Fight the Good Fight

This post originally appeared at The Blood-Red Pencil on January 26, 2011, and since has been updated. Sadly, much of it still rings true for me!

Killer Career's new 2013 cover

I published my romantic suspense, Killer Career, in August, 2009. When I was writing that  manuscript, I was fortunate enough to enjoy a four-day work week, which gave me some, but not a whole lot of free hours to write. With the advent of economic uncertainty, my four-day work week turned into five. I barely had time to market Killer Career, perform my day job, and make attempts to continue my work in progress. I'd try to get pages done while commuting, but as soon as I got into the story, it was time to get off the commuter train.  I also found other reasons for not completing my manuscript, such as books I'd rather read, or friends I'd like to converse with, while riding the train. When I got home, more often than not, I was too wiped out to do anything but relax with the DH and my dog.

Those were my excuses for not completing another manuscript, but even then I suspected more was involved.

I learned my suspicions were correct when I read The WAR of ART by Steven Pressfield, subtitled, Break Through the Blocks and Win Your Inner Creative Battles. 

In it, Pressfield explores an all too familiar bugaboo of mine and, I suspect others, known as Resistance. According to Pressfield, some of Resistance's traits, but not all, are: Invisible, Internal, Insidious, and Impersonal.

From reading this book I realized I'm not the only author who battles fears. Two that I own are: Fear of continuing a manuscript because I might not be able to think of what will come next, and Fear of completing my manuscript and taking the chance of losing my dream that people will like it when they see it.

With the advent of 2011, I lost my day job. Since then, I don't have the same excuses to fall back on. Supposedly, I have more time at my disposal, but marketing seems to take up a huge block, which before had been dedicated to writing. Still, I feel obligated to connect with writers and readers.

Also, I'm lured by weird impulses to see to home projects, which have been neglected for too long. I had to give in and arrange for the painting and carpeting of the living room and dining room, which resulted in considerable chaos of displaced items. My desk happens to sit in the dining room, ordinarily a handy spot.

Since losing my job, I did manage to eke out three more books: the thriller, Forever Young: Blessing or Curse, it's sequel, the Blessing or Curse Connection, and the romantic comedy, Her Handyman.

Still, as I write this, I realize I could have accomplished much more. I need to get back on the bandwagon. My first priority should be to fight the good fight. To that end, I've  resolved to type The End on the last page of a manuscript sometime in early 2014, and on another by the end of the same year.

What about you? Do you suffer from the same fears and procrastinations? Or, do you have others you'd like to share?

Experience the diversity & versatility of Morgan Mandel. For romantic comedy: Her Handyman & Girl of My Dreams. Thriller: Forever Young: Blessing or Curse. Short Stories Sequel: the Blessing or Curse Collection. Romantic suspense: Killer Career. Mystery: Two Wrongs. Twitter:@MorganMandel Websites: Morgan Mandel.Com & Chick Lit Faves.