Today begins three weeks away from work, and with it comes the hope of finally moving more deeply into the writing itself. During work stretches, writing often exists in fragments–notes, revisions, ideas carried in the mind between responsibilities and long days. The story continues moving, but sometimes at a distance. Time off changes that.
There is a difference between thinking about a book and living inside it for a while. That shift is one of the things I look forward to most during these longer breaks. The characters begin to feel more alive. The atmosphere of the story becomes easier to hold from day to day. Small details connect more naturally because the world of the novel is no longer interrupted so constantly by other demands.
At the same time, summer brings its own rhythm. Gardens need tending, the days move differently, and writing must find its place alongside the ordinary work of life. In some ways, that balance feels appropriate for the kind of historical fiction I write. Lincoln himself lived in a world where daily labor and larger national questions existed side by side. The ordinary routines of life continued even as history gathered around them. That is something I think about often while working on this novel.
My hope for these next weeks is not simply productivity, but immersion–spending enough continuous time within the story that its world begins to feel fully alive again.
Current projects:
- My book: continuing revise chapters
- Edward Bryant: continuing to review stores for future publication
Sometimes progress in writing comes not from speed, but from remaining inside the world of the story long enough to understand it more deeply.
Thanks for reading and walking alongside me.
The View From The Imaginarium 