It’s probably a very good thing that, for some reason which I shalln’t investigate further, the Writers of the Future forums are down. This coming weekend will see the writing of at least three essays/research papers. School is really draining me, this week; the summer break can’t possibly come soon enough. I shall attempt to fast from the internet for the next 3-4 days, in favor of productivity and good writing (wasted on schoolwork–yuck!).
On the bright side of things, I’ve purchased Avatar, and will hopefully find time on Saturday to watch it. I also am erupting, in my heightened stress and anxiety, with countless ideas, scenes, and plot elements for my upcoming Quarter 3 Writers of the Future entry, which will be a space opera story far different in flavor from my previous effort (the status of which is still pending…I’m crossing my fingers for an Honorable Mention, let alone Semi-Finalist/Finalist). I intend to make a much more complete, organized outline and do far more research prior to writing it; I wouldn’t call it “hard” science fiction, but certainly more scientifically informed and rigorous than my previous novelette. It’s also going to have a much clearer theme.
What am I reading currently?
Star Wars: Shatterpoint by Matthew Stover
What have I read recently?
Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury, Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? by Philip K. Dick, Ender’s Game by Orson Scott Card, and Foundation by Isaac Asimov
What’s in my stack of imminent reads?
Crystal Rain, Ragamuffin, and Sly Mongoose by Tobias S. Buckell, The White Plague by Frank Herbert, Star Wars: The Force Unleashed by Sean Williams, Childhood’s End by Arthur C. Clarke, The Philip K. Dick Reader, and The Best of H.P. Lovecraft
I am forcing myself to resist the very intense urge to purchase, and play, Splinter Cell: Conviction. I was once an avid gamer, though I have now veritably given up the time-wasting hobby completely. But when I gamed regularly (no Buggers were invading the Earth, no… nothing that serious), my two favorite video game franchises prior to the Call of Duty/Modern Warfare plague were the Halo series and the Splinter Cell series. Halo: Combat Evolved, Halo 3, and Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory are easily the three best games I’ve ever played, though I have a nostalgic love of Halo 2 and the original Splinter Cell that transcends even the basic desire of quality.
Alas, video games are a surefire way to kill a young sci-fi writer’s career, so I abstain as best as I can. So far, things have been working out rather well. But those Conviction commercials are of a caliber that surpasses even the most bad-ass level of description.
For me, it is all about balance. I am an avid gamer (console, computer, table-top, doesn’t matter). I consider it an important part of my life and it’s one of the many ways I interact with friends and my husband. (Some people have bbqs, we have a bbq followed by rockband
).
I make sure I’ve set aside writing time to reach my goals, because writing is my job. But I also make sure to make time for my hobbies too. The hard part, for me, is finding a balance and not letting the writing (or reading or gaming or friends demanding time etc) take up too much of my life. It’s an ongoing battle to find that balance
(I actually started watching Jeopardy just so that I would make myself quit working by 7pm on days my husband has jujitsu, because otherwise I was having a hard time stepping away from work. Of course, I break that rule all the time if I’m caught up in a project, but most days I manage to show up to the rest of my life, if only for a few hours before the writing takes back over).
Good luck with your Q3 entry, and your schoolwork!
Thanks for the tip… I do my best to stay balanced, but with college (oh, damn that college business! hehe) I find I’m having to sacrifice quite a bit of time that would otherwise be spent 1) writing, 2) gaming, and 3) with my girlfriend. Instead, I spend most of my time either with my girlfriend, at work, or doing homework, writing essays, etc. The only really, really good thing about it is that I’m learning more efficient methods of doing research, so when it comes time to gather what little scientific information I need to validate the science in my Quarter 3 story, which is going to be space opera with moderate science, I’ll be able to do it in a single sitting, and then have about a month and a half to do my outline, drafting, and polishing.
I’ve been in college for 3 friggin’ years, so the fact that I’ve somehow got another 2 years to go is pretty daunting…especially since I’m just a plain ole English/Creative Writing major with an Art minor. The key to my relief will be, if all goes smoothly, writing quite a few good stories this summer. At least 2 for certain, since the WotF deadlines are June 31 and September 31.
Jeopardy is probably a pretty good TV show to watch, as it’s the one that has the most benefit–you actually get smart while watching it!