Getting back to Writing

Now that the holidays are behind us, it’s time for me to get back to writing. Throughout the season, I’ve been jotting down notes for my next book but that’s as far as I’ve gotten. I know the title. I know the setting. And I know some of the characters. I even have a general idea of what will happen. Obviously, that’s just a start; I have a lot of work ahead of me in the months to come. Which means making my writing a priority.

I’m a morning person. That’s when I’m the most creative. As the day goes on, my ability to write a coherent sentence diminishes with each hour – or, at least, that’s how it feels to me. I love getting up each day and, after coffee and breakfast, plopping down in my desk chair and entering my fictional world, leaving the real world behind for a few hours.

Time flies when I’m writing and, before I know it, it’s time for lunch and time to attend to the other aspects/responsibilities of my life, the daily tasks we all have to do: shopping, paying bills, cleaning, laundry. . . . I do double-duty because, although, thankfully, my eighty-nine year old mother is doing great, she isn’t able to do a lot of the household chores, etc. she used to do.

By dinnertime, I’m ready to eat, watch TV and then read in bed until my eyes tell me it’s time to go to sleep. 

What all this means is that I need to use my time wisely if I hope to finish my book. I have to be careful to avoid what some refer to as “time sucks.” Social media can be time-consuming and, although I enjoy interacting with my friends on Facebook and other sites, I need to limit the time I spend on them. Writing a blog post takes time too and I’m considering posting at the end of each month, to summarize that month, rather than posting weekly. We’ll see how that goes.

So, until next time, I hope everyone had a great holiday season and that you are as eager as I am to get back to whatever it is you love to do.

Five Things I've Learned

Do you remember these lyrics from a perfume commercial in the 70s? “I can bring home the bacon, fry it up in the pan and never, never let you forget you’re a man.” Women were supposed to believe they could do it all and be well dressed, beautifully coiffed and perfumed at the same time. Well, as any woman who has tried to do everything for her family and succeed in her own career knows, that’s poppycock. (I can think of other words but I’m trying to keep it clean.) No woman, or man, can do everything, at least not at the same time. Something has to give.

You may be wondering what all of that has to do with writing. The answer is: everything. As writers, the thing we want to do more than anything else, is to write but there are times when other responsibilities must take precedence. For example, when we have a new book coming out, we need to devote a good portion of our time to promoting it. And, like everyone else, we writers have families and friends who sometimes need us and, as important as our writing is to us, the people we love are more important.

I’ve written five novels, my Malone mystery series, and I’m currently working on a standalone mystery. Along the way, I’ve learned a few things.

1. I’ve learned to prioritize. Each morning, I make decisions as to what the most important things are for me to do that day. What has to be done? What should be done? And, what I’d like to get done if I have the time and the energy. I schedule my day and I make lots of lists.

2.  I’ve learned not to feel guilty when I don’t accomplish everything I’ve set out to do that day and not to let anyone else make me feel guilty either. I can’t please all of the people all of the time; all I can do is what I can do!

3. I’ve learned not to “bite off more than I can chew.” In other words, I try not to commit to more than I know (or think) I can handle. Sometimes, this results in missed opportunities to promote my books but I’d rather say “No” to an invitation than have to back out on something I’ve committed to.

4. I’ve learned to take some time each day for me. After all, we are human beings, not human doings. A little time to myself soaking in a warm tub, reading a good book or sprawled out on the sofa watching TV can be just what I need to recharge my batteries. And, I've come to realize, "down time," when I'm not even thinking about writing, is often when I get some of my best ideas.

5. I’ve learned to focus more on why I write than on my lack of online sales. I try not to equate the number of books I sell with success. Some days I do a great job of that; other days not so much. But, a very wise friend of mine once said, “Ninety percent of life is showing up.” So, each day, I sit at my desk, place my fingers on the keyboard and write. Because writing is my passion and who knows? Maybe someday. . . .

Priorities

The holidays have always been a busy time of year for everyone. But, for me, this year tops them all! My mother sold her house in October and, less than two weeks ago, she and I both moved from the house into apartments across the hall from one another. After living in the house for twenty-three years, she had a ton of stuff. We went through as much of it as possible before the move but it took actually moving for her to realize that a lot more of it has to go. So, that's where I'm at right now. Unpacking boxes and trying to get some organization into her life. Not an easy task!

Which brings me to the topic of this week's post: priorities. First, let me say that I've always been a planner (and a plotter in my writing) and I'm pretty good at scheduling and setting priorities. This move has tested those abilities. I've had to decide what things MUST be done and what things can wait. Mom is my #1 priority but I've had to be careful not to put my own needs aside. Physically, mentally and emotionally this has been a stressful time - for both of us. But, she's eighty-six years old and all of this change is difficult for her. I'm doing all I can to make things easier.

One thing I decided is that I won't put my Christmas tree up this year. It's a seven foot blue spruce and I love it but it takes a few hours to string the lights and arrange the ornaments, hours and energy I can't spare right now. I've put out some other decorations, including my music boxes, but the tree will stay in the box. This weekend, I plan to put Mom's tree up because that's very important to her. It's a tabletop tree and doesn't take a fraction of the time mine does. I can't wait to see the smile on her face when it lights up!

So, if you're feeling stressed this holiday season, think of me surrounded by boxes and trying to create order out of chaos. I hope that makes you smile or even laugh - because that's what I'm doing. And if you're in the mood for a Christmas mystery, check out Unfinished Business. Our stress is nothing compared to what my main character, Ann, is going through.

Happy Holidays!