Thursday, April 4, 2013

Somebody Stop Me

I've got to stop volunteering. I swore I wouldn't be the one completely in charge of my daughter's off site environmental field day for her entire elementary school. But here I am, completely in charge of it. In charge of finding volunteers, planning all the activities, scheduling all the events, preparing materials lists and then acquiring them. There's more, but I won't bore you.

From the last writer's meeting to this I've critiqued twelve chapters from three different people, wrote three new chapters of my own, edited them and sent them off to my crit partner and was well on my way to getting a jump on writing the next chapter. My writers' meeting is Saturday, and I rocked my writing goal for the month. I made some pretty good progress, yet now I've gone and tied up my time with a huge, though beneficial, volunteer project.

I think I'm self sabotaging. Maybe deep down in my subconscious I don't really want to finish a book and attempt to sell it. Maybe all this writing and working on craft and self education on the different avenues of publishing are all a ruse. Maybe deep down I just want to be . . .



Now I'm off to align state science and ecology standards with outdoor activities. Seriously. Somebody really needs to stop me.

12 comments:

Susan Gourley/Kelley said...

Good luck. In a few years the state will have different standards anyway. New governor, new standards. Maybe you could volunteer for that job. We need someone actually interested in the greater good.

Heather M. Gardner said...

Saying no is always hard, especially when it comes to our kids.

Heather

Unknown said...

Yikes! That really sounds like a lot of work, but you seem fully capable of handling the challenge. I don't think you're self-sabotaging. Writing is an art and takes time. Don't rush it. Plus, whatever a writer does is a chance to do research and people-watch for future book ideas.
Good luck! :-)

Ava Quinn said...

Yeah, Sue, you're probably right about the new education standards.

But I'd be hopeless as the governor. My first order of business would be to ban polka and promote eatin' 'possum. They'd throw me out before I'd finished my first week!

Ava Quinn said...

Thanks, Heather. That actually made me feel better! Sometimes I think I'm the only one who feels that way. :)

Ava Quinn said...

Thanks, Lexa. That's a good way to look at it. I've gotta get my positive spin fixed. I've been seeing the negative too much this year!

It will be a lot of work, but for a very worthy result, I hope.

Jemi Fraser said...

Good luck!!! I have the hardest time saying no as well - especially when it'll help out the kids or a good cause. I hope you manage to snag a few helpers!!

Melissa Sugar said...

Wow, you sure have accomplished a lot this month. Now, I feel lazy. It is so hard to say no when it comes to our kids. At least it is a worthwhile project and you will feel good about doing it. Hopefully, your manuscript will benefit from the short break. Good luck .

Ava Quinn said...

Thanks, Jemi! That, I think is my biggest worry. That I won't get enough volunteers to help.

Ava Quinn said...

Thanks, Melissa. No need to feel lazy. Last month's progress was definitely not typical for me! :)

Golden Eagle said...

That sounds like a lot of work. Good luck with the project!

Congratulations on your writing progress!

Ava Quinn said...

Thanks a lot, T.G.E.!

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