It’s been a tumultuous year, but I’m grateful for how it
worked out. Lords of Kur is published.
I made one of the biggest transitions in my career for far, moving from the
realm of writing and editing to one of data science. As much as I love working
in writing and social media, it’s time to take a deep dive behind the online
world and learn everything I can about analytics, big data, and how to optimize
the online experience. I joined a marketing agency this fall. I’m thrilled by
the opportunity, but it’s a high-intensity role with big goals locked in place
for 2018, and the learning curve is daunting. While the current phase of my
life feels volatile, I’m gaining invaluable experience that will carry my
career to its next phase. Yet it comes at a cost. There will be little time for
writing in 2018.
Research for my fifth novel is happening at a slow pace. So
is a business plan that I’m working on—but that’s okay. Focusing on data
science now will only help my future business. Blogging? Sure, when I can, both
here and at my food blog, Savored Words.
A couple fiction-streams-via-Twitter accounts are also in development. I have
no trouble finding cool things to be involved in, but finding time is a
problem.
We’ll see how it goes.
Even though I love this new career track of data science, it
does feel weird to be in a job that isn’t based in writing. Journaling before
bed keeps the Muses from going stir crazy, but it’s more like therapy than
creative writing at this point. In a way, it feels like a necessary sabbatical.
Completing and publishing Lords of Kur
was a herculean task. There is a ton of research to do before even coming up
with a basic character list and plot outline.
For many writers today, pressure mounts to publish all the time. A good deal of it is surely
self-imposed. Other times, it’s bad advice from somewhere in a writer’s circle
of influence. Tons of well-meaning posts offering up advice and special
promotions on Twitter certainly adds to it. Whenever I scroll through my feed
at the dazzling array of book covers, blog posts (oh hi…), and author photos, I
do wonder how well the social media push works for them. I never seemed to find
my groove in marketing my own work. I try to implement new social media and networking
plans, but when pressed for time, self-promotion is the first thing to go. Once
a novel flies the coop, I’m already grappling with the Muses about which story
to focus on next.
There was a time when the idea of not being able to dedicate
a major portion of my life to writing would have thrown me into a panic. I have
crazy self-imposed deadlines to meet! The list of novels and short stories grows!
While my passion for writing has never waned, I’ve mellowed over the years. Not
all the projects on my list are even going to be written; I keep them on hand
as a reference of where the Muses steered me over the years. There will be time.
Until there isn’t. In the meantime, as I navigate my life into unknown waters,
it’s all about staying focused and trying to avoid the storms. Wherever this
journey brings me, the Muses will always be part of it.
