When I sat on my front porch early this morning with a cup of coffee and my to-do list, I could feel the change in the air. Fall is rapidly approaching. As the days grow shorter and the air cooler, I’ve been reflecting on this COVID summer. In the late spring, when all my travel and book promotional events had to be cancelled for the summer, I consciously adapted my expectations and revised my goals for the season. Now, standing on the other side, I’m reviewing, assessing, and planning for the fall.
What I did and did not do this summer…
Naturally, I’ve been obsessing over the things I didn’t accomplish, like finishing my latest manuscript. I’ve never been able to produce a lot of content during the summer, but I thought that this year, with no travel on the calendar, I might be able to do more. Turns out, I’m still not all that productive of a writer during the summer season. Here’s an article I wrote about honoring your personal work and life rhythms: Work with Your Writing Rhythm.
I like to review the list of things I did accomplish right after the list of things I did not so I don’t feel too badly about myself! My newest manuscript is only half finished, but I was busy. Really. This summer, I worked with an amazing team of educators to prepare our school for reopening, not writing-related but important work. I took on a few new, exciting projects here at Inkitt. I launched two more books in my new romantic suspense series. I read several interesting novels and interviewed a couple of fabulous authors. I started working with a team to plan a virtual book expo. And finally, I rebooked all my travel for next year.
But some things matter more…
Just as important if not more so, I also spent good quality time with my family and close friends. We barbecued, swam, laughed, and yes, drank a bit more than we should have. All in all, for a summer filled with uncertainty and challenge, I came out of it no worse for the wear, and for this, I am very grateful.
I’ll spend the rest of the week planning what I need to accomplish this fall, but for today, I am going to appreciate the crisp air, blue sky, and these last few days of summer.
