Steve’s Update 9/20/2021

Posted on September 20, 2021 | Leave a comment

(This column is posted at www.StevenSavage.com and Steve’s Tumblr.  Find out more at my newsletter.)

A School of Many Futures: The book is out. I’m treating this as soft launch (no big announcement) until I see a print copy to see if I missed anything. https://books2read.com/u/bMwlPX

“The Agile Writer’s Mindset”: I’m probably going to take a stab at outlining this in the next month or two.

The Way With Worlds series: I plan to return to writing in October. I might get to it early, but I have other things.

The Seventh Sanctum rewrite: I had to put this on hold to finish the novel and because of a bunch of other irritating interruptions. Now it’s time to get serious on the remaining generators to finish this up – and apply all the lessons I’ve learned.

Finally, two awesome giveaways you can grab stuff from:

Steven Savage

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Steve’s Update 9/12/2021

Posted on September 12, 2021 | Leave a comment

(This column is posted at www.StevenSavage.com and Steve’s Tumblr.  Find out more at my newsletter.)

Two giveaways are in progress!

A School of Many Futures’s cover is done and the ebook is being formatted. It’s mostly ready, but I want to do some cleanup and make sure the copy is “clean” from the ODT. I’m 80% sure I’ll be launching it this week.

“The Agile Writer’s Mindset” is something I am not thinking about. I want to get the book out. More and more I think this might be fun to write by doing zoom meetings with some of my readers!

The Way With Worlds series is – yep – not something I think about until next week or so.

The Seventh Sanctum rewrite is still chugging along. I cleaned up and reviewed the code, but have to make some design decisions on speed versus a more maintainable environment. The last three generators I held off on reveal both some useful code changes, but also some questions. In the end, I think I’m going for maintainable – which means creating some more generator options “behind the scenes” as it were. Long-term it’s worth it, but it means undoing some shortcuts.

Steven Savage

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Old Writer Meet New Writer

Posted on September 9, 2021 | Leave a comment

(This column is posted at www.StevenSavage.com and Steve’s Tumblr.  Find out more at my newsletter.)

“Put it down for a while” is advice often given to writers. Tired of your story, then take a break. Done editing, then take a break. The virtuous idea is that if you’re frustrated, tired, or just did a lot of writing, a break lets you return with fresh energy and fresh eyes.

I am a believer, if a hypocritical one, in taking a break as a writer. But as food for thought, let me suggest a break does not just give you fresh eyes – it gives you new ones.

When you finish a project or a writing setting, your mind is awhirl. Letting yourself take a break lets the lessons sink into your mind. Your break is a time of change.

When you finish a project or a writing session and take a break, your mind does other things besides writing. In that time, you take new stimuli, new ideas, new inspirations. Your break is a time of taking in other things.

When you finish a project or a writing session, a break is a chance to see a project differently. Stray ideas and unstructured contemplation let you gain new viewpoints. Your break is a time to gain new insights.

The work does not change when you take a break – but you do.  The person who returns to work after an hour or a day or a week off is literally someone else.

This viewpoint provides more than a way to discuss the nature of impermanence. It’s a reminder that sometimes you need to stop writing and rest to become the person that can continue your work. If you are tired, uninspired, etc., you may not just be in a bad state – you may be the wrong person for the job. A rest from writing is a chance to become the you that can go on.

So next time you’re tired of writing, frustrated, or just exhausted, just rest. The person you are has done their job; the person you will be can take over next. Give them space to arrive.

Steven Savage

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