I am so thrilled to post this. I have to say, being a part of LitSisters has changed my life in the most amazing way. And we are starting 2010 off with a bang! Not only did our boutique publishing house, LitSisters Publishing, launch today, but we also were featured on the home page of [...]
Earlier this month I sent off the manuscript for the 2nd edition of my travel guide (due out December 2010). It was a lovely feeling to have it off my plate, for the time being anyhow. Having been through this process before, I knew what was coming…the editing process. And it began today with an email from my editor.
Now, with a non-fiction book, there is great importance placed on how the book is organized. With a travel book this may be even more important. How you’re organizing entries by type, geography, etc. needs to be consistent throughout the book. But, one of the biggest things I struggle with when writing my book is “seeing” how it will look in the end. I’m a very visual person, so I need to see things before they can make sense to me. The 2nd edition of this book has a brand new format (and less words, try downsizing from 90K to 50K, but that’s another blog topic!) and so not only did I need to “see” a new layout for my book, I didn’t have another format to look at. Needless to say, it was a tough process. So, now, in addition to editing content, I’m also helping to re-organize material in a more reader-friendly way.
Ahhh…the joys of writing! But, it will look so good when it’s done and then, after all of the hard work, someone can write on Amazon that it reads like a very boring high school essay. Well, pooh.
When I wrote the first edition of my travel guide several people asked me how I went about it. I confessed during one talk I gave at Tempe Public Library: “The first thing I did was buy a book.” Seriously. I’m one of those people who goes out and buys a book about “how to do it”. After I signed the contract for my book, I bought a book about how to write a book, hoping it would give me some pointers. It could have been a one page flyer: Step 1) sit down in front of computer; Step 2) begin writing; Step 3) Stay in the chair and keep writing.
The truth is some days, it’s hard to even do step 1: sit down. If you’re like me you do the round about approach to the chair. You might circle it. Come into the room, touch the chair and then leave again; or you might hover, standing in the doorway looking at it; or perhaps you avoid it altogether and shut the door as you walk by (or close your eyes). Whatever your choice, you’re avoiding the sitting part.
Sometimes you get to the sitting. You actually make it into the chair instead of around the chair, but you don’t write. Instead, you check your email, work on an unrelated project, surf the Internet, get on Facebook, tweet about thinking about writing or maybe about the fact that you made it into your chair. Which may actually be something worth celebrating.
Some days the problem is with step 3: staying put. Step 3 sneaks up on me, right when I’m getting into the zone. It’s like an overload of excitement that forces me up and out of my chair. I know if I sit long enough it will pass and the zone will take over. But, some days, the urge to get up and run is strong. And I find the smallest excuse to leave: checking the mail, answering the phone, bringing in the dog, washing dishes. It’s hard making the commitment to sit in the chair; having the courage to get started; and finding the determination to keep at it no matter how difficult it might be.
Because in the end, the act of writing comes down to how much quality time you spend in your writing chair. The chair can change. It might be a comfortable, ergonomically correct chair in your home office, a rickety wooden chair at the local library, or a saggy beach chair in the sand. What you do while you’re in the chair is the key.
And no amount of reading, tweeting or washing dishes is going to write your book. The only way to do it is to sit your butt in your chair and write it. But, consider starting small. Maybe the first day you just make a commitment to sit in the chair starting at 6am or maybe 10pm, whatever time you wish. And you do that for the first week. Then the next week, you write for five minutes. Just five. Anyone can write for five minutes. Do that for a week. And every week you add five minutes. Just think. In a couple of months’ time, you’ll be up to an hour or more!
Hunh, that actually this sounds like a good idea. I think I’ll try it!
Over the past couple of years, I’ve read lots of books about how to build a business and how to find happiness doing what you love. Why? I was trying to find a way to make money, doing what I loved — writing. Last January, at the height of our economic downturn, I finally found success as a full-time writer. Three books have stuck out in my mind as life-changing. I recommend you read them; they may change your life, too!
Have you read these books? If so, let me know what you think? If not, check them out!
Most writers have good days and bad days; days when the words seem to flow almost effortlessly off the fingertips and days when a simple sentence seems too hard to string together.
Ever wonder what is getting in the way of a highly productive writing session or a great writing day? Do you feel like you are too easily distracted? Too open to interruptions? Do your writing goals seem reasonable but never achievable?
Like most writers, I’ve spent time pondering these questions. My first career was textbook Corporate America. I had a series of exciting jobs that demanded all my time, energy and immediate attention. For years, I lived by deadlines and commitments set by others, leashed to my Blackberry which never stopped dinging as it downloaded important information I needed to read and respond to NOW.
In my second career as a writer, my time is much more discretionary. I love that. But, it can be as challenging as my old life. With fewer outside demands and no real bosses, I can be easy on myself and allow time to slip away. Here are three things I have learned to manage to ensure my writing time is dedicated, disciplined and MOR productive.
M is for Music. I love having background music on when I write. But, I need to be selective in my choices. If I am tempted to sing along, I am not deep into my writing. While many rave about the magical inspiration of Mozart, I just pick music that I like but doesn’t distract.
O is for Outlook. Once upon a time, I was required to be an Outlook, email junkie. It was the method of communication and it ruled my work world. Instead of opening Outlook, or whatever your preferred eConnection is, I manage my on-line time and only indulge after I’ve achieved my daily word count.
R is for Reading. Like many writers, I am an avid reader. But, I restrict my pleasure reading (and my researching) time to non-writing hours. Daytime is for writing. Late night and designated days off are for reading.
If I stick to the MOR rules, I can get more out of my writing time.
This is the last of four installments in the most important aspect of Time Management 1.0: Prioritizing what’s Important in Your Life
Time Management 1.4: Creating Your Plan
Now that you know what’s important and what’s not, we can look at how to create a plan that works for you. We’re not yet at the color coded Excel spreadsheet yet (though you can make one at this point if you want!). Right now we’re just creating a basic plan.
Okay, take out your happy list, your categories list, and your “what to get rid of” list.
We’re going to make a weekly chart.
Take out a clean sheet of paper. You can do this in Excel, too, if you like. Turn it side-ways and across the top, write the days of the week. Leave a column to write times on the right side and one to write notes on the left side. I write out Monday through Sunday, because I like to see my weekend days together. Do what works best for you.
Now, down the right side write the time (I recommend ½ hour to 1 hour increments) from the moment you wake up until the moment you go to sleep. Consider how much sleep you need. If you need 10 hours, make sure that’s included in your chart. You can’t function with high energy if you’re too tired. If you have to be up by 7am so that you can get to work on time, count backwards to determine what time you need to be in bed.
Once you’re done with that, write in the most important obligations, tasks, appointments, etc. For instance, if you must be at work by 8am, put that in. If you take your kids to school at 8:45 or must pick them up at 3:15, put that in, too. If you write every day between 5am and 7am, put that in! Now, based on the work we did last week, you should have gotten rid of any obligations that aren’t serving you or making you happy. So, they shouldn’t go in your chart.
If you do have obligations that you’re not happy with, but can’t seem to get rid of, like scrambling to pick the kids up or rushing to get them to school, consider other options.
For instance, I was scrambling to drop off the kids and pick them up after working a 9 hour day. Often, I was running late in both directions. My husband and I had decided I would perform these tasks because my job was closer to the day care. However, I was running ragged and never had a moment to breathe. So, we considered other possibilities. He decided he could start work later and take the kids in the morning. This meant that I could go to work earlier and pick up the kids earlier, too. Our children ended up in daycare less time, I felt less harried, and my husband and I shared the burden of pick up and drop off, making our family more relaxed and less rushed on either end of the work day.
What types of tasks are you performing that someone else can manage? This can be work or home tasks. What chores at home can be passed off to your kids? Even a four year old can dust and help set the table. And an intern make copies, schedule meetings and file.
Once you get in all of your obligations (make sure all daily items are repeated throughout the week), consider your happy list and your categories. What hasn’t been in your schedule that you would like to have there? It may not seem like you have the time, so consider items that can be done simultaneously, from tasks like talking to family and unloading the dishwasher to riding your bike with a friend or listening to music while you clean.
When I started looking at categories and themes in my happy list, I found that exercising was something I wanted to do, but not something I ever seemed to fit into my life. I started pairing it with things I always included – like socializing with friends and reading. I started going to the gym to ride an incumbent bike and read a book. I spent an hour there relaxing and reading AND getting my exercise. I felt refreshed and ready to take on the world when I was done – I also brought my kids to the kid’s place at the gym. They loved it because they got to play with other children right after spending all day in school. It really worked for all of us and I did four days a week.
Add in those things that you want to be a priority in your life, whether it’s a weekly date night or a daily walk. It’s important; schedule it into your day. This goes for writing time, too. Also, it is okay if you’re only putting in 15 minutes a day to start. Put it in! It makes you happy and that means it’s essential to your well-being.
Okay, do you have everything in? If you have monthly obligations, add that to your notes column, and be sure to add those into what ever calendar/organization system you use.
How does your weekly chart look? Does it depict a better balance of work and play? Does it include things that make you happy as well as things that make you feel productive?
As you schedule each week (I recommend you pick one day a week to do your scheduling) use your chart and be sure that the things on this chart get into the appropriate days first — before you plan anything else. This will help you keep writing time sacred and date night important, and it will alert you not to schedule another appointment during that very precious time. And keep in mind…it’s okay to slip up. Don’t give up. It takes practice to live by your priorities, but if you keep coming back to your chart for guidance, you’ll start to see a shift in the way you live.
I hope this helps you get started with managing your time!
Time Management 1.3: Getting Rid of the Other Stuff
The first week we talked about what makes you happy. Last week we talked about discovering what’s most important to you. This week, we’re getting rid of the other stuff.
Many of us are juggling a number of roles – spouse, partner, parent, friend, co-worker, employee, business owner, hobbyist and volunteer. Managing the various aspects of our lives successfully requires a high level of organization (did I mention we probably want clean living space and time to relax and pursue personal projects). It also, to some extent, requires a level of acceptance that each thing might not be done perfectly – but, that’s another post.
The most important thing: We agreed to take on each project or role because we wanted to. We made an active choice to accept the task and all of its responsibilities and we’re committed to the success of each endeavor. Plus, our involvement makes us happy and fulfilled, right. Right?
Everything you agreed to do, you’re doing because you want to, right? Because you chose to, not because you were guilted, manipulated, coerced or think you have to, right?
Everything?
Are you sure?
For a very long time, so many of the things on my list carried with it all of the heaviness that the word OBLIGATION implies. I did it because I HAD to, not because I wanted to. I felt bad saying, “No.” And so, I never did. I took on the troubles and tasks of others, and put mine aside, wondering the entire time why I was always stressed, worried and empty. But, about three years ago, I began to realize that the life I was living and the one I wanted to live were thousands of miles apart. I wasn’t sure how to get to where I wanted to go; I only knew I wasn’t there.
After I made the happy list, I started looking at what made me unhappy. There were lots of things, like cooking, cleaning, sitting in a cubicle, working for someone else; to name a few.
Start thinking about those things in your life that you don’t like or want there – they may no longer make you happy or fulfilled (maybe they never did), they may be busy work that you can pass off or pay someone else to do. Consider your to-do list and ask yourself if there is anything on it that now your children (or spouse) can now handle? For instance, my husband and oldest son now do the laundry. Both children feed the animals and my youngest son now dusts. Are there obligations that no longer work? Are you volunteering in the areas that please you most? I was stacking books for the school library for two hours a week; I stopped doing it and instead volunteered my time as the president of the pre-school advisory board. I spend less time each week and it’s more in alignment with my goals.
Think about all you delete, delegate, delay or diminish. Now we’re getting into the meat of time management, but it takes some serious introspection. And some willingness to ditch what’s not working so that you can embrace the good stuff.
If there are things on your list that you’re unhappy about, but know that you won’t or can’t get rid of them, we’ll focus on them next week when we discuss Creating Your Plan.
If you have any questions, feel free to email me at christine@litsisters.com. Check back regularly for more LitSisters™ writing tips and resources.
Next Week: Time Management 1.4: Creating Your Plan
Going Spine-less
With the popularity of eBooks growing by leaps and bounds, might we actually be moving backwards in terms of cover art? Once upon a time, books were bound in thick but plain colored leather or even fabric. Titles and author names were displayed in dark print or sometimes gold leaf on both cover and spine. Only the rich purchased books and these were displayed on book shelves were quantity was often viewed as more impressive than quality. Law books and other scholarly works continue this tradition of plainness, as if to emphasize the complexity of what is contained within. Maybe to challenge or perhaps to confirm that you can judge a book by its cover.
Over time, dust covers became trendy. They became a way to distinguish one novel from the next, not just to protect the book underneath, but to catch the eye of the potential buyer and to add space on the flyleaf for a well written hook, the author’s credits and bio and maybe a photo. Cover art became a new standard in publishing and became integrated into the marketing efforts of all types of publications propelled by the popularity of paperbacks. Consider the distinctive black and yellow graphics of the For Dummies series or the Fabio type models featured on the covers of certain romance novels.
Standard book sizing to fit on standard book shelves at libraries and brick and mortar book stores added to the importance of cover art. If all books were to be lined up with only the spine showing, what colors and fonts and features would scream out to a passerby, “Pick Me!” And, what Pick Me attributes will now translate into thumbnail sized images on web sites where so many books are now being selected for purchase or electronic download. Even when you have the option to click here to make the image larger, how much of an influence will cover art have on book selection in the digital age?
I believe it will still have a marketing value. That creative art adds a positive impression before we even crack open a novel and read the first sentence. But, I also believe that cover art will modify as conditions change and purchasing habits alter. And, in terms of book reading and status, I am just waiting for the Coach or maybe Prada custom covers to buy for my Kindle…
I was reading an article the other day on the most common questions writers get asked when they are interviewed. (Getting prepped, though a bit premature, for all of the coverage my next book is going to get when I finally finish it and get requests for interviews!) One of the most popular questions is How Do You Write or more specifically How Do You Organize Yourself when you are creating a novel.
I love this question because the more I read the wide variety of answers, the more I am convinced there is no one right way to write. Two different highly, successful authors discussed their writing styles in a recent issue of Romance Writers Report. One author was being interviewed, the other simply sharing his experience, philosophy and wisdom. Their answers were wildly different and one of them even said she doesn’t always write all of her books the same way. Though she prefers writing chapter by chapter sequentially, when the muse is cooperative, sometimes writing the beginning and then the end and then the middle works for her. The guy liked to outline all of his scenes on a spreadsheet on Excel before beginning his novels. He admitted that the woman he co-authors with does not use Excel.
Charlie Rose did a wonderful interview with John Grisham last year. John is big into outlining. Said it saved him a lot of heart ache because he writes thrillers and there is always the challenge of painting yourself into a corner if you don’t have all the plot twists and turns worked out. A USA Today interview with James Patterson also revealed that he is an outliner. But, this is partly because he farms out chapters to his co-authors and needs to keep the process on track.
Me, I’m what they call a pantser, as in seat of my pants. I do start with a basic outline and spend time on plotting. I also create a separate working document where I capture important information that I know I am going to use or refer to later and some of the research that has led me to the plot and the characters that I may or may not include in the final product. But, then I tend to write and let my characters take over and write some more. And, that, is what I’ve also discovered. While there are a million ways to write, there is only one way not to write. Don’t sit down every day and type – something. That said, I must get back to my characters currently stuck on a raft in the middle of an ocean. I’m dying to know how I get them rescued…
The following four principles from the book THE FOUR AGREEMENTS by don Miguel Ruiz are great for personal use and for building heroes. Of course, you can create a fatal flaw in your protaganist, a truly despicable villian, or even a comedic character by messing with one or more of them.
1. ” Be Impeccable With Your Word” Opposite: Lie. Gossip. Manipulate.
2. ”Don’t Take Anything Personally” Opposite: Take offense at everything. Start fights.
3. ”Don’t Make Assumptions” Opposite: Don’t communicate your wishes clearly. Be passive-agressive.
4. “Always Do Your Best” Opposite: Be a slacker. Make excuses. Half-ass it.
Creating rules of conduct for each of your fictional characters is essential. That way you’ll know how Ralph will react to Patsy the prostitute, to getting fired from his job, to receiving a major inheritance. How a character thinks and behaves is integral to plot development and to character arc.
Anyone have a good synonym for character?
Define your characters’ principles or lack there of early in the process. Your story will flow much more smoothly if you do.
And don’t forget to have fun, that’s why we do this in the first place.
This is the first of four installments in the Time Management 1.0 Series: Prioritizing what’s Important in Your Life
Time Management 1.1: What Makes You Happy?
Dear Writer: If you want to get organized and manage your time effectively, the first step is knowing what’s most important to you. Chances are you may feel so overwhelmed with everything in your life that you don’t even know where to begin. I know. I’ve been there. The next four blogs are designed to help you discover what’s essential to your happiness and success, and how to make it first and foremost in your life (like writing!) Before the rest of the unimportant, and often very insistent, things overrun your day.
The first step is to make a list. Stop! Don’t run away! Yes, I know. If you’re struggling with managing your time and organizing your life, then there’s a good possibility you hate lists. But, trust me. This is a good list.
Drum roll please. Write down a list of things that make you happy. Really happy; joyfully, blissfully happy.
There’s no right or wrong answer. Put your censor/editor in a padlocked box for this exercise. The only criteria is it makes you happy – don’t worry if it makes anyone else happy (or sad). Use a pen, pencil, crayon, typewriter or computer. Write it on a napkin, in your journal or on your eight-year-old’s report card. I don’t care, just get it down on something you can find again later.
Take note, you may not know what makes you happy. Not right away.
I didn’t. I really had to think about it…for awhile. I was stunned: How could I not know what made me happy? I thought for days about my list and slowly I began thinking of things and writing them down. Once I started, I made a very long list. I still have it saved to my computer. It has things on it like, listening to the sound of thunder, working on a story, and playing with my kids. It may sound goofy to make such a list. However, if you want to manage your time, it helps to know what you’d like to be doing with it.
You don’t need to do any of the things on your list (unless you want too!), just write them down. It might take a while, but they’ll come to you. Add to your list throughout the week, and next Monday, I’ll share the next step.
If you have any questions, feel free to email me at christine@litsisters.com. Check back regularly for more LitSisters™ writing tips and resources.
Next Week: Time Management 1.2: Determining the Important Stuff
