Summer is here and my girls aren’t the only ones who are excited about being out of school. Summer allows me the large chunks of time needed to work on my projects without the constraints of deadlines that aren’t mine.
So, what am I doing with all this free time? Writing, for one. I have a self-imposed deadline of June 30 for my novel’s first draft. I’m almost there – just six more chapters left to write. It’s doable, and with all this free time sixty pages in seventeen days is cake. Many authors wrote whole novels in a matter of weeks. Zora Neale Hurston, Toni Morrison, and Mary Shelley come to mind.
A second activity I have to keep me busy this summer is graduate school. I am in the process of obtaining my Master’s degree in English and Creative Writing from Southern New Hampshire University. It’s just another stepping stone on my path to becoming a better writer and completing the goal of finishing my novel. The thesis writing part of the course work is the novel-writing process. I’ll be able to complete and submit chapters for peer review, and a synopsis is due mid-quarter. Deadlines are present, but I can live with them.
Finally, but most importantly, I get to spend time with my family grilling out, swimming in our pool, visiting family, and going to the beach. That’s what we’re doing today – hitting Fernandina Beach.
It sounds like my summer break really isn’t a break at all, but the schedule I keep and the time I spend on “work” is of my own creation. And really, I’d get bored just lying on the couch watching Y&R or B&tB or DOOL. I’d rather spend my time on activities that add real value to my life.
So , how are you spending your summer?
