Labor Day weekend. Some of you have emailed me with notice of time allotted for writing this weekend. That makes me happy, and since we’re at the half way point, or just after, I thought I’d check in with you.
So…are you writing?
Or are you beaching, partying, wining and dining? Hopefully you’re not working like me. Don’t worry, I’ve been taking some time off and even got over to have a look at the Pacific, see a movie (Four Brothers), have sushi with friends, get some Matzo Ball Soup at Jerry’s Deli, and win a few SNGs (poker).
But right now I’m researching a few stories. This week was a banner week for me in the assignment dept. Mother Load: I had editors from one newspaper, one magazine, and one website all invite me to write for them. And that doesn’t even include a secondary potential magazine lead. I didn’t even pitch any of them. This has all been from the Jen Leo school of making friends.
As icing on the cake, a bookseller from a prominent indie bookstore told me she keeps looking for a book written solely by me.
So, I’m at it. I’ve made my list of all these leads and put them on my desk so I can see them. I’m Google-ing away and taking notes. Square one.
But…as every writer needs to fess up to their distractions…I just found out that A&E is running back to back episodes of 24 all day and all night long! Lucky me, they are currently running one of the last shows that I saw early on this season. That means there’s a good chance I can catch up on the whole season by 10:00 p.m. tonight.
Speaking of fessing up…what are you doing? Getting anything done? What are your distractions.
Believe it or not, I’m actually getting a bit done. I already submitted a story last week, and I’m revising another one to submit this coming week. And I’ve been in touch with a guidebook publisher about a possible RTW trip.
Saturday was spent researching for my trip to Cabo San Lucas in October—I have about a dozen story ideas, hoping to find a suitable market for at least 3 of them.
Today (Sunday) was my day off from writing—I helped host a fundraiser dinner (with Cajun-style cuisine) with my friend for the Katrina survivors, and that literally took all day. (We raised $1800. Yay, us!)
Tomorrow is my day of editing a story, making a list of questions for a possible interview, starting a new story, doing more Cabo research, and eating lots of leftover jambalaya. It feels fantastic! I hate to sound like a broken record, but I’ve still got the momentum from the BP conference. Since then, I’ve really eliminated a number of activities that have been taking up too much time I could otherwise spend on writing. I haven’t felt this focused or passionate (or productive) in a long time.
I just finished my 3 week long research trip to South California and I have Labor Day in LA before heading back. I have two notebooks to transcribe into a bunch of stories and about 1200 photos to go through when I’m home…that is in between finding a new apt since our complex got bought out last month while I was on the road and the new owners are turning it into condos, so we all have to get out. 🙁
Hey Jen,
I’m trying to write on this Labor Day (or Labour where I am). I’m in Meadow Lake, Saskatchewan (look it up….I’m pretty far up there). Its a rainy day and there is very little going on in this town. I’m in the only motel with Internet access so I am trying to catch up on my blog, edit photos, upload to my site, pay the bills, return emails, plan for the next legs of my trip, yikes. But as always, I am distracted by the internet, the news, lack of coffee, thinking of my next meal.
Alas, I should get to work. Thanks for this distraction outlet. I hope all is well!
Jason
Hey Jen,
I’m trying to write on this Labor Day (or Labour where I am). I’m in Meadow Lake, Saskatchewan (look it up….I’m pretty far up there). Its a rainy day and there is very little going on in this town. I’m in the only motel with Internet access so I am trying to catch up on my blog, edit photos, upload to my site, pay the bills, return emails, plan for the next legs of my trip, yikes. But as always, I am distracted by the internet, the news, lack of coffee, thinking of my next meal.
Alas, I should get to work. Thanks for this distraction outlet. I hope all is well!
Jason
Sure am…
– Revising current book (adding subplots for an interested agent. hoping is the key word)
– working on newsletter
– of course blog update
– and new novel is underway, and I had to jot down a scene or three
Did I really do *all this* over the weekend? With the kid in tow and a trip downtown? I don’t think I’ve slept.
Alas, I did not really have a weekend. I’ve spent the past six days moderating message boards for Hurricane Katrina victims, trying to get hold of all my Louisiana friends, finding housing for some of them, and then sleeping. I’ll still be doing it all this week as well, so no writing until I leave on Sunday for vacation in Mexico.
Man, I need this vacation.