Moving On

Pretend I said a bunch of stuff about how guilty I feel for not having written a blog post since like, February. When we last left our intrepid heroine (that’s me. It’s my blog. I get to be the Main Character), I was bitching about the abundant distractions that exist in our modern world and are keeping me from working on finishing Connections.

I’m sorry to report that, though I have made significant progress (about half of the pages have been edited), Connections still isn’t finished. I don’t have a timeline. I’ll finish when I finish. Lay off already!

Read more: Moving On

Progress on a novel is like most other things in life–two steps forward and one step back. That is, if the steps forward are actually greater than the steps back. If they are, that’s moving on (or making progress on your novel).

For a long while, I was taking about four steps back for every one forward. I had a TON of catching up to do! Late 2023, I was pretty even–maybe not stepping forward, but not stepping back, either. I was sure 2024 was going to be MY YEAR. The year I was finally going to make some real forward progress.

I’m ecstatic to report that the first few months of 2024 were mostly that. I started to feel really good for the first time since 2021, more like myself. I felt like–for the first time in a very LONG time–that the forward steps were outnumbering the backward ones.

Then, at the first part of May, I took a HUGE step. More like a leap. I mean, I’m not an athlete at all (one look at me could have told you that), but I could have medaled in long jump of the Moving On Olympics if such a thing existed. Not gold, but definitely bronze and very close to silver. I don’t know how long jump is scored. Or measured. I could look it up, but I’m lazy and don’t care that deeply.

It. Felt. So. Good. Y’all.

Throughout the rest of May, I took more steps of varying sizes outside my comfort zone and felt good with each one. It was finally happening! I was moving on!

Then June came, and I was mired in a doping scandal, barred from competing, and am currently in adjudication to determine whether the ban is permanent or temporary. Maybe I’ve taken this metaphor a bit too far.

Another step back. But a small one. I’m discovering that, when we shake our fists at the sky and curse “the universe” for things going wrong, what is really happening is that other adults (hopefully adults) are making decisions that affect us, and WE DON’T LIKE IT. On the one hand, I’m not about to impugn another adult for making a decision in their own best interest, but on the other hand, what the actual fuck? I’m also continuously surprised that we work so hard as children to acquire language, then expend so much adult time and energy avoiding using it. Maybe these are really two separate issues.

In any event, it’s been a couple of weeks of no steps either forward or backward, and though stasis is comfortable in its predictability, I can’t stay here forever. I’m hoping I get the opportunity to take another of those big leaps.

Until next time, do what makes you happy.