I’m trying to write every day even if it is only a few sentences. It is not always easy to find the energy when there is so much else happening so I balance the writing with editing, reviewing, plotting and ideation too. I’m pleased with where I am now even if it is nowhere near where I wanted to be at the beginning of the year. Hopefully I will have another story to publish soon.

Things remained busy on the work front during those weeks. On my main contract, I had an intense time pushing to meet deadlines and to facilitate workshops. Half my trouble with balancing everything is when my work is tiring me out and using up all my energy, it makes it difficult for me to write in my ‘downtime.’

This past week, I delivered the fifth session in the six-session leadership and management training programme for a charity under my own business. Only one more session to do in a couple of weeks’ time (I managed to finish developing the course material for that session too) and then I’ll be finished with the training delivery on that contract. That will be a relief as it means my holiday time becomes mine again instead of my using it for the training delivery. I do still have 30 hours of coaching to deliver as part of the contract. Therefore I am not planning to take another coaching contract until I have finished that and even then if I have been extended on the main contract, I may decide not to do anything more than one additional coaching client.

I have revised my business plan to focus on the passive elements if I am under an extension – so writing articles and finishing the book I’ve wanted to get completed, getting an online training course developed and uploaded on a platform for sale.  I figure the juggling will be slightly easier and more in my own control.

I am also not unaware that we’re about to head into a busy holiday season with time spent with family and friends, which is wonderful but also means that I’m less likely to have time and energy for writing.

It is why this past week following the training I’ve taken the time to rest and be completely unproductive. I’ve spent time reading and relaxing. I’ve napped. I’ve started the holiday time catch-ups with friends and family. I’ve tried hard to ignore the voice in my head arguing with myself for taking the time out to simply be.

Because on the writing front, it’s difficult not to be a little aggrieved with myself. I keep stumbling online over advice to block time and write consistently which I know is good advice, but consistency when you have a chronic illness is not easy to maintain. I also know that I’ve fallen into old patterns with my main contract – putting a lot of time and energy into work which ultimately is not where my passion lies even if it is bringing in money and the work itself is going to have valuable impact.

I just have to keep trying to find the right balance; to give myself grace to make mistakes and to learn from them. I also need to appreciate that giving myself the time to rest means I will be more likely to have the energy to write and not worry about the moments when I am resting and not writing. It is important instead to focus on the positive; I’m back on the writing train – I just need to stay on the train.

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.