We’re just over halfway done the year and what a weird one it has been. 2020 is the end of a decade (as each decade starts on the 1^st). 2021 will launch us into a new era for our time. A paradigm shift, if you will. All of us wish for our lives to get back to some form of normality. We’re experiencing isolation burnout, video call exhaustion, and economic frustrations. The list goes on. The wide array of problems is just demotivating. Well, let me say, I have been no exception, but as authors, we need to keep on writing.

Welcome to Another Edition of Unprocessed Thoughts

In July 2020’s Unprocessed Thoughts, I’ll recap some of the exciting things that have been going on, and we’ll swing back into the statement to keep on writing.

July – Book Launch, Book Award, Anthology

A triple whammy for this month! First off, Mortal’s launch has been an exciting relief. The 14-year journey has been elaborated on, and the book is currently on a blog tour. Oh, and Reality: Part I of Mental Damnation is free on Kindle finally. Kobo and Google Play have been for a while. So, if you haven’t read it, enjoy the book.

Fire, Pain, & Ruin won a finalist award for the International Book Awards, and my short story Summer Giver will appear in the Prairie Gothic anthology. Next month I will be on some panels related to the short story and participating in the digital When Words Collide.

Back to Keep on Writing

Okay, that’s a quick summary of what has been going on. Now to the intro about keep on writing. 2020 is an exceptional year for our generation. Truthfully I didn’t think anything would have topped the birth of the internet, but here we are. Online and in my city, there have been plenty of examples of people going a bit crazy because of world events. Justifiably so. People react and behave differently under pressure, and we are all under pressure.

I have relaxed my militant writing habits this year. Unknowing of the pandemic at the end of 2019, I was writing a lot. The juggle of writing engagements, conventions, contract design work, and hammering out two books made me want a break for a year. Little did I know that break would become a reality, in the form of a pandemic.

Before 2020, I had been writing or revising, consistently every morning as part of a religious routine. The process works, and my writing has drastically improved over 2019. I also explored the speech to text technology for the first time. Improving the writing craft is essential as authors, which is why we need to keep on writing.

Time Away Brings Newfound Passion

I’ll admit, I haven’t been writing as much since the lockdown began here in Alberta. Once Mortal was wrapped up, I stopped everything writing that wasn’t related to the blog. Of course, I did up some of the marketing approaches and award submissions.

What did I do with this spare time? Well, I spent time reflecting, reading, and I was absorbed in a massive increase in web design/development contracts. I have also been returning to practicing speed painting daily, which has been a fun exploration back into the world of visual arts. I’ve also composed a lot of music, completing a whole album that will accompany the next book to be released.

The time away has given me new insight into the craft of writing. The parts of the day I would usually write, I’ve split into other art practices and reading, giving fresh perspectives. My interest in the blog has grown too, seen in the monthly blog posts that are more essay driven than tip-based posts.

Keep on writing. The craft evolves, and our interests shift over time. Writing is exciting because of the new, fresh, and unknown territories it throws us in. Many writers know it, and it is perfectly normal for us to take time away.

You might be wondering….

What’s Next?

The speed painting and musical interests all do tie back into the writing. They’re directly related to the next book—more on that to come. The shift in the monthly tip-based blog post into an essay style is challenging me as a writer. Quite frankly, the posts are far more interesting to write than a “Step 1, Step 2” format. These new blog posts are also giving me time to reflect on ideas and articulate them cohesively and intellectually.

So, still expect the same four main blog posts, trickled with some smaller announcements, and more writing. There is a new book in the works. Some of you may already know what it is from the hints I’ve given. It also has a few new surprises as well. So until then, enjoy the blog, enjoy the free ebook of Reality, and to my fellow authors: keep on writing.

Beer Note: Relic of the past!

I would love to try this beer as it has been sitting in my fridge for years (now it is probably expired). If you’re in Alberta, you may recognize it as part of a series that a brewery did relate to movie characters. All of the cans were recalled. Let’s say I got my hands on one beforehand. This can is relatable because of the apparent character seen in the photo. I should have just tasted the beer, but I didn’t. To this day, the can sits as a relic of all the joy that could have been had.