Change is in the Air

...but nothing drastic.

At least, not too drastic.

Starting next Monday, I'm going on a blog break for five weeks. I will miss all of you. But I desperately need writing time. And if you need to contact me, my email is in my profile if you don't already have it.

The good news is that when I return on Monday, September 23, I plan to have a finished - or nearly finished - first draft.

I will be posting here next Monday, and I'll leave the comments open. Feel free to chat among yourselves if you like, but I will not be visiting your blogs next week. Comment moderation will go on after a week or so, otherwise I can't keep track if anyone comments on an older post, which happens a lot. I'll come around every couple of days and release any comments that are caught in the traps.

September 23 will be here before we know it. And when it is, I'll be hosting a special guest here. Come closer, and I'll give you one tiny hint: he's a ninja :)

Also on September 23, I will begin blogging only on Mondays. 

Notice how I slipped that in? Some of you may remember when I blogged three days a week. Now I've been blogging twice a week for a couple of years. And for the past six months or so, I've tried to figure out how to blog only once a week so that I have more writing time.

I didn't want to give up the Friday's Top Ten, but I didn't want to blog on Fridays. Finally the answer dawned on me. I'm changing the name of the top ten to the Tiki Top Ten. And my plan is to write a top ten list for the first Monday of every month. I may do sporadic top tens during the month, but I'll keep the first Monday reserved, unless there's a special event going on. We'll call it flexible programming :)

Although I'll be on a blog break, I won't be unplugging entirely - I plan to maintain a reduced presence on Facebook and Twitter. If you don't follow me there, I'm inviting you to do so. The buttons are near the top of my right sidebar for every place I am on the web. They're between the Bloglovin' and Feedly buttons and the information on my books.

As you may have guessed if you've been hanging here for a while, I'm still in a love/hate relationship with my Facebook Author Page. If you like my 'for readers' author page, you're also invited to friend me on my regular 'for writers' timeline. And the same goes for the other way around. The content is different on each. I'm still not certain of the wisdom of maintaining a separate author page, but I'm assured that one day I'll be happy I have it.

We'll see :)




Comments

Enjoy your break and hope you get a lot of writing done. Glad you're moving the top ten, because we'd miss that.
Hope I kick off your return with a bang!
Stephen Tremp said…
Good luck with your draft. Sometimes you have to take that break if you want to get things done. See you when you get back.
Linda G. said…
Completely understandable. It gets hard to keep up with all the social media and actually write books, too, doesn't it? Enjoy your book-writing! :)
David Oliver said…
We all need to change things up from time to time. It is really easy to get in a rut and keep going down the same road. Eventually the same scenery, no matter how pretty, gets boring.
L. Diane Wolfe said…
I used to blog five days a week, but two is much better and gives me some time to get things done in between. Sometimes, you just have to cut back.
Shelly said…
How exciting to have a new draft so close! I totally get about the number of times you post. I used to post every day, then every other, then three times a week, then two, now I'm down to three times a month, which I think I'm going to reduce to once a month.

I will look for you on FB-
Carol Kilgore said…
Alex - I know you will!

Stephen - Very true! And thanks for the good luck wishes :)

Karen - Thank you. Every once in a while I have to put myself first.

Linda G - Yes! I prefer to immerse myself in the writing process and story, and that's not easy with the social media demands. Once I catch up, it will be much easier blogging only one day a week.

David - I think it's more we fail to see the beauty. I'm pulled in a dozen or more different directions every day. I need some time to regain my focus.

Diane - And that time for me is now. I blogged five days a week for a few months, but it quickly grew to be too much.
Bish Denham said…
Have fun writing! Breaks are a good thing.
Anonymous said…
That was a tiny hint. Gosh...I wonder who it could be.
Vallypee said…
Oh good for you, Carol! I would love to do that too, but time is against me, so I can't. Enjoy the uninterrupted writing time!. All the very best!
Robin said…
You'll be missed, but I understand why you're doing it. Get that draft done:)
Carol Kilgore said…
Shelly - Appreciate your understanding. I just came from FB. Thanks for the like!

Bish - I plan to totally enjoy the writing time.

Delores - Glad you caught that :)

Val - I've been whirling like a dervish all year. I need this time to center myself and to write. It's necessary.

Robin - That's the plan. I'll miss you, too. Y'all may see me reading around every once in a while, but I don't plan to comment any place unless I just can't restrain myself, LOL!
Johanna Garth said…
I noticed how you snuck that in ;) I decided to pare back my blogging to Mondays and Wednesdays too..for now..we'll see if I miss doing it three days a week.
Suzanne Furness said…
Hope the blog break is a productive one for you. See you when you get back!
Have a wonderful, productive blog break. You will be missed. And welcomed back (with your wonderful and barely disguised special guest).
Crystal Collier said…
It's such a balancing act. Here's hoping you have the most amazing blogging vacation and make ridiculous progress on your writing.
CATachresis said…
It's a writing break!! A break for writing :) Enjoy! And I hope it is really productive xx
Carol Kilgore said…
Johanna - My guess is you won't miss it at all :)

Suzanne - I hope so, too.

EC - Thank you! Darn, you figured out my clue. And here I thought no one would get it, LOL :)

Crystal - Thanks! Here's hoping you're right about amazing and ridiculous!

Austin Towers - Thanks, Austin. I think it will be purrfect :)

Write, write and write some more and when you return I do hope you are if not finished the first draft you all but finished, I will look forward to your top ten posts starting on the 23rd September which by the way is the day after my wedding anniversary
J.L. Campbell said…
Totally understand, Carol. I've been disconnected for a while now and learned not to stress about not being able to post. My first job is to write stories. Everything else comes after that. I like your top ten. Glad you've found a way to keep it.
I, too, love the top ten. Glad you're able to keep it. I know several people are reducing their blogging presence to get more writing time. I've already scaled back to twice a week.

I hope you get it all finished and yay for a final first draft! Good luck!
dolorah said…
Good luck Carol.

......dhole
Helena said…
In five weeks you'll have a splendid draft! I'll miss you, but writing your novels must come first. May the fairy of literary brilliance sprinkle you with magic dust.

And I'm so happy Ninja Alex is coming!
Misha Gerrick said…
Have a good break! See you when you're back. Hope your writing goes well. :-)
Anonymous said…
Enjoy the time off...I'm thinking I might need that soon:)
Julie Flanders said…
I'm glad you're going to keep the Top Ten, I'd miss it! I hope you have a very productive break and are able to knock out that first draft. Enjoy! :)
Linda Kage said…
Have a happy break!! See you again in September. And whew, thank goodness you're keeping the top ten!!
Enjoy your break!
See you when you return!
Writer In Transit
Carol Kilgore said…
Jo-Anne - Thank you! And let me be one of the first to wish you Happy Anniversary! Hope you enjoy many, many more of them!

Joy - I've had a lot of stress in my life for the last couple of years, and it peaked this year. I knew I needed to do something.

Words Crafter - We need less on our agendas or longer days :)

Donna - Thanks! I need it :)

Helena - I'll miss you, too. Ask that fairy to hurry up, will you :)

Misha - Thank you! Me, too :)

Julie - Figuring out what to do about the Top Ten was the key to once-a-week. If I'd have figured it out sooner, I would have jumped at the beginning of summer.

Linda K - Thanks! And good luck with your new releases!

Michelle - I intend to!

Carol Kilgore said…
tfwalsh - Oops, missed you above. Breaks are important. I intend to take more of them :)
Melissa said…
I'm gonna miss you, but I'm envious of your writing time.

Consider breaking your once-a-week rule for the first week you're back. I'm doing a blogfest, and, if you're interested in building your platform, you might want to participate. I'll be announcing it next Wednesday.

In any case, write on. :)
We'll miss ya, but good luck with your break. I hope you get all the writing done you want to do. (If that's even possible.) I may have to take a break from blogging, too, if I ever expect to get any work done on this next wannabe book. (It's SOOOOO good... in my head.)

Take care.
Carol Kilgore said…
Melissa - It depends mostly on where I am progress wise and how bad my first draft is. I made myself a note to check your blog next Wednesday :)

Susan - I hope I come close to my goal. It's necessary for me to have 'just writing' time every once in a while.
Have a fantastic break, enjoy your writing and have fun with your new schedule. I used to post every day, which turned to 6 days a week, which turned to 3 days a week, which turned to 2 days and now one. That's all I can manage after 3 years of solid blogging.
Petronela said…
I am sorry to hear ab the blogging break :(...you have such a cheerful place here...And I love your top tens
Jennifer Shirk said…
Good for you!

Yeah, I had to cut my blogging to once a week too. It's MUCH more manageable now. :)
Carol Kilgore said…
Lynda - Thank you for the good wishes. I hope all are a success!

unikorna - You are welcome to hang out here all you want while I'm away. I'm going to leave a story for you next Monday, and five weeks will pass before you know it.

Jennifer - I'm glad to know that. Manageability was one of the things I was hoping for.
Emily R. King said…
Good for you for taking that break. I hope you have a productive writing vacation! :D
Anonymous said…
Have a fantastic break. I'm sure you'll get that draft done.
NOOOOOO!!! Ok ok I know it's your decision but that doesn't mean I need to be happy with it :)

On a serious note though, have a good break my friend and we look forward to your return :)
Carol Kilgore said…
Emily - I hope so, too!

Medeia - Thanks for the vote of confidence. I need it.

OE - It's only five weeks. I'll be back before you realize I've been gone :)
Anonymous said…
Glad you kept your Top Ten,too. It is hard to blog a lot and be able to keep writing. I understand why you have to take a break now and then.
Hope you get all caught up on your break Carol. You will be well missed! I'm also glad that you'll continue to share your wonderful lists and the Tiki Top Ten has a nice ring to it!

Julie
Carol Kilgore said…
Janet - I figured most writers would understand, for sure.

Julie - Glad you like the sound of the Tiki Top Ten. Wish I'd been smart enough to think of it sooner, LOL!
LR said…
I've always admired how disciplined you are with blogging. :)

Hope the writing is going well
Carol Kilgore said…
LR - I'll go with disciplined. Sounds better than obsessive LOL :)

Loved the photos from your vacation!

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