Fallow

For a self-described writer, I’ve written very little outside of blog posts this year. I have … reasons (I’ll just say life has demanded my attention in ways I couldn’t ignore).

I started a perfectly-good novel last year, tentatively named Field of Shards. I intended to work on it back in January/February, which is when, well, the ugliness happened.

My fallow periods always coincide with some personal crisis, whether I know it at the time or not. November has been a lucky month, at least, which is why NaNoWriMo works part of the time. I think the best way to describe these fallow times is “emotionally distracted.”

Another reason: I’ve been out of touch with contemporary SF for a couple years. My life, as it goes, got busy a couple years ago, and I simply couldn’t keep up with all the great fiction coming out. I haven’t even read the follow-up to Barsk, which was probably my favorite book the year it came out.

Creativity is fickle, and discipline has been especially difficult for me this year. But the fallow time is coming to an end. Hopefully the words will be back soon.