Tuesday, July 27, 2010

Back in the Saddle

We got back last night and I've been in a whirlwind of washing clothes and walking dogs and weeding gardens and feeling...strange. Like you do after a trip. Or I should say, like I do after a trip. Discombobulated.
And I have things to do, people to see, a life to pick up and start going at again.
And so, my dear readers, I thought I would do a little thinking-out-blog.
And what do I need to think about? I need to go back at my manuscript which I haven't looked at, not really, for about ten days. I can find where I'm at because I have my wonderful board with seven sheets of the beats and I have checked the chapters I've been through. I'm at page 190 of 303. So two thirds done this particular revision. Seems good but as you may recall this is where it gets a little fuzzinating - at the bottom of the third quarter or the beginning of the third period depending on which game you think I'm playing.
I think how I'll do this is give myself two hours a day until it is done.  I imagine that will be about two weeks worth of work. Novel wise that is. I'm also going to send off 'The Rock Walker' again and have some work to get that going.
How do you ease back into work after a time away? Any suggestions or do you just jump in and start swimming?

For a report on my trip ( road trip to TO to niece's wedding) and so on - check Living the Complicated Simple Life for some description and photos...

6 comments:

Cruella Collett said...

Glad to have you back. I'll have to check out your travelogue another day, because it is past my bedtime. Looking forward to it, though :)

Elizabeth Spann Craig said...

Welcome back!

I like the idea that your beat sheet is able to direct you right back into the manuscript!

I usually just have to pick it up again and try to find my train of thought. Which may or may not be evident!

Carol Kilgore said...

Welcome home!

I jump back in, but not at full speed. We were gone for a few days and I'm still going at half-speed.

Hart Johnson said...

Welcome back, Jan! I've missed you! And when I am jumping back in, I always need a PLAN. I don't always follow my plan, but I typically use a calendar and break the big task into little ones and assign days so the pieces look manageable.

Elspeth Futcher said...

Welcome back! Aren't you lucky (or perhaps really smart) that you've devised a plan that allows you to hop right back into your editing? Well done. I doubt I'll be as efficient after my vacation.

Jan Morrison said...

Hi CC! Loved my road trip and happy to be back...
Elizabeth - yep, went at it today and it went very well despite my fuzzyheadedness...
Hi Reberto - nah, short isn't my strength - too much to say! But thanks for the invite.
Ha! Carol - I'm not sure what speed I'm at. I could be going fast but not doing it thoroughly or going too slow to count. Just not sure.
Yes Tartlette - we are twins separated at birth only I'm way older than you and we don't look alike but still!!!
Elspeth - so far so good but as I said I'm approaching the big wobbly out of control middle (oddly like my own middle - hmmm...)