NEXT! by Penny Dolan

Some days,  especially when trying to move something towards a finish, the writing life seems to hold an awful lot of "NEXT". Idly riffling through the “NEXTS” in my head I find:

The Immediate NEXTS, the thoughts like:

What, today, should I do next?

What happens next in my work-in-progress?

What’s the best scene to write next?

When will I next get a gap for some writing time?

And . . .

The Bigger NEXTS, such as:

What kind of writing project should I do next?

What’s the next thing I want to write, next thing I should write?

Which of all the half-done things should I seize on next?

Should the next story be the same or different?

Sigh. Will there even be a next book?

And when will I next hear from x or y about z?

And also . . . 

The Need to Know NEXTS that come nagging, like:

What’s the next big thing – and who’s the next big thing?

What’s next in the book-world calendar –  Carnegie & Greenaway, Super Thursday, seasonal shut-downs, and more? 

As well as . . .

The Practical NEXTS that pile up alarmingly, for example:

Which admin email should I deal with next?

What school event / library event is coming up next?

When will the next payment be in my bank account?

What shall I do next, if schools can’t fund visits any more? 

And not forgetting the plaintive cry of : When are we eating next?

There’s many more . . . and I’m sure you could add to the list. Although “being in the moment” is the big self-help thing right now, how often those wretched NEXTS come rattling into the writing zone! 

Meanwhile, and NEXT, something truly lovely to watch . . .

Penny Dolan