My decision not to actively NaNo has been vindicated - I got through 8k words in a few days and then Things Happened so we remain at 8k. I’d be interested to hear broadly what people have been writing, if they feel like sharing (for my part: ridiculous lizard-centric isekai light novel).
Best of luck to you Benkyo. I’m back at work after months of sick leave, but it’s not a viable long-term prospect so I’m rather gloomy at the mo.
I have two books out (about divination) and a detailed plan for the third, all the sections in place, all I have to do is write it. That was in February. Haven’t been able to write one word the whole year, because while I’m much happier during lockdown than most of my friends, the pandemic seems to have totally knocked over my creativity. Just can’t progress the book at all.
Which is fine and a small price to pay compared to what others are going through, but does leave me feeling a bit like Brian here.
Same here. I was working on a final pass of part two of my first book and Covid messed with my creativity in ways that are weird. We have been dealing ok with covid but my writing hasn’t…
I made a NaNo and writing thread over there https://discussion.tekeli.li/t/nanowrimo-talk-2020/
Because I suspect this could get a wordy subtopic 
Sad to hear, hopefully things will turn for the best soon, fingers crossed.
Funny enough, this year quite many things have shifted for me. I am really struggling to read. I used to read 10 to 12 books a year. I think this year I will struggle to make it to 4. I just don’t feel like it. Even though I’m reading a book from one of my favourite authors, Tad Williams, his last book that I got early in the year is taking me months and I still have a good third of it to go through. Normally I would have finished it in less than two months.
This news article just about sums up how ridiculous 2020 has gotten. MPs switching opinion on whether a scotch egg constitutes a substantial meal or not (and thus allowing alcohol consumption in premises under covid restrictions). I think it really sums up how people are very much missing the point of what is happening and are busy focusing on entirely the wrong things.
I’m just going to say.
Family
Aaaaaaaaaarrrrrrrrggggggghhhhhhhh
LOTS of people struggling to read this year (I only noticed it because I’m in a book club)
Also, I tweeted about a month ago saying “I have the original paperbacks of Memory, Sorrow and Thorn, should I re-read them or is this 2am Steve talking?” and Tad Williams liked the tweet.
I’m suffering serious video call fatigue today. We have a new person in our team, which is great because we’ve been seriously understaffed for months. Unfortunately the whole remote working business means that getting them up to speed and not having them feel completely isolated means a lot of calls. I am completely exhausted
Thats my life a lot of the time - I interview many people all week and most are not even in this continent, nevermind this country!
There is a truly superb pub at the end of my road. The only local I’ve ever had.
The landlady died yesterday.
That’s truly awful, to lose someone in your community. My thoughts are with her friends and family, of which I’m sure are many.
Also a friend, of course. if one I only saw once or twice a week.
Sorry to hear that Roger. It’s never a good time to lose someone, but right now is particularly rubbish
That’s like, 4 to 104 times more often than I see my friends.
I know you’ve often posted images of the pub’s dog. I think it’s beautiful to have a pub where you can go every week and have a friend there. I hope you can find a good way to remember your friend by and continue your tradition.
Ouch! Sorry to hear that, Roger.
Epic.
If there is anything I enjoyed, was when he was touring for The Witchwood Crown, and went to Bath to his book-signing. He was outside the door of the bookshop having a smoke and we had a chat, and later when signing my books we had a good 5 minutes long conversation in Spanish. I was so starstruck that I think half the conversation had to be really bizarre. I was making less sense in Spanish than him, and it is my mother tongue… so I switched to English. He signed my copy, and also the first book of the Johnny Dollar’s trilogy I had with me and the short sequel to Memory, Sorrow and Thorn, The Heart of what was Lost. Truly memorable.
I THINK I’ve read those but can’t remember a thing about it
I definitely read all several thousand pages of it, and I can remember a sad prince and some elves. Kinda.
But it also has the fictional board game of Shent, which is played slowly on an asymmetric map (which includes forests and lakes) and which might be to farm, or grow with the seasons, but not always to fight in direct opposition. (Or I could be remembering this entirely wrong). Anyway, pretty innovative for 1990.
Obviously I didn’t re-read it yet, because my ability to read any great amount has disappeared in 2020.
Good news! I’m a winner in the BGG USS Freedom contest.
So I get a voucher for $5 off a €50 game. Ah well.