I have to say, vacation is a wonderful thing. Not just for the beaches and the cuddling and the great food, but for writing! I told myself that I was off the hook for writing over my vacation. I wasn't going to worry a bit about not getting any words down. And that was just what I needed.
Having a planned vacation is so much different than those drawn out, accidental departures from productivity. The kind where you say that for sure you are going to write today, but then you're crawling into bed with nothing done. First one day, then two, and before you know it, it's been almost 2 weeks since you've written. (I can't be the only one this happens to...right?) That kind of vacation is terrible for writing. It destroys any momentum or rhythm you've established for yourself. The guilt eats away at you until you start wondering why you ever wanted or thought you could this in the first place. When you finally do get words down, they're stiff and horrible.
A real vacation is not at all the same! By taking a dedicated, guilt-free break, I was actually excited about coming back to my project. I was champing at the bit, wanting to get going again! My mind was refreshed, my characters more vivid, and I was ready to start up again firing on all cylinders.
Sadly, my vacation—and all the wonderful things it entailed—is over, but it is some consolation that novel 6 is going strong! Escaping to another planet of my own making is like a mini-vacation every day.
