Back…Mostly
Sharon March 23rd, 2010
Hi Folks – It has been a week since I hit the wall and took off from the computer, and I’m back, at least sort of. The combination of a lingering illness, exhaustion from trying to finish the book, stress from a book not doing what I wanted to and just way too much time in front of the computer hit me all at once, and I really needed to step away for a while.
My wonderful editor at New Society (and the kind marketing director who I also dumped my stress on) have been really nice about my melt-down, and we’re talking now about a new deadline and release date for the book. I’m very grateful to them. My best guess is that the book will be due next spring, and will be released in fall 2011. Despite the fact that I’ve had a lot of trouble with it, this is a book I’m really excited about – figuring out how to adapt your life to new circumstances, with what you’ve got, with the actual people in your life is, I think, a worthwhile project. It just hasn’t been gelling for me, but being away from it for only a week has already helped me look at it more clearly, and I think it will be a lot better now.
Part of the problem has been that I set too fast a pace for myself. I got the contract to write _Depletion and Abundance_ in March of 2007, and because Aaron and I had already been working on _A Nation of Farmers_ contracted to write that one immediately afterwards. Before either even came out, I proposed putting my food storage material together for _Independence Days_. In a bit under two years I wrote three books, and had I made my deadline for _Making Home_, would have completed four in three years. I’ve been writing, editing or promoting a book (often both at once) nonstop for three years, and while I’ve never minded the hard work, I’m tired. Most of all, I think I’m tired of the computer, and longing to get back outside.
But of course, as someone pointed out to me, the person putting me on this schedule is well, me. A friend of mine, also a writer observed that normally, writers spend a year or two writing their books, but “you’re just weird.” I think I’ve been driven by a combination of how important I think getting the message out is, and my worry that Eric will be laid off (as a non-tenured faculty member at a New York State University) and my writing will have to support us. But it has finally occurred to me that driving myself clinically insane is probably not the best way to handle my concerns about the future 
.
The funny thing is that I’m not usually a total overachiever – I’m much more of a slacker, and I think after three years of insane overachieving, my inner slacker is back. This is actually probably a good thing, if my goal is (and it is) doing good work but also having good life.
All of which is just a really long way of saying I’m back – to an extent. I’m still going to try and spend much less time at the computer. Right now, I think the book will be best served by my stepping away from it and focusing on other projects. A little distance is worth a lot. I’ll be blogging, but not nearly as much – first of all, I’m extending my internet vacation into a few weeks of half-time, so will be posting only a couple of days a week until the second week of April. With Passover, spring and school vacation coming up, I’m going to take my time, sleep in, play with the kids and play in the dirt.
Once I come back, I’m planning on posting only three days a week, and I’m really going to try and stick to that schedule, so I can concentrate on new farm projects and getting my life back together. For at least spring and summer, that’s my goal – we’ll see how well I resist the siren song of the internet, but I’m trying.
The good news is that I’m already feeling really refreshed and excited about some new stuff. I’ve got a new challenge coming that I think is both cool and very inspiring, and the Artist Currently Known as Crunchy Chicken and I have a secret plan to take over the world. I’m turning ye olde blogge into a working farm blog, and I have some other ideas. So there’s lots of good stuff coming as the season turns.
Thanks to everyone for your support, kindness and patience. The blog is officially reopened…mostly. Now back to your regularly scheduled apocalypse
Sharon
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- Comments(12)
Breathe! We all need to take a little break now and again. I look forward to the book (of course), but sanity is more important.
My nearly year long hiatus from blogging has been wonderful for my family. I hope this break helps you regroup and will help this wonderful book come together.
Miranda
Sharon,
Blessed be!
Yep, it sound like you were/are driving yourself very hard. Glad you’ll be giving yourself a little more breathing room now.
‘Course I’m one to talk. Trying to close on our new place, get a whole house/garage/yard packed up to move, edit someone else’s book on a tight deadline, and I haven’t even started figuring out our ’09 taxes yet. In the middle of all this, we get the notice for vehicle registration which includes an emission test, which, of course, requires we first get the vehicle fixed. In the meantime, hubby’s looking for a motorcycle for the commute and I still need to line up our new insurance with a new company. Who needs sleep?!
I’ve discovered that when I have to, I can function in manic overdrive for a surprisingly long time … but when I finally hit the wall, it takes months to recover. Not fun. Congratulations on your decision to not drive yourself clinically insane; I highly support it. ;D
— NM, who is now sternly reminding her own inner slacker that she has deadline in 40 minutes, and had better go and write something.
Welcome back! I’m happy you negotiated a deadline that gives you more breathing space.
So glad you are feeling better. I always have believed that there is a real spring fever that has to do with the winter dragging on and then the season change. Get out and get that Vit D.
Happy surprise that you are back today! I thought you might take off a few more days. I’ve had some blog withdrawal since chile is busy packing to move and do all that kind of stuff and you were gone for some well deserved time off.
Glad you are feeling better and your spring is coming soon.
peace, shamba
Sharon, I love your books as much as anyone, but I am glad for you that you are taking even just a little bit of time to embrace your inner slacker. That is wonderful. I know you might be tired of your readers going “holy crap, how does she get all of that done…?” but really, holy crap! Congratulations on plans to sleep in, hang out with your family, play in the garden and all of that. Planting seeds every day keeps the doctor away!
Chile – I’m impressed that you can do what you are doing – honestly, the idea of moving fills me with blind horror – I used to be really, really good at it – I moved 12 times in 10 years and I had it down to a science. Then I had four kids and stayed in place for nearly a decade and the inertia…oy. Good luck with the move!
Sharon
Glad to read that you are still blogging but putting your needs first. As things get more challenging, we will have to constantly review the self-imposed priorties. As a former type A (although others would argue about the former part), I have got to keep reminding myself to slow down and do the task at hand and also to play once in a while!
Enjoy your Passover celebration and spring finally coming!
I’m glad you are feeling better and are taking the time you need to have a good life. The older I get, the more important I think it is to enjoy life to the fullest extent possible. I don’t mean ODing on addictive substances, just breathing in the awe of being alive in the midst of all the rest of the living beings and the amazing Earth system we are part of.
Play in the dirt, with the kids, with the animals, with Eric, whatever you need to do. The book will be there when you are ready, and better for it.
Sharon, if I had four kids, I wouldn’t get diddlysquat done! Thankfully, the editing deadline has been extended so that’s a bit of pressure off. However, we’re still waiting to get our one and only vehicle back from the repair shop, waiting on a final closing date, and hubby can’t find a motorcycle locally so we’re looking at a trip to Phoenix for that. As you said, “Oy!”