Summary:

My plan not to take on any more new paid work this week went a bit awry, since I edited three new books that weren’t previously on the schedule… I did also complete going through feedback comments on my novel, though, so I feel like I’m ending the year in a good place.

 

Monday:

This morning, I finished editing both the YA novella and the near-future novel and sent both manuscripts back to the authors for review and approval.

I had told myself I wouldn’t take on any more paid work before the end of the year, but my regular publisher client came to me with one more book to edit before Christmas – so I decided I could fit it in…

I pushed on with reading the TL;DR writer’s novel and also went through the rest of my husband Dave’s comments on my novel, Dividing the Darkness. Hurrah! My plan with it then was to completely ignore it until January, when I will launch into proper revision planning.

I also wrote my GYWO discussion post for this month.

Then, because I had foolishly taken on another paid editing project to complete before the end of the week, I thought I’d better get on with it, so I started on my publisher client’s latest book.

 

Tuesday:

The end was in sight – though I did have to do some work today, when I’d intended to take the day off – but I made the decision to take on the extra project, so that was fine.

I worked on the publisher client’s book and actually finished the whole thing because I did more in the evening. That was because she contacted me at lunchtime with another book and I said yes that that one too, since it appears I have absolutely no boundaries…

I also started a new developmental editing project on a book about interview skills.

The plan was still to finish everything by the end of Wednesday and have the rest of the year off…

 

Wednesday:

I finished the developmental edit on the interview skills book and copy edited the whole of a book about applying Stoic wisdom to business practices – and that was the completion of my last remaining paid editing projects for the year – hurrah!

In the afternoon, I ticked the other two main things off my list by finishing my comments on the TL;DR writer’s novel and also editing the latest episode of the podcast.

Then, I declared myself officially on holiday until January 2024!!

Though my publisher client did later ask if she could send me the blurb for the Stoicism book tomorrow… She also told me I’d done a fantastic job for the last few months and she was very impressed with my efficiency and professionalism – so of course I agreed to do the extra work tomorrow and also find time in my January schedule for her next two books…

What was I saying about having zero boundaries…?

I also wrote a review of a book I finished a couple of days ago.

Aaaaaand then – the mystery romance writer updated our contract and sent me the fifth book in the series – admittedly with a deadline of 7 January. But – I didn’t want to have it in the back of my mind all over Christmas and New Year, doing it now would take the pressure off the two working days I have between New Year and going on retreat – and, most importantly, I really wanted to find out what happened! So, I decided I could just ‘fit it in’…

 

Thursday:

I took it slowly this morning, checking in with myself over a leisurely breakfast and ensuring I was in the right mindset to do a whole copy edit of a novella on my first official day of Christmas holiday. And I was. I knew I was choosing to do the extra work, I made the decision for good reasons – and I really wanted to find out what happened!

So, at 9am, I launched in and completed editing on the whole book in one go. As anticipated, I really enjoyed it and it was very satisfying to complete the last in the series before stopping for Christmas.

Later, the Stoicism book blurb came through so I ticked that off the list too.

Which means I’ve officially finished for the Christmas holiday three times!

Later again, a previous client got in touch to say he had more work ready for me, but did I want him to wait to send it until January – to which I enthusiastically responded in the affirmative – because I knew if he sent it earlier, I would do it over the holiday…

Still, I got lots of lovely messages from my clients this week, all saying what a great job I’d done for them this year and looking forward to working with me more in 2024 – so I don’t think I’m going to have to pitch for anything for a while (especially since I’m already struggling to fit in everything I’ve already got booked or likely to come in for January…)!

Even later, I finished a book and wrote my review.

 

Friday:

I posted Stanley’s latest blog to go with his fortnightly newsletter.

And when a client asked me to do some work over the weekend and someone else asked me to look at the opening of their novel – I said no!!

 

Saturday:

And then the spiritual meditation book author updated our contract overnight and sent through some more documents related to the book release – so, of course, I did the work…

Baby steps? (And also my fourth ‘official start’ to my Christmas holiday…)

Later, I wrote a review of a card game we played the day before.