You Have to Relax

Sometimes, after a whirlwind of writing, you just need to take some “me time.” That’s what I’m doing now for at least a few days. I just finished some intensive writing sessions, completing my story for the Button Fiction Spring Contest for Short Edition. They furnish vending machines around the world that contain stories to read in one, three, and five minutes. They’re based in France.

The stories didn’t have a fixed theme this time. I wrote a paranormal tale about an investigation that has some twists, and hopefully those twists are unexpected. It’s called “More than Meets the Eye.” Please check it out, and if you like it, I sure would appreciate your vote.

The challenge for writing for Short Edition is the stories’ lengths. They’re determined by the number of characters including spaces as opposed to the number of words. No story can exceed 8,000 characters plus spaces. It’s a challenge, at times, to meet those requirements. You have to choose your words carefully to get across what you want and stay within the requirements.

Now, back to relaxing. Taking a break after writing, writing, and writing will let your imagination batteries recharge. Even when you’re hammering out a book, a little time away from the keyboard refreshes you, and can allow those creative juices to continue to flow. When you’re tired, stop writing and do something else for awhile. How long depends on some factors like having a deadline. If you are working on a strict schedule, try to plan well to leave yourself some refresh time.

Be good to yourself. Your stories will thank you.

Oh, by the way, the reunion tour of Resonance and Helios is going well. Max, Bea, David, and Cathy are still scheduled to be on that popular podcast once they're all back home.

Happy Writing!