Tag: time management

Categories
The Intentional Writer

How to Optimize Your Writing Sessions

The intentional writer

Do you feel guilty because you can’t crank out two thousand words every morning like your writer friends? Have you ever been frustrated when you tried a writing expert’s sure-fire method to write faster, only to find you’re writing time was worse than ever?  

Me, too.

The fact is, each of us needs to figure out what writing process works best for the way our brain works, and our unique writing personality. That being said, most writers fall into one of two general categories, those who work best in small spurts and those who work best in longer, more focused writing sessions.  We all have a sweet spot that represents the optimum number of words our particular writer brain likes to handle in one sitting.

Optimizing writing sessions for small spurt writers

Are you a multitasking pro? Do you enjoy writing in coffee shops or the local park, and you often squeeze little spurts of writing into your life when you can, you are probably a short spurt writer. If so, your optimum writing session is probably in the 400 – 600 words range. If you’re a small spurt writer, you can productively use small pockets of time to work on your project. However, when you force yourself to keep working until you’ve reached 1,500 words in one sitting, you’ll struggle. You’ll find it tough to keep focused, so your productivity will drop, and you’ll feel frustrated.  

Good news! You can reach that 1,500 word goal, but you’ll be more successful when you do it in two or three smaller sessions rather than one continuous stretch. Also, you’ll probably write better at each session if you switch tasks and work on something else in between your writing sessions.

Optimizing writing sessions for deep focus writers

If you need silence and solitude to do your best work, you are probably a long session writer. Your optimum writing sessions are more like 1,000 – 2,000 words. You write best when you can go deep into your story world. It may take some time to get into the flow, and once you find it you don’t want to be dragged away until you’ve finished the whole scene.

Like all humans, you eventually need to come up for air and give your brain a brief rest, but you may find that you can utilize your time most productively when you allow yourself to focus on several writing sessions in a row, rather than switching from writing to other tasks and then back to writing.

Which is best?

The one that works for you!

Neither style is any better or worse. The key to becoming a more productive writer is to figure out your optimum writing session scenario and then plan your writing accordingly.

Do you need to stop beating yourself up because you can’t concentrate on writing while waiting for your kids to at soccer practice? Do you need to give yourself permission to quit forcing yourself to complete marathon writing sessions?

If you’re not sure which style works best for you, experiment. Try setting a variety of goals from short 300-word sessions to longer ones of 1,000-words or more. See how long you can work before your brain starts to lose focus.

This isn’t rocket science, so don’t get hung up on finding your exact ideal word count. The goal is to determine the approximate number of words or length of writing sessions that works best for your brain, and then do what you can to create writing times around that length.

A note on editing: Editing is not the same kind of thinking as composing. Therefore, most writers have a different ideal writing session length when it comes to editing their ms.  Once again, you can experiment to find your optimum editing session length.

Learn more

If you want to learn more about optimizing your writing sessions, I recommend you read The Chunky Method Handbook by Allie Pleiter.

I hope this post has encouraged you in your writing journey this week.

Lisa E Betz

An engineer-turned-mystery-writer, Lisa E. Betz infuses her novels with authentic characters who thrive on solving tricky problems. Her debut novel, Death and a Crocodile, won several awards, including Golden Scroll Novel of the Year (2021). Her second mystery, Fountains and Secrets, released in January, 2022.

Lisa combines her love of research with her quirky imagination to bring the world of the early church to life. She and her husband reside outside Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, with Scallywag, their rambunctious cat—the inspiration for Nemesis, resident mischief maker in the Livia Aemilia Mysteries. Lisa directs church dramas, eats too much chocolate, and experiments with ancient Roman recipes. Visit her at lisaebetz.com or her Facebook page, LisaEBetzWriter.

Categories
Writers Chat

Writers Chat Recap for September, Part 1

Writers Chat Recap

Writers Chat, hosted by Jean Wise, Johnnie Alexander, and Brandy Bow, is the show where we talk about all things writing, by writers and for writers!

“Because talking about writing is more fun than actually doing it.”

Audiobooks with James L. Rubart

In this episode, James L. Rubart, a branding expert and audiobook narrator, shares advice on whether authors should narrate their own books or hire a narrator. For those who want to take on the challenge–and fun–of narration, he provides tips on equipment and the process of creating a polished audiobook. He shares his personal experiences as an author who narrates his own books and also narrates books for other novelists. We also talk about various payment options when working with a professional narrator. If you’re considering creating an audiobook, whether as a do-it-yourselfer or with a professional narrator, this episode will provide you with needed information on how to make the best decisions for you.

Watch the August 31st replay,

James L. Rubart is 28 years old, but lives trapped inside an older man’s body. He thinks he’s still young enough to water ski like a madman and dirt bike with his two grown sons. He’s the best-selling, Christy Hall of Fame author of sixteen novels and loves to send readers on mind-bending spiritual journeys they’ll remember months after they finish one of his stories. He’s also a branding expert, audio book narrator, and co-founder with his son, Taylor, of the Rubart Writing Academy. He lives with his amazing wife on a small lake in eastern Washington.

Writing When Life Gets Crazy

In this open mic episode we took a break from talking about the “writing life” to encourage each other during this season of international upheaval, health fears, and other devastations. Along with sharing personal experiences, we share Scripture and inspirational messages with one another. For example, we begin with a quote that author and branding expert James L. Rubart shared with us last week in an episode called “Audiobooks.” Jim’s quote: “Desire reveals design. Design reveals destiny.” If you need a respite from the world’s chaos, then our prayer is that you will be blessed by this episode.

Watch the September 7th replay.

Writers Chat is hosted live each Tuesday for an hour starting at 10 AM CT / 11 AM ET
on Zoom. The permanent Zoom room link is: http://zoom.us/j/4074198133

Categories
The Intentional Writer

Stop Feeling Overwhelmed, Adopt a Quarterly Focus

The intentional writer

I am easily overwhelmed when I think about all the things I should be doing to market my book and increase my platform. Grow social media following, SEO research, lead magnets, guest posts, ad split-testing, etc. (Not to mention working on my next book and dealing with the rest of life.)

I work on one thing for a day or two, then I hear I should be doing that other thing, so I switch to working on it instead. And at the end of the week I feel like a failure because I haven’t made any significant progress in any of them.

Does this sound familiar?

Then read on…

A simple strategy to avoid feelin project overwhelm

Stop trying to do it all!

Really.

It’s impossible to focus on every marketing tactic at once, anyway. Not only is is impossible, it will lead to poor results and lots of frustration. Instead, focus on one area at a time.

Big projects like marketing a book—or writing, polishing, and submitting a book—are marathons rather than sprints. The overall success is an accumulation of efforts over a long time span.

This allows us to prioritize one aspect for a period of time and then switch to another. The key is choosing a long enough time period to allow for success.

Try the quarterly approach

Break your year into three-month quarters. Assign a different marketing focus for each quarter. Plan out at least four or five quarters, so that you can cover all the important bases.

An example of using the quarterly focus strategy:

QuarterMarketing focus
April-June:Grow email list
July-Sept.:Grow social media following on one or two accounts
Oct.-Dec.:Run ads and offer a discount to boost sales
Jan. – March:Get spots on podcasts or radio shows
April-June:Learn how to use a new platform effectively (such as Facebook Live, or YouTube, or TikTok)

This quarterly focus strategy helps you:

  • Stay focused
  • Stay motivated
  • Manage time wisely
  • Avoid feeling overwhelmed and giving up
  • Have more time to really do something well
  • Assess how your area of effort affects book sales (because you aren’t trying five things at once.)

Of course, you shouldn’t completely ignore other marketing tactics in the meantime, but you can give yourself permission to do the bare minimum to maintain them while keeping the chosen area the priority.

I hope this quarterly focus strategy helps you face your next big project with more confidence and less stress.

Lisa E. Betz worked as an engineer, substitute teacher, and play director before becoming an award-winning mystery writer. She brings her analytical mind, quirky humor, and positive outlook to all she writes. She draws inspiration from thirty-five years of leading Bible studies to create entertaining mysteries set in the world of the early church, and then she fills that world with eccentric characters, independent females, and an occasional sausage-snatching cat. Her first novel, Death and a Crocodile, garnered a gold medal in the Illumination Book Awards.

In addition to writing novels, Lisa blogs about living with authenticity and purpose. Visit her at www.lisaebetz.com. Facebook LisaEBetzWriter Twitter @LisaEBetz and Pinterest Lisa E Betz Intentional Living.

Categories
Mastering Middle Grade

New Year’s Writerly Goals

Happy 2021, my MG friends!

Anyone else excited about having a fresh, clean, slate of months ahead in which to write? There’s nothing quite like looking at the calendar and thinking about all the possibilities a new year has in store.

Now that the holidays have subsided, many of us take time to plan our personal and professional goals for the year ahead.

Here are a few goals I’ve made for my writing in 2021. I’d love to hear yours if you want to add them to the comments below or connect with us on Instagram and share them there. Either way, having a supportive group to hold you accountable goes a long way toward achieving your goals.

2021 Goal #1: Set regular writing time, protect it, and keep it.

Discipline was my friend in 2019. I made a ton of progress in my writerly life. But amidst the general craziness that was last year, my schedule went haywire and momentum went south. Now is the perfect time to re-establish a writing rhythm.

Protecting my writing time boils down to prioritizing. When I worked 8-5, I set aside an hour in the evenings after family time to write. Now, I let my freelance clients know at the beginning of the week what my available “office hours” are and I stick to them.

Having the whole family home 24/7 made boundaries a little challenging at first. Fortunately, that “available office hours” practice I applied to my freelance clients also worked with my husband and son. Obviously if there were an emergency, I would punt work and tend to my family first. (To my son if you’re reading this: Wanting a snack is not an emergency)

In the new year, weekly planning – and sticking to that plan – will be a high priority.

2021 Goal #2: Reconnect with other writers.

Not too long into 2020, I noticed that the more time I spent online and on social media, the more my sense of well-being suffered. As thankful as I am for the technology that allowed me to stay in touch with my family and friends, I reached my limit quickly. By the end of 2020, my practice became to set a timer and check in on a handful of accounts- no scrolling for me.

The downside of this is that the community I’d worked so hard to cultivate on social media began to fall apart. Connection with other writers is important both to learn about our craft and to give and receive encouragement along the journey.

This year, I will include social media time in my weekly plan (see Goal #1), with the aim of rebuilding my community.

2021 Goal #3: Finish the edits and query the books.

This one is straight forward. I have some fun work just sitting here, waiting for those final polishes and queries. It’s past time for me to finish.

2021 Goal #4: Try new things.

I’ve been writing nonfiction for a living in the form of business-to-business marketing and ad writing. When I write books, they’re all middle grade fiction. Nonfiction for kids might be a good fit for me, but I’ve never tried it before. Now is as good a time as any to try it.

So, there you have it, friends. If you are setting writing goals, I’d love the opportunity to support you and encourage you this year.

Here’s to a peaceful, productive 2021.

Kell McKinney earned a B.A. in journalism from the University of Oklahoma and an M.S. in documentary studies from the University of North Texas. She’s a part-time copywriter, double-time mom and wife, and spends every free minute writing and/or hunting for her car keys. Connect with her on Twitter @Kell_McK or kellmckinney.com.

Categories
A Lighter Look at the Writer's Life

National (What?) Month

lighter look at a writer's life

As you are reading this, it is December, the last month in the slog that has been 2020. Many of you have just finished Nanowrimo, or National Novel Writing Month (for those of you who have eluded this illustrious event).

Writers around the country commit to writing an ENTIRE NOVEL during the month of November. There’s even a website, an accountability program, and more. Writing can be stressful, especially in these times, but, hey, let’s write a book in an entire month!

November is typically a hectic month for me, which I’ll discuss below, and that’s why I have never participated in Nanowrimo. Until this year. Sort of.

I have written some fiction, but my current focus has been devotional writing. I have been kicking around some ideas for new devotional books, so I decided to work on one of those during November. I guess you could call it “Nadevowrimo.” Has a certain ring to it, don’t you think? Seriously, I don’t think I’ll be starting a new trend any time soon, but it worked for me, for a while.

I figured if I wrote one devotion every day except Sunday (I need rest, y’all!), I’d have a good start on a new book by the end of November. The commitment of writing one piece a day would certainly help my discipline, wouldn’t it?

I am a teacher, and November tends to be “crunch time” as we barrel toward the end of the fall semester. Add virus concerns to that mix, and it has been even more intense, as my administration encouraged teachers to finish as much of our class work as we could by Thanksgiving break.

I am the Operation Christmas Child (OCC) coordinator at my church and one of the county coordinators in my area. At the beginning of November, I supervise the packing of a ton of shoeboxes, and then, the week before Thanksgiving, I oversee a drop-off center, where other churches, groups, and individuals bring their boxes to us. My fellow church members and I are then responsible for collecting them and transporting them to the Regional Drop-Off Center an hour away.

So, I wrote religiously for the first two weeks of November. Then OCC Week hit simultaneously with the new guidelines for wrapping up my semester at school, and what happened to Nadevowrimo? It flew out the window.

You know what? That’s okay.

For two weeks, I was disciplined. For two weeks, I got a lot of writing done. As I write this post, there is a week and a half left in the month, and I plan to “climb back on the horse” next week. Instead of beating myself up about missing some days, I’m celebrating what I did accomplish and looking forward.

Another thing about this experiment: I didn’t particularly like the stuff I wrote. There were times I wanted to close up the laptop, quit writing, and eat a package of cookies. Then I realized: programs like Nanowrimo are all about FIRST DRAFTING, getting the thoughts out of the mind and on the page. For me, it wasn’t about quality or even quantity. It was about roughing out those ideas to give me plenty to work with when I am ready to complete the project.

Now, I still want to eat an entire package of cookies, but only for fuel to give the strength to keep writing.

Carlton Hughes, represented by Cyle Young of Hartline Literary, wears many hats. By day, he is a professor of communication. On Wednesday evenings and Sunday mornings, he serves as a children’s pastor. In his “spare time,” he is a freelance writer. Carlton is an empty-nesting dad and devoted husband who likes long walks on the beach, old sitcoms, and chocolate—all the chocolate. His work has been featured in Chicken Soup for the Soul: The Dating Game, The Wonders of Nature, Let the Earth Rejoice, Just Breathe, So God Made a Dog, and Everyday Grace for Men. His latest book is Adventures in Fatherhood, co-authored with Holland Webb.

Categories
Devotions for Writers

The Dastardly D of Distraction

devotions 
The squirrel ran across the patio steps.
The phone rang.
The dishwasher beeped.

How can you focus on words when the world keeps interrupting?

Do you ever feel like everyone wants a piece of you? Jesus did. In Mark 1:37 the disciples said, “Everyone is looking for You!”

Parents of toddlers can relate to the constant barrage of questions. Who can think when you’re in such demand? But, is there a distinction between different kinds of disruptions?

Some distractions are good:

              A water break rehydrates.

              A bathroom break gets a stiff back into motion.

Some distractions are bad:

              A phone conversation can go longer than expected.

              A grocery run can interrupt the flow of words.

Distractions can be bad.

Some advocate switching up tasks to give left brain/right brain stimulus.

Some declare, “Stick to the same activity to prolong concentration.”

So, what’s a person to do, when combating the Dastardly D of Distraction?

Group similar activities together to save time.

              Save a trip away from your desk by grouping errands together.

              Do a brain dump of your week’s schedule.

Can you listen to podcasts while in commute, or read a book while waiting for an oil change?

Could you swap after-school carpool with another parent?

Find ways to condense tasks to save time and energy.

Most of all, find what works for you.

Exercise:

Make a Ben Franklin List. On the left, write: Good Distractions. On the right: Bad Distractions. List ways you get distracted daily, then note how they can be turned into a positive. i.e. The dog needs to go outside. This could be a positive when you take a walk together and get the blood circulating!

Look up the following verses and jot down how Jesus responded. How would you respond?

  • Matthew 19:13-14 The disciples thought children were an interruption.
  • Mark 6:30-44 How did Jesus turn an interruption into an opportunity?
  • Mark 10:46-52 Who created the distraction?
  • Luke 9:1-6 What extra stuff hinders your progress?
  • John 4:34 What was Jesus’ purpose?
  • John 11:54 Why did Jesus avoid publicity?
  • Luke 10:40 Martha was distracted and almost missed the blessing.

Jesus knew His Father’s work meant something different than what others expected of Him. (Mark 1:35-39) He healed people out of compassion, but He had a greater purpose.

What is your greater purpose and how will it change your response to distractions? Will “some” commandeer your time, or will you take command of the Dastardly D of Distractions?

Over 140 of Sally Ferguson’s devotionals have been published in Pathways to God (Warner Press). She’s also written for Light From The Word, Chautauqua Mirror, Just Between Us, Adult Span Curriculum, Thriving Family, Upgrade with Dawn and ezinearticles.com. Prose Contest Winner at 2017 Greater Philly Christian Writers Conference.

Sally loves organizing retreats and seeing relationships blossom in time away from the daily routine. Her ebook, How to Plan a Women’s Retreat is available on Amazon.

Sally Ferguson lives in the beautiful countryside of Jamestown, NY with her husband and her dad.

Visit Sally’s blog at www.sallyferguson.net

Categories
The Intentional Writer

The Importance of Taking Breaks

The intentional writer

Writing is hard work. It may not look like writers expend much energy, but we are. Writing saps our mental, emotional, and spiritual energy reserves. If you’ve ever felt drained after a writing session you know what I mean.

In order to be effective in our writing career, we need to intentional about taking breaks to restore our creative energy. We need time to rest, refuel, and find new inspiration. Here are some ideas:

Five types of breaks to boost writing success

Give your project a rest

Sometimes the best thing we can do with a writing project is set it aside for a time. When we get deep into a story we lose the ability to look at it objectively, plus we tend to get stuck on certain details, scenes, or sentences. When we set the project aside and work on a different piece of writing for a time, we allow our brains to do a reset.

Taking a break between one draft and the next enables our conscious and unconscious brains to return to the project with clearer thinking. We can more easily spot problems and think up more creative solutions for solving them. If you feel stuck with a piece of writing, try locking it in a drawer (real or virtual) for at least a week, or perhaps a few months.

Take short breaks to enhance efficiency

When we’re in the middle of a busy day, taking a break may feel highly unproductive, but productivity experts have shown that taking short breaks actually enhances our ability to think and perform. They suggest stopping every two hours or so to take a short break.

All breaks are not created equally, however. To make the most of short breaks, walk away from your desk, turn your brain to a completely unrelated subject, and connect with either nature or other humans. Limit the break to about fifteen minutes. Above all, resist the temptation to check social media or email! Those activities are not restorative.

Refill your empty tank

When we push ourselves to keep going after our inner energy tank is on empty, our creativity suffers. If we want to do our best work, we must be intentional about taking refueling breaks. What refreshes and restores your heart and soul? Taking a walk along the seashore? Paining a picture? Gardening? Reading? Talking with a friend over coffee? Do yourself and your future readers a favor by making a point to refuel yourself regularly by spending time in activities that restore your body and psyche.

Seek out inspiration

Along with refueling our inner energy tank, we occasionally need to resupply our stock of inspiration. Now and then we need to take a break from writing to seek other kinds of experiences that will fill our store of ideas and spark creativity. The more varied the activities, the better. Vacations, nature walks, art classes, dancing lessons, or a visit to an art museum are all great ways to refill our cache of inspiration. So is reading a book outside our preferred genres or watching a TED talk on something we know nothing about. It may feel like wasted time, but all positive input is fodder for out subconscious. What new things can you learn or experience this week?

Meditate and pray

Our words reflect the state of our spirit. If we hope to communicate truth and hope to our readers we need to remain connected to our Lord. He is the one who gifted us with imagination and called us to write. He is the one who can inspire, guide, and clarify our thoughts. He is the one who enables us to write with efficiency and purpose. Taking spiritual breaks to pray and meditate will help us stay true to our calling and enable us to communicate the truths in our hearts.

I hope these tips help you avoid burnout and enhance your creative output.

Happy writing!

Award-winning writer Lisa E. Betz believes that everyone has a unique story to tell the world. She loves inspiring fellow writers to be more intentional about developing their craft and courageous in sharing their words. Lisa shares her words through speaking, leading Bible studies, writing historical mysteries, and blogging about living intentionally.

You can find her on Facebook LisaEBetzWriter Twitter @LisaEBetz and Pinterest Lisa E Betz Intentional Living.

Categories
Devotions for Writers

The Write Time

devotions

“It is time to seek the Lord…”

Hosea 10:12 (NIV)

“While some procrastinate more than others, few of us (if we are honest) can say we never procrastinate. For a myriad of reasons, we put off doing things – especially, it seems, getting words on paper. It’s no wonder God seems to call a number of people to write similar things. He knows how few will actually finish what they start.”

Marlene Bagnull, Write His Answer

I winced at the thought my lack of writing was an act of disobedience. It seemed I always had an assortment of urgent tasks calling my name. Admittedly, everything else was more appealing than the hard work of pounding out words; it’s even easier to take out the trash than to sit down and write!

The first part of Hosea 10:12 says to sow righteousness. If I am to sow right actions then I need to do some active waiting on the Lord. What is active waiting? It means to do what you know to do until the next step clears. And then to do the next right thing after that, and so on.

Another portion of our verse says “break up your unplowed ground.” What fertile soil is waiting for you to dig in and excavate its potential?

How do you make the most of every opportunity to write? Try some of the following tips to create time.

Make time to write

Exercise:

  • Make an appointment. Schedule time on your calendar, just like you would for a doctor visit. Guard it faithfully.
  • BIC Time. When you put your “Butt in Chair,” put blinders on to everything else but writing.
  • Set a timer. You can do anything for 15 minutes. And it will inspire you when you see how much you can accomplish in a short interval.
  • Accountability Partners. Ask another writer to hold you accountable, and then be kind when they do!
  • Prayer Warriors. Do you have your own prayer team? Ask like-minded people to cover you with prayer power to shield your thoughts.

Our verse in entirety says, “Sow righteousness for yourselves, reap the fruit of unfailing love, and break up your unplowed ground; for it is time to seek the Lord, until He comes and showers His righteousness on you.”

One more thing; Hosea 10:13 reminds us to guard against self-sufficiency. Seek the Lord in all you produce and your words will reap the fruit of His love, as you wait for His blessing!

Resource:

Marlene Bagnull, Write His Answer, p. 47

Over 140 of Sally Ferguson’s devotionals have been published in Pathways to God (Warner Press). She’s also written for Light From The Word, Chautauqua Mirror, Just Between Us, Adult Span Curriculum, Thriving Family, Upgrade with Dawn and ezinearticles.com. Prose Contest Winner at 2017 Greater Philly Christian Writers Conference.

Sally loves organizing retreats and seeing relationships blossom in time away from the daily routine. Her ebook, How to Plan a Women’s Retreat is available on Amazon.

Sally Ferguson lives in the beautiful countryside of Jamestown, NY with her husband and her dad.

Visit Sally’s blog at www.sallyferguson.net

Categories
Book Proposals

The Covid Affair

Well, here we are. Or … here I am, and there you are. We’re social distancing. This is new for many folks. For everyone if truth be told. It’s new, exhilarating, exciting, exhausting. Draining!

For most of us, as writers, this isn’t a burden whatsoever. We’re used to being holed up in our offices, working by ourselves (if we’re lucky and get the peace and quiet we crave).  In fact, we’ve been training for moments like this as long as we’ve been writing.

So how is it affecting us? A couple folks have said, “Just knowing I can’t go out, if I wanted to, is somehow interrupting my ability to write!” “I can’t get enough of this! It’s awesome!” And others tell me about how difficult it is to know massive work is expected of them during the shutdown. As if writers just turn on a switch and wrote.

I’ll be honest, while I thought it would be just another day at the office, my office, my in-home office, instead, I’ve found it really difficult to work. Oh, I get it done, but I find myself tuning in to much more news than before, being drawn to the outside (where absolutely nothing is happening) through my two office windows, and wanting to get up and move around more than before. Maybe it’s the sourdough starter tempting me to bake for the fifth time this week, and it’s only Wednesday. Sigh. My good intentions of getting a lot more writing done, reading of submissions completed, working on edits for clients, have gone by the wayside, along with that last batch of cinnamon rolls which haven’t gone by the wayside, but directly to my hips.

So what do we do? We can whine, complain, bake another batch of … who knows what, or we can plunk our behinds in our seats and get to work. There will always be distractions. We will have deaths, divorces, births, school papers due, problematic relationships, deadlines with “other” writing, and even friends asking us when we’re finally going to be published. We can freeze under the pressure, or we can press on. Press through. Press beyond what is expected of us. We can persevere and get the job done.

Life is filled with … well … life getting in the way. And in that will come excuses. Excuses to wait till the next day, wait till the virus clears the country, wait till we have more ideas … wait, wait, wait. And the writing never gets done.

As artsy folks, writers have, if you’ll pardon the play on words, “unimaginable” imaginations. Our minds work like the fastest core processors available. While we’re supposed to be writing, we’re already thinking of the sequel, prequel, and possible novellas to give away free for promotion. We’re picking out the publisher that we KNOW will want our novel, the actors who will play the lead rolls in the movie version, and even what to wear while attending the Oscar to see our made-into-movie novel win the best picture award.

Okay, so here I sit. There you sit. Yes, we are. We’re social distancing. I’m writing about what we might do to help during this Covid-19 thing, and you’re reading about it. Neither of us is writing.

C’mon. Let’s get on the shtick and do what we’re supposed to be doing: writing. Doing our best to make life a little better for the folks stuck at home, reading! Just waiting for our next great American novel that might tell … the unbelievable story of an entire world brought to its knees by a tiny virus. Why not? Somebody’s got to write it.

Linda S. Glaz is an agent with Hartline Literary Agency, and also the author of eight novels and two novellas, so she “gets” writers. She represents authors in both the Christian and secular communities. She speaks at numerous conferences and workshops around the country each year. Married with three grown children and four grands, she lives in a small town where everyone is family.

Categories
Devotional/Christian Living

5 Ways to Make Social Media Less Frustrating

If you are going to be a Christian Living or Devotional author, then you are going to need a platform. And if you are going to build a platform, you are going to need social media. But social media can be so frustrating! You pour hours into it while your writing gathers dust. You craft clever posts with beautiful pictures and no one seems to notice. You feel confused or overwhelmed about all the little details of each platform. You feel like throwing in the towel. I know because I have gone through periods of frustration when I was getting started with social media as a writer.

These five thoughts have helped me push through frustration so that social media is now enjoyable and profitable to me.

#1 Don’t wait for perfect. Just try something.

When I was first posting on Instagram, I was enjoying getting to know the followers I had by posting first thing in the morning after my kids went to school. Then I read an article that said the best time to post was 3:00 in the afternoon. So then I held off on posting first thing in the morning until I could hit that perfect time of 3:00 in the afternoon. Except that 3:00 pm wasn’t a good time for me. Days went by and I wasn’t posting at all. I started to feel disappointed in myself rather than enjoying Instagram like back when I was in blissful ignorance about the perfect posting time. So then I just shook that “perfect” time out of my head and went back to posting when it worked for me. It was better for me to just try posting instead of waiting for what others deemed as perfect.

#2 Focus on one platform at a time.

Although I am always at least a little bit active on each social media platform, I pick one at a time to focus most of my energy on. At the moment, I am focusing on Pinterest since that is getting me more blog readers and email list sign-ups than any other platform. For a while I tried to have goals for myself on every platform at the same time, but, realistically, I did not have time to focus on all of the platforms at the same time. That just led to frustration, so now I focus on one platform at a time. I give myself the freedom to change my focus through different seasons of life.

#3 Post genuine questions and real-life updates.

If all you ever post is “buy my book” or “read my blog” you are missing out on the joy of getting to know all the wonderful people who follow you on social media. Social media is primarily for being social. So ask questions, give encouragement, and start conversations. This will make your social media time more fulfilling and less frustrating.

#4 Use a timer.

Even when your social media time is fulfilling, it should not be a total time suck. There is more to life than social media. Set a timer and when it goes off, put it down for the day. Take a walk. Enjoy your family. Read your Bible.

#5 Use a scheduler.

A scheduler can help you save time when using social media. A scheduler is a place where you can plan out what you are going to post on a particular day at a particular time and then the scheduler will automatically post it for you. I like to schedule my posts out on Monday, then I can sit back and focus on interacting with my followers during the week. I like to use Buffer because of its simplicity (and it’s free!) Hootsuite is another popular free scheduler.

social media less frustrating

Social media doesn’t have to be frustrating for a writer. Take it one step at a time and keep it joyful. Explore new elements with curiosity and wonder.

If you are looking for a guide and a support as you explore social media, I highly recommend Victoria Duerstock’s Social Media Squad. She has taken a lot of time to study what works and what doesn’t on every platform and loves to share what she knows. Her guidance has been a huge help to me!

Rachel Schmoyer is a pastor’s wife who is loving her church life. She writes about the hard parts of Scripture at readthehardparts.com. She has had devotionals published in the past, but now she is looking forward to getting her first Christian Living book published. You can connect with Rachel on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, or Pinterest.

Categories
Mystery/Thriller/Suspense

Research: Time-waster or Story-builder?

mystery suspense thriller

“I write fiction. Is research really necessary?”

“… a novelist has nearly the same obligation for accuracy as a news writer. Your made-up world must ring true.”

Chuck Sambuchino

How do mystery, suspense, and thriller writers produce an authentic novel and achieve believability?

Consider the seven “R’s”.

Ready an organizational system for the material you gather, whether it be an online file or old-school file folders. Utilize whatever makes sense to you.

Restrain from spending too much time on research.We’re fiction writers, not Ph.D. candidates working on dissertations.

Restrict your focus. Is your setting real or fictional? Is it set in the city or country, suburban or rural, present-day or historical? Determine key locations and the world beyond.

Readers bring no preconceptions to a fictional site. The author breathes life into the narrative by creating everything. Customs, history, climate, natural surroundings, people, food, the hobbies and jobs of the characters, maps, and even language must emerge from your imagination.

If your setting is a real place and you’ve failed to do the work, an agent, editor, or a reader who knows the area may label your book as implausible. Or worse, toss it onto the rejection pile.

“Stories set in real locations, then, demand detailed local knowledge and/or meticulous research of the setting.”

Harvey Chapman

Read magazines, journals, and books on your subject and in your genre. Learn the occupations of your characters. Dig into past events, the natural surroundings, and the latest news from the area. Make your backdrop as familiar as your own living room. Make the details as accurate as an FBI manual.

Utilize the resources of libraries, colleges and universities, museums, or law enforcement. Maps give us direction and perspective, and the placement of landmarks, roads, stores, houses, schools, and cemeteries. Data from contracts, marriage and birth licenses, and census records add authenticity.

Record observations. Watch others who are similar to your characters to see how they talk and behave. Visit places that serve the same food your characters would eat and places they might frequent.

Often a visual image will spark ideas. Watch videos on YouTube, catch documentaries, or even cruise Pinterest for ideas, inspiration, and information.

Road trip. The journey may be as close as the local library, or as far away as a long-distance car ride or flight. If you’ve never been to your novel’s location, consider discovering the area with a hands-on approach.

Notice details as you travel. These can contribute to your characters’ motives and choices.

Once there, talk to the locals. Discover the area’s activities, customs, traditions, where people shop, eat, go to school, and even select where your characters might live.

Walk the area and feel the ambiance. Use your senses. Find out what things taste like, smell like, feel like, sound like.

Research for my latest WIP required an eleven-hour road trip. Even though I was familiar with the area, I hadn’t visited in years. The lonely two-lane highway leading to my destination was now bustling with oil-field trucks, pump-jacks, new refineries and hotels, and clouds of grey haze. But fortunately, my ideal locale was as I remembered–– craggy mountains graced by long stretches of prickly pear cactus and mesquite scrub, remote and raw. Perfect for a mystery or suspense.

Once there, I bee-lined to the local diner and feasted on the house special, green chili burgers and thick-cut fries. I chatted with the owner and her employee. (Yes, just one.) They shared how the clear night sky bursts into sparkles of light, where one gets mail and supplies, and how chili cook-offs and cow patty throwing contests are a ‘thing.’ Of course, Elizabeth and Debbie will find a place in my book’s acknowledgments!

Roadblocks. No one likes a data dump. Weave your discoveries into the novel and never let it rise above the plot, characters, and setting. A bit of true-life flavor goes a long way

Don’t use fact-finding as a means to delay writing.

Complete your searches ahead of time. If you need to add a detail later make a note, but keep the writing flowing.

Let research inform the story, not smother it. Do the work. It may be the difference between a book contract and a rejection letter.

“Though we invent tales that didn’t really happen, we drape them over a framework of real-life facts.”

Chuck Sambuchino

Write well, my friends.

PJ Gover

PJ Gover encourages her readers to live the thrill…one story at a time, whether through her devotionals or thrillers. She has received ten writing awards including first place in American Christian Fiction Writer’s First Impressions contest, the North Carolina Christian Writers, and the Write-to-Publish contest. Her one-year devotional book, Celebrate Thee Date, can be found at 4homestore .

A ranch in Texas serves as home base where she is currently working on a suspense novel. Offer her Mexican food or anything gluten-free and you’ll have a friend for life. Jim Hart of Hartline Literary Agency represents PJ.

Connect with PJ at PJGover.com or facebook.com/pj.gover

Categories
Kids Lit

“B.I.C. Time”

Kids Lit

Whenever I teach at conferences, I’m often asked the same question: “How do you write so many books a year?” I jokingly answer, “Lots of Diet Pepsi and Peanut M&Ms.” But the truth is, it takes determination, drive, prayer, a support system, and B.I.C. time, otherwise known as “Butt In Chair” time. Let’s face it; if this children’s writing thing were easy, everyone would be a writer. It takes commitment and sacrifice, but you can do this.

Part of making time for writing is changing your mentality. If writing for children is more than just a hobby for you, treat it as such.  If you don’t put it on your calendar, you probably won’t do it. So, get a planner (I like the Happy Planners) and make a writing date with yourself. Here are three more strategies to help you carve out more B.I.C. time in your already busy schedule.

FIND THE TIME

On a deadline, ready for B.I.C time

If you’re a morning person, get up an hour or two earlier and spend that time working on book proposals, crafting articles, or writing those all-important follow-up thank you notes to the editors, agents, and other faculty members who poured into you at a recent conference.

If you get an hour for lunch, why not take your personal laptop with you to work and spend those minutes working on your own assignments?

Eat a protein bar instead of going out for lunch. You’ll get work done and lose weight! It’s a win/win! And, if you’re a night owl like me, write at night. Once the house is quiet (when most everyone else is in bed) spend those magical minutes cranking out copy.

If none of those options work for you, how about participating in what I call a “Super Saturday?” Reserve one or two Saturdays a month for all-day binge writing. Schedule that time in your planner or add them to your smartphone calendar—just like you would any other appointment—and plan for eight hours of uninterrupted writing time. NOTE: This is not the time for Facebook stalking or playing computer games.

If you have children at home, ask your spouse or another relative to take them to the zoo or the library or anywhere but where you’ll be writing. And, then use that time wisely. Consider those minutes sacred and write like crazy. You’ll start to look forward to it—I promise! And you’ll get so much done!

BECOME ACCOUNTABLE

Writing partners keep each other accountable

Becoming accountable to someone on this writing journey is another important strategy to helping you meet deadlines, accomplish writing goals, and fulfill those publishing dreams. So, get an accountability partner—maybe someone you met at a previous writers’ conference— and have weekly or monthly “checkups.” Be tough on each other and help one another inch toward those goals! (A writing critique group is also good for keeping you honest, and you should have one of those already.)

Another way to become accountable is simply to set a deadline for yourself. Even if you’re not writing an article for a magazine that has a deadline attached, give yourself a deadline. And, reward yourself when you hit that deadline! Treat your freelance career like a 9-to-5 job—deadlines motivate us to quit procrastinating.

Depending on how you’re wired, goals may not be enough to motivate you. But, goals plus deadlines should do the trick. Set goals big enough to make you sweat a little and create realistic (yet pressing) deadlines to keep your butt in the chair.

MAKE THE MOST OF YOUR TIME

My B.I.C. chair

Speaking of B.I.C. time, you may have to “outsmart” yourself in order to get your writing hours in each week. Spend a few minutes thinking about your habits, your excuses for not writing, your normal routine, etc. Now, you’re going to have to simply “outsmart” yourself into logging B.I.C. time each week. For example, I know that once my butt is in the chair, I can write for many hours straight—no problem. But when I allow myself to get out of the house—even if it’s just for a food run—I’m gone. Fifteen minutes turns into four hours. I know myself. What starts off as a quick trip to pick up Diet Pepsi ends up in a shopping trip to Goodwill or Plato’s Closet, and before I know it, the whole day is gone. So, I outsmart myself by running all of my errands on the same day.  I’ll go grocery shopping, get my nails done, take the dog to the groomer, and drop off those bags of clothes to Goodwill all in the same day. Whatever doesn’t get done on my errand day will just have to wait until the following week’s errand day.

The rest of the week when I have the urge to “get out of the chair,” I resist that temptation, knowing those other errands can wait until my next errand day. That’s the deal I make with myself, and somehow that works for me. Find what works for you!

When I practice all three of these strategies, I accomplish so much more, and you will, too. Bottom line, you have to want this writing career, and you have to be willing to work at it every chance you get. It may not be easy, but I can promise you, it’s worth it.

Now, go sit your butt in the chair and write!

Michelle Medlock Adams is an award-winning journalist and best-selling author of over 90 books with close to 4 million sold. Her many journalism and book awards include top honors from the Associated Press, AWSA’s Golden Scroll for Best Children’s Book, and the Selah Award for Best Children’s Book. Michelle currently serves as President of Platinum Literary Services, a premier full-service literary firm; Chairman of the Board of Advisors for Serious Writer, Inc.; and a much sought-after speaker at writers conferences and women’s retreats all over the United States.  

When not writing or teaching writing, Michelle enjoys bass fishing and cheering on the Indiana University Basketball team, the Chicago Cubbies, and the LA Kings.

 Michelle is celebrating the recent release of her books, Get Your Spirit On!, Fabulous & Focused, Dinosaur Devotions, and C Is for Christmas, and she’s anticipating the upcoming release of What Is America? (Worthy Kids) and They Call Me Mom (Kregel), a devotional book she co-authored with Bethany Jett.

Categories
Mastering Middle Grade

Doing the Next Right Thing

Once upon a time, during what feels like another lifetime ago, I took my masters’ of science in documentary filmmaking and turned it into a marketing communications job. As part of that job, the entire marketing communications team took a project management certification training course. (Side note – this course was not nearly as fun as the Serious Writer courses, which you should try if you haven’t.)

The goal of the project management course was to teach our marcomm team useful strategies and techniques for managing complicated communications projects.

Ten years later, I no longer have a team of people around me but I still have multiple moving parts and pieces to manage and deadlines to meet in my writing life.

Writing middle grade is very similar to writing for other audiences in that you must write well. Writing middle grade is different than writing for other audiences because the voice must be authentic and relatable for a reader who is in a constant state of flux. It is harder to draw on life experiences while you’re writing for this reader, so you must research. To do research you must plan.

If you are like me, the process of planning is not a straight line from point a to point b. It can get, well, twisty. I research, I have ideas, I add those ideas to a to-do list and then I write and research some more.

I find myself thinking about that old project management class when I’m planning and writing and feel overwhelmed by all the to-do’s on my list. My lists can grow exponentially each day, especially when I’m trying to research one project while writing another.

Rework this chapter. Finish that blog. Read these books. Query your manuscripts. Plan your social media posts. Oh yeah, and build your website and tweet the tweets.

Whenever there are multiple things, and all of them are important, how do we do them all? 

Project management classes are fantastic and worth taking. But I need to tell you that the tool I use most isn’t one that I learned in class. It’s what I learned to do when I ran into opposition, or felt overwhelmed, or it was Tuesday.

Whenever there are multiple things, pick the next right thing, then do that one.

Breathe in. Breathe out. Then pick the next next right thing and do it.

Repeat.

If you’re not sure what the next right thing is, reach out to your writer community and ask.

If you do not have a writer community, start now. The Almost an Author tribe is warm and friendly and has a number of resources for people like you and me.

My next right thing is to finish the last three chapters of my current WIP. What’s yours? How do you juggle multiple priorities? Tell us in the comments below.

Kell McKinney earned a B.A. in journalism from the University of Oklahoma and an M.S. in documentary studies from the University of North Texas. She’s a part-time copywriter, double-time mom and wife, and spends every free minute writing and/or hunting for her car keys. Connect with her on Twitter @Kell_McK or kellmckinney.com.

Categories
Guest Posts

10 Super-Productive Time Management Tips for Authors

As an author or freelance writer, working for yourself means you have so much more freedom than the average worker, but this means you need to be disciplined and controlled with what you do in your life. In order to be a success and make a profit, one of the most important aspects you’ll need to master is time management.

This can be extremely difficult when you’re stressed out or find yourself reaching deadlines or trying to tackle the million other things on your list, so we’re here to help. Today, we’re going to talk about ten of the best time management tips all freelance writers need to know about.

#1 – Get Up Early

It’s common knowledge that our most productive times of the day, whether we agree with it or not, is the morning. This is because we’re fully refreshed and have more energy here than we do at any other point in the day.

“Get up around 7-8 am and start work not long after. Really knuckle down and try to get as much work completed here as possible and you’ll soon find your workloads a lot less stressful,” shares Tina Page, a freelance writer for WriteMYX and Brit Student.

#2 – Research a System

There are plenty of self-help books and articles out there that can help you create habits and a system in your daily life that can help you manage and optimize the time in your day. However, with so many out there, don’t be afraid to research them and see if there’s any that work for you.

Then, simply implement them into your daily life!

#3 – Schedule Your Emails for Certain Times

As a freelance writer, it’s understandable you want to keep up to date with your emails and keep your clients happy. However, nobody expects instant replies, and nor do you need to reply instantly. In fact, keeping on top of your emails at all hours of the day is very counter-productive to your productivity.

Instead, learn to check your emails once in the morning and once at night during set hours. This way, you can keep on top of everything, and there’s no need to keeping cutting up your focus on certain tasks.

#4 – Optimise Relaxation

Not all forms of relaxing mean you’re actually relaxing. If you’re sat in front of a computer all day, you’re not going to want to watch a film or TV or play computer games to unwind. Sometimes, even reading a book may not be a good idea.

“Find a balance between doing the things you love, working, spending time on your own and seeing friends. Have set relaxation hours with work times to maximize productivity and know when you’re going to have your breaks,” shares Sarah Manby, a writing trainer at Nextcoursework and 1Day2Write.

#5 – Minimise Distractions

No matter what you’re thinking about in your life, make sure you’re minimizing the number of distractions you have. This means turning your phone off and putting it in a drawer or another room. It’s amazing how much time you’ll waste if you chop and change between the things you’re doing. Always work on one thing at a time. Multi-tasking is counter-productive.

#6 – Plan Your Days in Advance

One of the best ways to manage your time is to take the time to plan your days. You can do this either planning for the week ahead or planning your next day the day before. Plan how long you’re going to work on each task and how you ’re going to organize your day.

#7 – Use Set Working Hours

Don’t try and work 24 hours of the day every day. This is counter-productive to how focused you are on each task, how effective you’ll be, and just generally for your health and well-being. Instead, work set hours of the day.

If you say you’re going to work nine hours a day, five days a week like a typical working day, you then have time to solidly grind at work and time to do the things you want to do. Your health and productivity depend on this.

#8 – Set Goals

Another great way to manage your time and to keep you dedicated and on focus is to set yourself goals. You can do this hourly or weekly, depending on the tasks you have, but ideally, you’re going to want to set them daily.

Setting daily goals means you know exactly what you want to accomplish in a day, meaning you won’t overwork yourself and there’s no need to waste time thinking about what you want to do next.

#9 – Do Hard Work First

Hand in hand with the point of working early in the morning, it’s also best to get your hardest tasks out the way. This is because you can get the main bulk of work done in the morning, and then start to relax, unwind and slow down towards the end before then entering your free time.

#10 – Be Discipline

You can follow every single rule or time management tip you want, but if you don’t have the discipline to keep you going, they’re not going to work in the long-term. Stay disciplined and focused, and you’ll soon be able to manage your time like a pro.

Katrina Hatchett is Academic Brits lifestyle blogger and a writer for Origin Writings. She is keenly involved in a variety of business ventures. Her key skills involve problem identification, along with solving these problems, which she achieves through focusing on her goal of improving effectiveness of communication. She also writes for Phd Kingdom blog.

Categories
Mastering Middle Grade

The Writer’s Gift of Intention

Somewhere between Christmas pageant rehearsal, decorating the tree, shopping, and making travel preparations, a still, small voice whispers. The conversation goes something like this:

My Conscience: What about your story? You remember, the one you were over-the-moon excited to write? The story with the characters you loved that you have not touched in a week?

Me: *sigh* I remember.

MC: When are you going to write? You are so close to finishing.

Me: *breaking out in a cold sweat* Not now, conscience. This is not the time.

MC: I know, I know. So…you will write it later, then?

Me: Yes, later. Absolutely. I will finish you later. I’m feeling a bit overwhelmed right now.

MC: I get it. Thanks. I’ll look forward to later, then. If it is not too much to ask, I have one quick follow-up question.

Me: Sure.

MC: When, exactly, is later?

The holidays may be a little slow for publishers but for writers, especially those of us young in our journey, they can be a joyous but trying time. We want to use this time for planning, querying, networking, and (of course) writing – but there are about a gazillion competing activities (Christmas party, anyone?) and none of them want to leave room for the other.

So let’s give ourselves the gift of leaving room. Let’s give ourselves the grace we would give a friend. Along with that grace, let us honor the work we’ve already done by planning the work yet to come. The conversation with our conscience could look like this:

Me:  Let’s compromise. I’ll take a few minutes now and make a to-do list, jot down your ideas, and let’s let them soak for a bit. After family has gone home, and I get a little rest, we will get back on our regular writing schedule.

MC: Let the ideas ‘soak?’ Like a Christmas turkey brine type of soak, or a hot buttered dinner roll sort of soak?

Me: Take your pick. I’ll see you bright and early January 2.

As you can probably guess, I am eager to get back to my normal writing routine, but I’m also excited about the celebration and rejuvenation that the Christmas season brings. My goal is to use this time to live life well and fully, so I can bring my most creative self back to the keyboard in the new year.

My intention for 2019 is to give myself the gift of a schedule, with set times for quiet, writing, work and play. What does your new year writing intention look like?

Kell McKinney earned a B.A. in journalism from the University of Oklahoma and an M.S. in documentary studies from the University of North Texas. She’s a part-time copywriter, double-time mom and wife, and spends every free minute writing and/or hunting for her car keys. Connect with her on Twitter @Kell_McK or kellmckinney.com.

Categories
Time Management

Finding Balance

I believe life…or rather, living the life you really want to live…is all about finding a good balance. It’s about finding time for exercise, eating right, getting enough sleep, working enough to feel fulfilled, helping others…finding the perfect blend of physical, mental, emotional and spiritual energies to feel healthy and whole.

But often it’s really tough when there are only 24 hours in a day (and at least seven for me have to be spent sleeping for me to function!) When you’re juggling a full-time job AND your career as an author AND your personal life as a wife, mother, grandmother, etc. —well, life can feel unbalanced sometimes. When we need to do keep up with marketing our books on top of it all, how are we possibly supposed to find time to WRITE, must less to be reasonably happy?

Continue reading “Finding Balance”
Categories
Time Management

Tackling Time Management

When I was first asked to be a contributing writer to a new column on time management, at first I groaned a little inside. Me, a super creative, “big idea,” not-that-organized, hate-the-business-end author, short on “time” and not that strong on “management” – more or less like most of us I’m guessing – I was being asked to write about time management!

Still, since I do have a lot of experience juggling a full-time author/ speaker/ book coach business with a marketing director career and blended family of five kids and two grandkids…and since I figured it would help me to help you on this subject, of course I couldn’t’ say no!

If you are a writer who often feels overwhelmed, can’t get everything done in a day, or are losing your “joy” in the busyness of it all, then you’re in the right place! Here are few basic practical pointers – things that have helped me along the way – that I hope will help you get started in better managing your time:

Have a Plan.

Wherever you are on your journey, you need to stop in your tracks and if you haven’t already done so, WRITE DOWN YOUR PLAN (write out your vision, mission, goals and action steps to carry out those goals). Write your plan for one year with 3-5 major “big goals”, 10 goals to accomplish those goals, and action step lists per quarter, month, week and day, being realistic yet aiming high with those lists. If you want a good guide to do this read The Success Principles by Jack Canfield (author of Chicken Soup for the Soul). I’ve heard him speak and he is a great example of how to achieve success by following a plan.

Schedule Your Writing Time.

To write my last novel while juggling all of my other “jobs” and life in general, I scheduled a block of writing time every day (except Sunday) from 7 am to 1 pm. Everything else – cell phone, emails, social media, even all of the people in my life – were turned off, put on hold or put aside. The ONLY THING I allowed myself to do during that time was write. I figured I could usually knock out an average of three pages every two hours – so that meant writing 9-10 pages every day.

If you’re working 6 days a week writing 10 pages a day, or 60 pages a week, you can complete a 300-page novel in five short weeks! (I know this is not feasible for those working day jobs but it should give you hope that if you schedule time and stick to it, you can get that book of yours done in a matter of months.) After the writing was complete, I spent the same blocked-off time in editing until it was good to go!

Don’t be so hard on yourself.

I had a student in my writing class at Cecil College in Maryland named Faith. She was writing a memoir and she was a great student. But I’ll never forget the first class she took (I was actually speaking about time management!). During a break, Faith came up to me and asked, “are you still considered a real writer if you don’t write every day?” I answered, “of course!” and encouraged her to do what worked for her. She broke down in tears of relief. I came to find she was holding back for years on writing her book because she was afraid she wasn’t a “real” writer!

Be Realistic.

There are only so many hours in a day. I usually try to pack in way too many things – I usually have high expectations of myself and others…but often that leads only to disappointment, resentments and frustration. Don’t make promises or to-do lists you can’t possibly keep.

Trust God’s Timing.

Sure you have to do the work here on earth but always try to be where your feet are (stay in today) and do what you can, then let the rest go or give it to God in faith that He has a plan for you too!

Finally, like life, time management is all about balance. My next blog post will be about priorities and choices. Stay tuned!

Michele Chynoweth is the award-winning author of The Faithful One, The Peace Maker and The Runaway Prophet, contemporary suspense/romance novels based on Old Testament stories in the Bible that get across God’s messages to today’s readers through edgy, fast-paced fiction. Michele is also an inspirational speaker, college instructor on book writing, publishing and marketing, and book coach/editor who helps writers become successful authors. A graduate of the University of Notre Dame, she and her husband have a blended family of five children.

Social Media/Website Links:

Website: michelechynoweth.com
Blog: michelechynoweth1.wordpress.com
Facebook Author Page: ModernDayBibleStories
Twitter: AuthorMichele
You Tube: MicheleChynoweth

 

Categories
The Ministry of Writing

Accomplish This One Daily Writing Task

As a Christian writer I imagine you are like me and are driven with an overwhelming conviction and fire to accomplish the task the Lord has placed on your heart. With each moment I find to write I attack it like a mad scientist. I zone in and try to shut out everything else as I give myself to that project. I will be absolutely heaven-bent to complete the mission I have been given.

Obedience to the Spirit is a good thing, right?  We should bust our butts for the glory of God by attacking that project, but beyond whatever that project may be there is one thing we must accomplish first.

As a pastor I feel like there is not enough time in the day or a enough of myself to go around. Something is always going to get left undone, at least that is my experience. I have tried everything I can think of to get in all the study, preparation, administration, discipleship, evangelism, pastoral care, visits, counseling, funerals, weddings, vision casting, leader training, community involvement, denomination involvement, writing etc. No matter how well I follow the tips of John Maxwell or Stephen Covey I end up letting myself and others down.

This January I decided there was one thing I was going to make sure I accomplished daily. No matter what the fall-out would be or what piled up undone — each day I was going to spend adequate time with the Lord. I was going to read in His Word and pray over everything. I was going to let the Holy Spirit guide my to-do list.

I wish I can tell you that by making that decision I have gone on to accomplish more than I ever imagined each day.  I have at times, but not every day. There are things that still fall through the cracks, but I at least I know that what I do is not in my own strength rather it is in God’s strength.

As a Christian writer our tasks may seem just as impossible. There is so much that we feel called to write — so many ideas, opportunities, and revisions. It always takes longer than we plan. And everything else in life seeks to steal our writing time.

We stay in a constant squeeze.

But with all you have on your plate, with all that God has called you to write, with all the doors He is opening for you there is one thing you must accomplish first every day. Even if you’re writing goes undone. Even if you don’t accomplish all that you want to accomplish. Accomplish this one daily writing task — spend time with the Lord. Pray. Walk in the Spirit.

[bctt tweet=”Write in the Spirit.”]

Mark Batterson wrote in his Draw the Circle devotional book, “If you establish a prayer routine, your life will be anything but routine. You will go to places, do things, and meet people you have no business going to, doing, or meeting. You don’t need to seek opportunity. All you have to do is seek God. And if you seek God, opportunity will seek you.”

In an all-time bestselling book, another writer the disciple Matthew wrote and quoted Jesus saying, “seek first the kingdom and his righteousness and all these things will be given to you as well.”