Autumn is here.  Luckily Sunday was good and warm with beautiful sunshine.  The leaves are turning and in a heavy wind they fly from the trees like butterflies suddenly free.  Knowing winter isn’t very far away isn’t bringing me down this year; not so far, at least.  Instead, the knowledge of the season changes is leading me to be more productive and proactive this time to get things ready for cold days.

A good pain management regimen is in effect already, and I have already moved to the dining table for writing on The Husband’s laptop.  (Part of me really wishes I could move my PC into the living room area somewhere, but the only available space left is where Lil Dude’s habitat is going once we find an aquarium we can afford.)  The exercise regimen is also established and mentally I am more prepared for this winter than I have for many winters past.

Since the pain is becoming even more manageable, the writing is becoming more productive.  The novel project is almost ready for submission – yep, there are lots of nerves involved with this one – and the newer projects are moving along more steady.  About the only thing that is going to really change is the fact that the dip pens are probably going to be brought out for the next novel.  Dip pens are much easier to write with than normal ink pens because they were actually made for long hours of writing and hurt my arthritic hands less.  It would be wonderful if the new pieces would come out using the computer; however, since they are not, I will just make myself more comfortable for the first draft writing and move forward.

Quite honestly, I am tired of slowing myself down by making the stories come out on the computer when they simply don’t want to.  In some ways it’s more work, but in some ways it isn’t because the second draft comes out easily since it is being transcribed from paper to the computer.  Many times, at least for moi, the second draft is the most important one because the mistakes are easily seen and the plot problems make themselves visible.  It is after the beta reading when the bigger problems, if there are any – and there are usually some -, that make themselves visible and thus correctable.

Now I go back to the ink mines in a far happier state of mind than when I left them for a break.  Now there is a plan of action.