The upside of Workaholism

Hi. My name is Michelle and I’m a workaholic. According to Wikipedia:

A workaholic, colloquially, is a person who is addicted to work.

The phrase does not always imply that the person actually enjoys their work, but rather simply feels compelled to do it. There is no generally accepted medical definition of such a condition, although some forms of stress, obsessive-compulsive personality disorder and obsessive-compulsive disorder can be work-related.

History

Although the term “workaholic” usually has a negative connotation, it is sometimes used by people wishing to express their devotion to one’s career in positive terms. The “work” in question is usually associated with a paying job, but it may also refer to independent pursuits such as sports, music and art.

I found the entry very interesting. I usually don’t blog about my personal life, but since this trait is one I readily accept, I decided to speak on it. The downside of being a workaholic, is that I do feel compelled to work. Odd, I know. Ever since I turned eighteen, I have held down more than one job at a time. In college, I had two part-time jobs while attending school full time. After college, I have at times held down four part time jobs while also maintaining a full-time 9 to 5 one.

Recently, I paired my work schedule down to one 9 to 5 job, and three part-time ones. The downside of this “condition” is the stress level. I’m constantly on deadlines, some self-imposed while others are dictated by contracts. The upside is, not money as you might assume, but a sense of fulfillment, true enjoyment in what I’ve accomplished, meeting new people. I constantly push myself to do more and it usually works out. Over the years, I have learned to maintain a balance because my health and happiness is of utmost importance.

That being said, I am thrilled because I just finished polishing my article “Surviving Publisher Closing”  for the October 2008 issue of Romance Writers Report, available to members of Romance Writers of America. I worked really hard on researching it. I interviewed attorneys, and first-time authors as well as established authors from more than three major publishers, although I researched information on many more. The article features writers such as Minx Malone, Lynne Connolly, Caitlyn Willows, Cindy Procter-King and many more. Make sure you check it out!

In other news: I have three urban fantasies (two are interracial) out with publishers. I’m trying not to bite my thumbs waiting for their response. (To read the stats on those projects, check out my Bibliography page).

I am also starting a new novella. It is an interracial urban fantasy. My goal is 20K in two weeks. I’ve done it before. It’s a real challenge but, if nothing else pops up, I can do it.

What about you? What are some of your writing goals?

~ by Michelle Lauren on July 15, 2008.