Posts Tagged "The Day Job"

• Work is the Devil

  Blog

  Actually, work is not the devil; I’m very fortunate to have a job in these “troubled times,” as newscasters like to remind us hourly. But, my day job is rather demanding, and it’s all the more difficult to stay focused when all I want to do is write. I persevered today, staying in the office for ten hours and then working at home for two hours beyond that, but I’m hopeful that I can get caught up enough that I will not need to do anything for the day job this weekend.

  In other news, I read this interesting stat on Publishers Lunch, from USA Today: Stephenie Meyer accounted for sixteen percent of total sales for the books they were tracking on their bestseller list. Sixteen percent! That makes my Golden Heart nomination look like a Publishers Clearinghouse Sweepstakes invitation. I shall never get to sixteen percent market share unless I focus on the book — so this weekend is going to be spent in hermitville. I have a birthday party to attend tomorrow night (at a country/western bar with line dancing, which should be interesting), but beyond that, I’m going to hole up with Malcolm, Amelia, and the dozen felt-tipped pens that I bought tonight and figure out what, if anything, I want to change before submitting to agents again. It’s not the most fun weekend in the world, but if it gets me a step closer to Stephenie Meyer territory, it’s worth it.

  
  | Hermitage | The Day Job |
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  Posted 9 April 2009, 10:41 pm

• Newly-minted RWA PRO Member!

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  I received a confirmation email from the Romance Writers of America staff that I’ve been approved for PRO membership. While I’m not yet eligible for PAN (the Published Author Network), I can join PRO because I have a completed manuscript and proof that I’ve submitted to an agent. Of course, that proof was that I was politely rejected, since I sent in my application before I heard back from the agents who requested partials last week. But, it feels good to make tangible progress towards a goal, even if PRO membership is not a guarantee that I will get published anytime in the next decade.

  Meanwhile, I’m trying hard to keep my creative juices flowing in my subconscious while I’m slogging away at my real job. I switched offices this week, and since I have an office to myself, I took the opportunity to decorate in ways that remind me of my ultimate writing goals while contributing to the ‘fun/unique’ culture expected by my current employer. While I may sometimes wish that I could skip out on my day job, I must admit that it’s pretty sweet to work someplace where I’m actually *encouraged* to put up things like a vintage Bon Jovi poster, several postcards of romance novel covers, and a fiber optic bonsai tree. At least I can get a few moments of visual escape in my office when I’m up to my eyeballs in Excel spreadsheets or management meetings.

  What do you do to keep yourself sane at work? I use stress balls, interesting decorating principles, and the occasional Nerf blowdart — but what do you use?

  
  | The Day Job | Writing Career |
  1 Comment

  Posted 21 January 2009, 10:38 pm