I write stuff for kids...and muse on writing, children's books, and the publishing industry in general

Monday, October 22, 2012

Have you ever wanted to completely unplug???

(Source)
I must admit, that's what I've done for the last few months - turned off my Blogger, my Hootsuite, my Facebook, Pinterest, and all the other miscellaneous pieces of social networking that I dabble in from time to time. In a way, I've gone back to the beginning. I've baked lots (macarons are my specialty, yum yum), played computer games, changed from a coffee drinker to a tea drinker (go figure), worked on some craft projects, and gone out with friends I haven't seen in ages.

I've even taken a break from my writing *gasps*

Was it worth it, you ask. Oh yes, I say. Because writing has crept back into my life, slowly, bit by bit, until I've found the love again. I've found myself once again excited by the thought of reading a blog post on writing tips, studying more of the craft of writing, and diving into my manuscript so I can rip it to shreds and start from the beginning in an effort to make it sing.

My only regret - how much I've missed all of you!!!

So, how are you? What have you been doing these last few months? Any news? And, have you ever wanted to completely unplug???

45 comments:

Charmaine Clancy said...

I can understand the need for a break. I've toned down my time online lately. Just comment on a few blogs each week. Like you pointed out, there are other things to do in life as well. I love my online community but don't want it to become a chore :)

Carrie Butler said...

We've missed you, too! I don't think I have the willpower to unplug right now. It sounds great, though!

As for what I've been doing... mostly edits. March 7th will be here before you know it! ;)

Cynthia said...

Welcome back! I wondered what had happened to you! I know the feeling of wanting or needing to unplug. I took a blogging break for a few months earlier this year after I had my baby.

Amanda Milner said...

Hi! :) *waves* I've also taken an extended hiatus from anything that can't be easily done from my phone. For me it's been about stepping back and allowing the parts of my life that were on a collision to crash and burn while rescuing what was left to start making a new and better me. :) Writing will always be a part of who I am and I'm anxious to start putting that piece back in. :D
Kuddos for switching to tea. That's , um, very brave and I'm sure more health conscious. *hugs coffee*
Also, I'll start sending back notes on your MS in chunks since I've taken so long. :( Sorry!

JO said...

Oh yes - Blogging and tweeting and facebooking can be fun, but eats so much time. I just wish I could make myself write first, and then do the network thing, but I decide I'll just check emails - and then an hour has gone by and I've written nothing! Grrrr!

Debra Gray-Elliott said...

I did and it was what I needed to refresh myself. Tganks for sharing.

Angela Brown said...

Glad you listened to what you needed and took a break...also glad to have you back in the bloggy realm.

So far, my only breaks have been for like a week or two. Nothing longer just yet. But I can certainly understand the desire for it and the benefit of it.

Lots of writing and doing a blogtown tour right now for my self-published novel Neverlove. So many other writers are also getting book contracts, releasing novels and keeping the activity non-stop.

Elise Fallson said...

Lately, I've been feeling like I may need a break from the social media frenzy. Ever since I sent off my second draft to my editor, I can't seem to motivate myself to do much writing. It used to come so easily. Maybe I'll feel the writing spark once I get the edits back. *sighs*

Glad you found the love for writing again, sounds like taking a break was exactly what you needed.

Jamie Dement (LadyJai) said...

YAY for the refreshments!! So glad to welcome you back though! :D

Coleen Patrick said...

Sounds like a great break. I'd bake too! :) Glad to see you back!

Jess said...

My critique partner and I had gotten burned out on keeping up with our writing goals, to the point that we know longer felt the joy of writing. We both took two to three weeks off writing, and were SO ready to go afterward. It was definitely a good idea for us. Sometimes you just need a break!

Anonymous said...

i think it's always good to take a break every once in awhile. it helps you get back to loving what you do, don't you think? welcome back!

Nadine Feldman said...

Good for you! Welcome back!

I took a few months off because I was adjusting to living in a new part of the country and handling a few minor health issues. Now that I'm back, I feel refreshed and ready to do some good work.

Johanna Garth said...

Absolutely! But then I get all fidgety and antsy...funny how that works. Wish I could sample your macaroons!

writing and living by Richard P Hughes said...

I haven't unplugged completely, but I have reduced the time I spend on it. Been getting a lot of writing done, too.

Mark Koopmans said...

Hey Rach,

Glad to "see" you back, and hope you are feeling refreshed and recharged.

You're a mentor to me and I'm so happy that you were able to take some "me" downtime:)

Good luck with WIP :)

Zan Marie said...

Good for you, Rach. If you have to take off, do it.

Lately, I've been working on house renovations and that keeps me from writing as much as I'd like. But it's getting settled down for a while and I'm back to work.

Cally Jackson said...

So great to hear from you, Rach. You've been in my thoughts these past couple of months!

I've got a little bit of news... I'm 28 weeks pregnant and I'm launching my debut novel The Big Smoke this weekend! Exciting times!!

And yes, I imagine I will be unplugging for a while when Little Miss Jackson comes along! :-)

Deborah Jay said...

I wondered where you'd gone.
Nice to have you back :)
I get frequent enforced breaks from writing due to work commitments and it's always a delight to get back to it.
Just now I'm away on holiday - and thoroughly enjoying the time available to edit my latest novel.

Cherie Reich said...

We've missed you! *hugs*

And I think sometimes people do need to unplug from the internet and such. I tend to do that on weekends. Mainly it's because the internet at home stinks, but it has other benefits as well. :)

Glad to see you back, though!

J E Fritz said...

I was wondering where you'd been! Unplugging from everything sure is relaxing. Sometimes I get overwhelmed by the writing and blogging and all that, too.

I don't have anything interesting to report, so I'll wish you happy writing :)

Unknown said...

Welcome back, Rach! I'm glad the time away helped you and you've found the writing-love again. I'm sort of taking a break while I query. It may be months before I decide on a new project ... I'm just not in the mood...
~ Lexa
(Laura from Onomatopoeia)

Lissa Clouser said...

I have definitely wanted to unplug before! I've actually been on a writing hiatus for the last month or so because I'm using NaNo this year to complete the first draft of a novel and I know how much that is going to take out of me. Sometimes I really think we need to step back and take a short break to regroup!

Ghenet Myrthil said...

Welcome back! I did this during the summer and it was nice to unplug for a bit.

Liza said...

So glad the love has returned!

Gwen Gardner said...

Welcome back, Rach! Glad you found your mojo again. I'd like to unplug for a bit. Alas, I don't feel that I can take a break right now:)

Anny Cook said...

Welcome back. In my experience, you can make the choice yourself or life will do it for you, but everyone needs to unplug intermittently. The more resistant we are to the idea, the more likely we need it.

I try to balance writing, reading, crafting, a social life (and no, Facebook and Twitter don't count). And most of all I climbed off the promo merry-go-round.

Good for you that you chose to go with what you needed!

Heather said...

I've missed you too! But breaks are a necessity to keep the creative mind in good working order. Glad to have you back though. :)

@deyanira said...

I've had that feeling before... but it was from online gaming and facebook... I left the "scene" for 3 weeks and felt a weight lift from my shoulders.

I don't know if I could just stop writing to take a break... when I stop writer's block is the culprit - if I can write every day I do.

Thanks for your post, I enjoyed reading it.

~Dee
about.me/deyanira

Michael Offutt, Phantom Reader said...

Wow. You bake the French Macarons? I took a class and those are so difficult, so precise. I have to say, I messed up my first batch, and I think I was maybe one drop to much on an ingredient. The fact you can do this and it's your specialty makes me bow to your expertise.

Tyrean Martinson said...

I completely get the need for a break. I don't feel like one right now, but I struggled to keep up my blog over the summer. It was when I thought I would have all the time in the world to blog, write, stayed plugged in . . .and all I wanted to do was run outside and play in the sunshine. So I took a couple of half week breaks and that seemed to help.

I'm glad you got the rest you needed, and I'm glad you're back!

Rebekah Loper said...

Welcome back! I've been on a bit of a hiatus as well, blog posts from me the past few months have been rare.

Otherwise, after getting my personal life in order (sort of - sadly, much of it is out of my control), just gearing up for NaNoWriMo.

I can't believe it's almost November . . .

Kerri Cuev said...

Hi Rach! Missed you. Yeah, I kind of did the same thing. Sometimes you need that down time. Save me a macaroon!

cleemckenzie said...

Same here, Rach. I took a month off and I realize now how much I needed it. I also realize that I missed exchanges with friends online. I'm working on more balance between online and in person connections. Both add to my life, but in different ways.

Glad you're back. I was worried that my Aug 20 guest post might have some kind of curse involved. :-)

cleemckenzie said...

Same here, Rach. I took a month off and I realize now how much I needed it. I also realize that I missed exchanges with friends online. I'm working on more balance between online and in person connections. Both add to my life, but in different ways.

Glad you're back. I was worried that my Aug 20 guest post might have some kind of curse involved. :-)

Allyn Stotz said...

I have definitely thought about and wanted to unplug from it all several times. I love my writing and everything that goes with it, but I also love my stained glass projects, going to the casino, going to movies and other forms of life! And I've neglected all of those for a very long time now.

Maybe after the first of the year I will try harder to fit those things back into my life as well as my writing. It can be done, right!!??

Unknown said...

Heard about you through Kerri Cuevas. I'm glad your back - and that the love is back :) Sometimes a break is the very best inspiration.

Carol Riggs said...

Good for you!!! I'm so glad you gave yourself a much-needed break. I think we all need that at some point. :)

Adina West said...

I have been deep in editing-land, so have been fairly unplugged myself. It's an absolute necessity sometimes!

But seriously, I read the rest of your post and to my mind it was like blah blah blab MACARONS blah blah blah.

YOU CAN MAKE MACARONS? How did I not know this about you?

Adina
xx

SF said...

Just found this--and I think it's awesome. That can't have been easy to turn everything off, but I bet it was really good for you.

Welcome back!!

Unknown said...

Hey there :-) Just wanting to wish you a happy new year and to say I miss you around the blogosphere!

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