I’ve always been proud of the fact that I’m one tough broad. Far too tough, in fact, to be laid out by anything. No matter what happened to me, even after the death of my parents, I was able to pick myself up, dust myself off and do what I needed to do. No exceptions. Until I had kids, that is.

At first my kids were time consumers. They needed  a lot of my time and I had very little left for writing. I dressed them, fed them, played with them. You know the drill. It was a bit frustrating to have so little time for writing but I knew that what I was doing was far more important. As they got older they gave up their time consuming ways. They became energy consumers. Their problems, miseries and joys colored my days. My focus rose and fell on what was going on in their lives. They took less time away from my writing but I found I wrote even less than I did when they were small.

And then came the kryptonite. My teenagers have more complex lives and, consequently, more complex needs. They consume time and energy. But it’s more than that. I find my heart soars and plummets based on whatever is going in their lives. Whether it’s my driven, goal-oriented teen or my troubled, marches to her own drummer teen I find the same truth holds. The emotional kryptonite lays me out like nothing ever has before and my work has suffered.

Now, is the point of this post to have my own public pity party? Fun idea – but, no. I actually have a point. Yell “help” as loud as you can. That’s what I did. I have the greatest husband in the world and, when he realized how I was floundering he lightened my load. Also, my LitSisters are fantastic women. Several have children in different stages than mine. They also have ideas. And sisterhood. And commiseration. So I’m back to blogging. I’m also starting a new novel while still marketing Poles Apart.

So ask for help. Don’t wait as long as I did, keeping your upset to yourself.

Kryptonite neutralized.

2. Describe features and benefits when pitching your book.  For instance,  the key feature of my novel To Kill An Armchair Husband,  a dark comedy is that it’s a dark comedy.  I build this feature into the sub title, so the main title wouldn’t scare off potential readers. And so my family members, namely my husband and children, wouldn’t freak out.  The subtitle, a dark comedy also serves to describe the benefit. The book is a comedy, therefore a reader should find the story entertaining and laugh . . . a lot.

3. Believe in your book. An author must be absolutely convinced that his or her book is good, that it’s worth X dollars and X hours of someone’s time.  This confidence must come across  everywhere, in person, on the author’s website, on promotional materials, etc., etc., etc.  If you’re shy or uncertain, then fake it till you make it, baby! You wrote it, it’s published, now go for it!

Terri

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.

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!

Sedona's Scenic Red Rocks iPhone App

I have some great news I’d like to share. After a lot of hard work, the iPhone travel application I’ve been working on is finally done and ready for purchase on iTunes: Sedona’s Scenic Red Rocks” for $1.99. Thanks to everyone who provided help, offered words of encouragement and put up with my numerous posts about the craziness of this project.  It’s finally done!  (Excuse all the exclamation points – I’m happy!)

Next up is my travel guide (Phoenix, Scottsdale, Sedona & Central Arizona, Great Destinations), which is due to the publisher next week.  After that, I’ll be focusing on the next iPhone app — Greater Phoenix Dining!  Take a look at the link: http://sutromedia.com/apps/Sedonas_Scenic_Red_Rocks and let me know what you think.

If you decide to buy it and you like it, please review it on iTunes. Your feedback (as always is appreciated), so if there are typos, errors, etc., let me know via email (christine@christinekbailey.com). One of the very cool things about apps is that I can make changes and updates on a regular basis. So let me know what you find!

Also, please feel free to forward this email; you’ll also see tweets, posts, etc. in the coming days. Thanks!

I never liked this model. I’ve had a lot of jobs and enjoyed a solid level of career success in terms of titles, responsibilities and compensation. But, I’ve also chosen to think of my career in terms of a carousel not a ladder. I’ve ridden a number of mounts, on an ever moving platform and when I’ve gotten bored, I’ve surveyed to my left, my right, in front and behind to find the new ride that was of interest or presented a colorful opportunity.

Please don’t get me wrong. I am not some Polly Anna skipping down the primrose path looking at the world through rose colored glasses. I’ve tackled tough jobs and worked hard. I’m just saying that life isn’t linear. And, life is more fun when there is music playing. And, no matter how hard you may try to keep things steady and upright and moving forward, life is filled with all kinds of motion and commotion, ups and downs.

So, it’s okay to get up and move around. Explore uncommon opportunities. Stop and say hi to others. Grab a handhold if you need to. But, you can get off, carefully, for awhile, to take a break, take on other important roles outside of your career, concentrate on home or babies or caring for aging relatives. Then, when you’re ready, step back on, find the mount that’s available that suits your needs without pushing anyone off to take their place or stepping on or over anyone to get there. Seek out options knowing there’s more than what’s directly above you. And never forget, it’s just a ride.

Have you read these books?  If so, let me know what you think?  If not, check them out!

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.

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!

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