It’s official, guys; I’m taking a break. This decision has been a long time coming, and I’ve fought hard to avoid it, but I’m at the point where I can no longer ignore the issue. I need to rest. This week’s post is about how I came to this decision, the current state of my brain, and a note about how the break will affect the project. Let’s get into it.
I’ll start with my head. To say that I’m frazzled is an understatement. Frustration, exhaustion, and stress have become integral to my mindset, paired with the desire to do better and produce more. I feel overwhelmed by editing and the possible need for a new rewrite. With many valid criticisms leveled at my work, I’ve sought to address them, but in that, I’ve lost sight of my story. My reason for writing this story has shifted, and the foundation is changing, but I’ve been resisting that. I’ve been holding on to everything I’ve done so far, but have become slightly irrational in the process. It feels like there are too many voices (many of which are my own) all clamoring for attention and I can’t focus on anything anymore. It’s too much, and I need to stop.
I’ve talked a lot about rest in my recent posts, but I haven’t done it. I avoided it due to my fear of running out of time, but that isn’t the only reason. My project guidelines mandate a minimum of twenty hours worked per week. I have upheld this standard diligently, but, recently, I have been filling the time with things like writing classes, or working with my cover artist, rather than working on writing. I am fulfilling the time requirements, but no substantial work is getting done. I keep records of my time worked, and over the course of my project, I have accumulated forty-three hours and fifty-two minutes of overtime. That is enough work to justify two weeks off, and it is my goal to enjoy it.
Taking time off, in this case, requires a giant leap away from the project. I will spend the week doing unrelated things and hopefully have a lot of fun. As a result, there won’t be a blog post next Friday. I am not entirely sure what will be happening the week after that, but I will most likely update you the following week about decisions made and where the project stands. For now, though, I am taking a break.
It’s been a long time coming, but in the end, I acknowledge that I need rest. This project has been mentally and emotionally taxing, and I am no longer operating at the standard that I want. I need to take time to get my head back together and think about nothing but trees and clouds for a while. That will help a lot.
Thank you for all of your endless encouragement and support. You make my journey better for your presence, and I am glad that I’ve been able to share it with you until
this point.
Project Status: The Vacation Starts Now.
How The Story Goes 