Sunday, November 4, 2012

The Long, Dark Tea Time

[with thanks to Douglas Adams]

From a blogging perspective, I think that's what November is, the long, dark tea time. For one thing, it is so dark. Getting up at 5:30 a.m. is never fun, but it's even worse in the dark times of the year when it's still pitch black an hour later when the rest of the family starts getting up and even still dark at 7:00. No, I'm not having tea, but maybe that wouldn't be such a bad idea? I don't really know. Hmm... maybe, I'll have to try morning tea to see if that helps me get through the mornings.

Of course, that doesn't really have anything to do with blogging.

And I don't really like tea.

November is the long dark for blogging because of NaNo. At least, I'm pretty sure it is. If I was NaNoing, I know I wouldn't have any time for any kind of blogging. Or eating. Probably sleeping, too, except for what would happen actually on my keyboard when my head would crash to the table from trying to pound out 1700 words a day. I do know that I saw a dip in blogging activity last November, so I fully expect that to happen again. Still, that may not be all bad. Fewer blogs being posted on will give me more time to do my own writing as opposed to keeping up with blog stuff, so the fact that everyone else is bent furiously over their keyboards may not be a bad thing.

Of course, the drop in page views does make a blogger uncomfortable. You know, other bloggers. That kind of thing doesn't affect me at all. Nope, not me!
heh

Speaking of being in a dark place, Tib finds himself in a dark place with the release of Part 8 of Shadow Spinner. And let me just say, there is no tea involved.
"Part Eight: The Cold and The Dark" is available today, Monday, November 5 for FREE! It will also be available Tuesday, November 6 for FREE! As an added bonus, "Part Seven: The Moth and the Shadow" will also be available on Monday for FREE! As a double added bonus, I'm throwing in "Part Three: The Bedroom" for FREE! also! Look at that, three FREE! chapters all on the same day. Go check out what kind of long dark Tib has gotten himself stuck in.
And click the "like" button!

Speaking of Tib, you should pop over to ~*~Whatever~*~... today. I'm being featured over there and answering a rather unusual question. Go check it out! The whole thing is something called "pimp my blog"... I'm not really sure if I'm the pimped or the pimper. Is that a thing? Anyway... Click the link and take a read.

Now, this part has nothing to do with the long dark except in how it can seem like such a long dark time when you're first starting out in writing. The struggle to write at all (especially for all of you NaNoers out there), the struggle to find an audience, the struggle to keep going when it feels like no one is listening. The long dark struggle. But, really, this has nothing to do with that. In my effort to highlight older posts from when this blog had virtually no readership, I'm bringing up this old thing: The Dream vs the World. Go check it out. And don't forget, just because it's an old post doesn't mean you can't still comment on it.

One other note:
I have a special project I've been working on. I'm hoping to have it out before the end of the month as it is somewhat seasonal. Okay, it's completely seasonal. Stay tuned for more!

13 comments:

  1. Purchased and Liked! LOVE the cover, Andrew. <3

    ReplyDelete
  2. Featured! I did remember today.
    I don't think the dip will be any worse than summer. At least I haven't noticed a dip yet.
    And thanks to Daylight Savings Time, it wasn't quite so dark this morning!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Yep, I agree that things seem to slow down. I actually like it (I'll be taking 3 weeks off from blogging mid-November to early December). And I'm with you on the "dang it's dark in the early morning!" bit. I've been getting up at 5:00 to try to get writing/blogging time in before my kid wakes up. It's worked maaaaaaaaybe 20% of the time. She usually hears me (it's getting too cold to take the coffee grinder outside to avoid being heard) and wakes up.

    ReplyDelete
  4. I don't know why we still need daylight savings time. It's so annoying.

    Anyway, I just have flash fiction posted all this month on my blog and at http://www.flashfictionfest.com

    ReplyDelete
  5. I really don't like this time of the year when it's dark so early. Makes me want to hibernate.

    Think you're right about November being a slow blogging month. But I don't mind either. I'm in a really good rhythm with my writing right now and less blogging is a good thing. Also, most people in the US will probably take off the last week or two for Thanksgiving, so it really is a good time to work hard on writing projects.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Thanks for putting out the wonderful free books, Andrew. As for nano...not bent over a keyboard and I've already failed (lucky I didn't sign up). But I managed to squeeze out 2400 words thus far. Not too bad for me. I'm slow as hell LOL.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Got ALL my copies! Thanks, Andrew! Now, forget the tea, it's all about the coffee. This I know. I live in Seattle, after all.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Matt: Thanks!

    Alyssia: Thanks to you, too! Rusty did a great job on the cover. The next should be even better.

    Alex: Thanks for the plug!
    It was just as dark at 5:30 today as it was any day last week, but it did get lighter sooner.

    Jess: I hate when I'm trying to hide from kid chaos, and they find me anyway.

    PT: It's tradition! We do almost all unnecessary things because of it.

    L.G.: You know, I wish I could hibernate.

    Michael: We should have a slow contest some day... except that I'm kind scared that would turn out like one of those "who can hit the softest" things.

    Nancy: I wish coffee worked! I can drink coffee and lay down and take a nap 20 minutes later. It's really not fair.

    ReplyDelete
  9. I'll be snagging the freebies tomorrow Andrew. I hate it when the days get shorter and colder, really puts me in a snit.

    Hey, I looked at the females you painted on your FB. Nice, really nice.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Anne: Thanks! I should post some pics of the maid figure somewhere...

    ReplyDelete
  11. Had some Internet problems yesterday! First my post was pre scheduled to post @ 6 AM, didn't happen until about 10 AM. A couple transformer explosions, phone lines down last night. Phone, TV and Internet all bundled up together spells trouble in this world of technology when the utility companies experience problems. Hoping you got some great hits on your books!

    ReplyDelete
  12. G_G: I think it all worked out. Thanks for the guest spot!

    ReplyDelete