Getting into the Routine

I'm fascinated with the routines people develop for themselves, especially artistic people who's only boss is themselves and who are therefore simultaneously not required to report to anyone ever but also plagued by guilt because really this is all about YOUR success so why aren't you working now, say, or now, or also now?

It's normal and healthy, I swear. Or a facet of my OCD. Take your pick.

Anyway, as I venture into the utterly uncharted territory of someone saying "yes, we DO want your books," I'm having to develop one for myself (a routine, but yes, also the books).

Which results in all the guilt.

The Telltale Laptop

It's sitting there.

I can feel it looking at me. Accusing me of the darkest misdeeds, the foulest of sins. Staring through me with its dead, soulless eyes, the light on the edge pulsing rhythmically...

ONoff.

ONoff.

ONoff.

DEAR GOD, WILL I LIVE THROUGH THE MADNESS I'VE CREATED BY CLOSING THIS LAPTOP?????

Playing Dress-Up

So I'm in the middle of revisions right now (as you likely know, since I've mentioned it about every third minute since they started), which means I'm doing what any reasonable writer would:

I'm finding other things to do.

One of those is constructing my frankly AWESOME Halloween costume, in which I:

Will transform into this: 

Let me tell you all, so far I'm NAILING it. 

But that's not really the point of today's word-vomit. Today's barely-formed idea is that as authors, we're basically just playing pretend, constructing costumes that we hope pass muster, day in and day out.