In October 2024, I was in a quandary and produced this blog post:
At various times this past year I’ve asked myself the question ‘what’s next?‘ I confess to being a dedicated planner, someone who always has several lists on the go to keep me organized and directed. Someone who derives great pleasure from checking things off the list and later reflecting on the year, the month, or the week’s accomplishments.
But hang on! Is that still necessary or even desirable? Am I putting too much pressure on myself to get out the next blog post, the next novel, the next whatever? Am I letting life slip by with tasks rather than living?
Now there’s a question!
A few days ago, I looked at the novels I’ve written – 6 adult novels, 1 children’s book for our grandsons – and thought “Wow. Look at what you’ve done, Mary Tod. Who would have imagined such an outcome fifteen years ago? [Now 2 children’s books!]
==> and why isn’t that enough, you might ask.
A psychiatrist friend of mine shared a technique with me a few years ago called the Wheel of Life, a technique to examine where you are in life and where you want to focus going forward. The idea is to assess each dimension on a scale of 1 to 10 where 1 means not at all satisfied and 10 means completely satisfied. It was created by The Coaches Training Institute (CTI).
I filled it out and then reflected on the results. At the time, I had already had a successful business career and chose to look at the career segment of the wheel in terms of my writing goals. The rating I gave myself was a 5. Why? Because despite many hours of dedication – and three different agents – I had only one ‘traditionally published’ novel.
Perspectives change slowly. What if, I asked myself in October 2024, I were to look at my writing differently? What if I were to look at my writing as personal growth, as learning, as part of being a healthy individual, as stories to be left behind for future generations, as fun and recreation. What then?
That 2024 post generated quite a few comments from fellow authors who are similarly challenged. I took solace from their input and shared experiences.
Fast forward to January 2026
Well, dear readers, I failed.
It wasn’t totally my fault. Part of the failure was due to the re-election of Donald Trump and the ensuing chaos, stress, fear, and outrage that has accompanied his administration’s actions over the past year. I couldn’t look away. Indeed, I posted about it on several occasions under the heading of ‘Writing History’.
While I also worked on three books during 2025, not one of them is in any shape to feel that I have something even close to publishing in the not too distant future. The non-fiction manuscript has an outline and a few chapters in rough draft. The sequel to Paris In Ruins is languishing at about 60% complete. The new novel – a story based on the premise of the four men in my mother’s life – is only a concept with an outline that I’m not happy with.
And I kept this blog going!
But, here’s the good news: something else contributed to that ‘failure’ – life, friends, travel, family, a demanding new responsibility. [Apologies that I can’t tell you more.]
Is my life half-full or half-empty?
I’ve always thought of myself as a ‘glass half full’ person. Maybe I should put this image up beside my desk or paste it on the fridge to remind myself of all the blessings in my life.
OK, Mary. Get on with it! Get on with life!
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M.K. Tod writes historical fiction. Her latest novel THAT WAS THEN is a contemporary thriller. Mary’s other novels, THE ADMIRAL’S WIFE, PARIS IN RUINS, TIME AND REGRET, LIES TOLD IN SILENCE and UNRAVELLED are available from Amazon, Nook, Kobo, Google Play and iTunes. She can be contacted on Facebook or on her website www.mktod.com.
