Monday, February 11, 2008

Abandonment Issues

I have started, and stopped, so many projects during the last year. Abandoned stories, and novels, are strewn like carcasses across my Word folder. Part of the reason for starting this blog was to slip past all that mold, all that guilt, and just write. I would concentrate on shorter pieces, until that next big story grabbed hold.

Of course, I didn't anticipate how much I would love writing those shorter pieces, or how my writing style would change. And I didn't realize how much I would enjoy all of you. :)

But now a new novel has grabbed hold. And the blog has retreated a little into the background.

Nope, I'm not abandoning it. Just acknowledging that I have limited time for writing, and I can't do justice to this site the way I might like. Maybe when both kids are in school (a time and place I fondly refer to in my head as Oh, God, Pretty Please?)...

I will try to post here once a week. And I still look forward to visiting your blogs. All of you bring something special to my day.

But for now, I'm downgrading this blog to mumbles.

It's like the crotchety, old-man incarnation. Every story comes with a life lesson, and a throat lozenge. Get used to it, you young whippersnappers!

Hmph.


I think I hurt something.

19 comments:

Chris Eldin said...

From murmurs to mumbles...LOL!
So glad you're in the zone!
Please check in once in a while though. To save even more time--You can still visit my blog and cut down your visits to those other blogs...
heh heh
:-)

xoxoxo

Aine said...

Good for you!! (Those other writers are just jealous... still waiting for a spark to get them away from web-surfing/blogging.)

Ha!-- I just got the "murmurs to mumbles"-- clever.

Enjoy the years with small kids at home for all that it is-- the fun and the frustration. That experience is so unique and so short in the grand scheme. Stop trying to do everything else-- there will be time for everything else in all the empty days you'll have when they start school. (But remember, even the school day only gives you 4 pure hours to fill as you'd like.... Sorry, I couldn't let you get your hopes too high!)
;)

Anonymous said...

Yay for you Sarah. I hope this goes well for you. Keep us posted though okay?

WH said...

We'll miss your posts but it's good that you'll check in from time to time. A month ago, I made no posts for about three weeks because I was in a tough place editing a client's book. Blogging is rewarding but hard. And yes--enjoy the early years with the kids and save everything you can. Tape record them and keep the camera clicking. Cliche--they DO grow up too fast.

Sarah Hina said...

Chris, I'll still have time for all of you. :)

Maybe I could serialize my new novel on the blog. Hmmm...

Aine, thanks for the encouragement! Of course, I wrote this three days into a new project (when it's all heat and lightning), so I'm setting myself up to fall on my face.

I was only half serious about the kids thing. They are so needy right now, which is alternately fun and frustrating--just as you said. Our daughter is going half-days to pre-school right now, and I can already anticipate how empty the house will feel with both of them gone.

Until summer vacation... ;)

I will, Ruth! And thanks for the support. :) I hope this one sticks.

Sarah Hina said...

Billy, I just missed your post!

And I missed you during those three weeks. Stupid life...always getting in the way. ;) Glad you're a little freer now.

They do grow up fast. Which is why I'm so thankful for the movies and pictures. Already, I find myself saying, "Wow. I had forgotten she did that." Can't imagine how I'll be in twenty years.

Thanks, Billy. :)

moonrat said...

good luck :)

Abhinav Maurya said...

Good for you!!! I think writing is essentially a matter of solitude. Often I have to get away from the connected world of blogs to write anything worthwhile at all.

Since most of the people around your blog are writers, I think they'll understand.

Anonymous said...

I hope you continue to reap the unique benefits that this medium allows, albeit less often. Also, I hope you remain a part of the community. Sometimes it can be invaluable to have a few extra friends.

In any event, I've been around the blog world plenty long enough to see its ebbs and flows. You'll find your path.

Steve H said...

congrats to you!

(i can live with once per wekk, i suppose...)

Sarah Hina said...

Thanks, moonrat! :)

Abhinav, I have committed myself to staying off-line more. Since I use the computer to write, it's so tempting to surf the blogs once I hit an impasse. No more!

Maybe...

I'm not going anywhere, Jason! Really. :) I wrote this post, in part, to make me feel less badly about not posting very much lately, and to give myself permission to work on other things. We'll see.

I don't know how you manage to be so consistent with blogging. But I do know that it takes a lot of discipline. And inspiration. :)

Thanks, hotwire!

I'm glad you'll survive. ;)

Anonymous said...

Once I was watching a Stevie Nicks interview. She was talking about how the other band members thought she was crazy for continuing to write songs when they had no more room to put them on an album. That was what prompted her to have a solo career--another outlet. That's what blogging is like for me. A novel is huge amount of effort in the dark (and it may very well stay in the dark). I enjoy that effort, but there's more that I want to get out than can ever make it into novels. So, I guess inspiration drives the effort for me.

Cakespy said...

I like the murmurs to mumbles too, you clever thing. I really do enjoy your writing though, so I will miss seeing you around so often!

Sarah Hina said...

I just don't know how you find the time, Jason. I only work part-time, but with the kids, it's still a struggle. Then again, I'm a slow writer.

But I hear you on needing different outlets. There are too many voices to entertain in only one format.

I may not stick to my once-a-week schedule. Will be putting up a Valentine's post later today...

Thanks, cakespy! Keep coming by...I may surprise you. ;)

Ello - Ellen Oh said...

Well I'm going to miss you, but I want to read a full novel by Sarah Hina so get to work young whippersnapper! I hate waiting!

Sarah Hina said...

I'm on it. ;)

Thanks, Ello!

S. Kearney said...

Yep, blogging needs to be paced, otherwise it can become too difficult to manage. I try to only do two posts maximum a week ... otherwise I would never find the time for other things. :-) We'll still be popping in and reading you ... and there's lots more breathing space. :-)

Anil P said...

The blog, it is a journey no less, and an eventful one at that. Good luck with it.

Anonymous said...

Ya gotta go where the muse takes you.