On Monday, I woke with the energy of a Friday. On Friday, I woke with the energy of slime mold. Hell, it took me the entire day to read just one script!
I knew I was burning out. I canceled development of a short story, and chucked another that I was behind on getting the first draft started. Carpe Nocturne called. My screenplay was neglected. Computer problems at work and fights with my phone company weren't helping.
The times need a-changin'. Hell, I've even taken to using iCal on my computer in earnest because my trusty desktop calendar book just doesn't have enough hours in the day for me to schedule.
One of my coworkers told me it's okay to say no every once in a while, and as we left the office, my boss said I shouldn't kill myself doing twenty things for twenty people. I'm not kidding when I say I wish I had a dollar each time someone said I needed to go easy on myself.
So what am I doing about it?
Well, for starters, I dropped a volunteer readership with Sundance Institute. That wasn't an easy choice to make. It was the first time someone in entertainment reached out and cold-called me. And it was a big opportunity, but the timing was such that I simply could not handle it. My contact at Sundance understood my position and there were no hard feelings.
I'm also giving up my plan to start a new short story each week with the intent of finishing in a month. Doing so meant taking on four times as many projects at once, and while revising is pretty swift, I'm a slow drafter.
And...something, something. I dunno. See how fried I am already?
About Mario
- Mario Piumetti
- Born and raised in Los Angeles, Mario Piumetti is a freelance writer of science fiction, horror, screenplays, and nonfiction. He has a bachelor's degree in English from California Lutheran University and an MFA in creative writing from Antioch University. An avid music lover, his work is heavily influenced by rock, punk, and metal. You can contact him at mario.piumetti.writer@gmail.com.
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