Writing Hiatus

Hiatus is such an odd word. It means a suspension, an interruption or decline in the intensity of an activity. When I say I am on a writing hiatus, that doesn't really catch what I mean. For there has been no suspension, no interruption nor decline in intensity of my writing.

Oh no.

In fact, recently there has been an increase in the intensity of my writing ventures. For an example, let me talk briefly about my week last week. I had to write 25-32 pages on Newport (RI) and the Memory of the American Revolution. At the beginning of the week (Monday) I had a grand total of three pages. Tuesday was a wash. Wednesday I made my last (hopefully) archive trip to get more primary sources. Thursday I wrote 16 pages/4000 words. Friday and Saturday I worked at Walmart, but managed to read two of the articles I was using in the project. Sunday night I managed to write another six pages until 1:00 am Monday morning when I made the decision to go to sleep. I then woke up six hours later and finished with 26 pages by 10:00 am Monday morning. The intensity has not decreased at all.

It has only changed.

Writing the Newport paper was fun, in a weird, workaholic way. The sources I used, and the argument I made, kept me going mentally. But it's not the same as sitting down and writing three chapters or a short story of fiction. My hiatus - as that word is understood - is in fiction writing, and fiction reading.

One of my friends from work asked me when was the last time I read something for fun.

"I'm not sure," I answered.

He laughed, "I've only ever seen you carrying around and reading a serious book."

I know. I have a whole list of things to read, and things to write, once May comes around and I have "time" to do a little fictionalizing. I miss Alathea. I left her hanging, sitting around the Tireschan camp with nothing to do and no one to talk to, waiting for me to come and increase the intensity of her activities. She's in for some changes, right around the corner. I just have to get her there.

And then, of course, there are those short stories that popped up as I read Eighteenth Century newspapers, and ideas that came to me in dreams, and that one story that is just begging me to write it - The Princess of Grocery.

I'll find time for them eventually, but until that time reappears, I return to my other writing... currently, the peer-review process for our 5102 projects. Ahh, original historical research projects... How we love thee, how we hate thee...

Thank you for your indulgence, dear readers.