Time Management for Writers

Recently I had lunch with my writer friend, Michelle Knowlden and I learned so much from her! I love a learning lunch.

 She shared her writing accounting with me and I want to share it here. This is what she said:

“Status reports were something I had to do for over 30 years as an engineer.  I found they work for me.  A study was done about it, and the results created the maxim "Anything measured improves."

Franklin planners were also built around the fact that tasks prioritized and scheduled ensures that the important things get worked and finished.  An unfortunate side effect is that (I believe) they've made our lives too busy, not giving us enough time to reflect, celebrate, meditate, and refresh. But moderation in all, as they say.”

Here’s Michelle’s accounting:

THIS WEEK

Writing

Writing session with Becky on Tuesday

AB01 -- SINKING SHIPS

Have feedback from ab01 beta readers--excellent (last one received today)

Wrote a draft for ab01 novella description

Working on an ab01 first page note

Received blurb from Jackie (wonderful)

AB02 -- INDELIBLE BEATS

Sent requirements for ab02 cover and received it yesterday (fabulous)

Finished ab02 revision for beta readers; going through one more edit

Read ab02 Chapter 6 at Big Fict: helpful comments

No new words in ab04 (at 13075 words)

Posted An Indelible Mark blog last night

Posted Amazon review of Elise Stephens Tightrope short story and sent it to her--she was pleased

Continuing to shape new Lost Child mystery e-short story series (and created a cover)

            --Scheduling 28 June to 01 July to work first story

            --Aiming for 4200 to 5000 words

Reading through Neal's UnSould, at 420 pages, prepping for writing another Unwind novella

Craft

Watching Prophets of Science Fiction on Netflix Streaming (HG Wells)

Completed four more socks and two military caps--rests the brain

Up to Ch 01 in 2 Samuel

Memorizing James; up to 15 verses (works on cognition)

Business and Marketing

Lunch with Kristy Tate and superb brainstorming ideas for marketing

Considering other blogs/websites for marketing Abishag mysteries

Sent interview questions to DH (July), ES (August), and KT (September) for author blog interviews

Competing activities: gardening, chiro, life group, ARCE lecture, art day with Betty, met with soup kitchen team leaders for planning, Star Trek with Lori, shopping for soup kitchen.

NEXT WEEK

Writing

AB02 -- INDELIBLE BEATS

Incorporate Big Fict comments for 2.5 chapters and final edit run

Send ab02 to beta readers

Work on ab02 chapter one to use for promo when publishing ab01

AB01 -- SINKING SHIPS

Address ab01 comments from beta readers

Prep format of ab01 myself or contact KT's formatter (decide which)

AB03: RIDDLE IN THE BONES

Do one more read through of ab3 Revisions--give to Kris for line edits

OTHERS

Finish reading UnSould; standby for collaborating on next novella

Work with Gary to prep a Fathers in the Moor chapter for the 22nd

Pick a time to finish and submit a new Micky Cardex short story to AHMM

Post a blog on 20 hour challenges or preparing raw buckwheat groats breakfast

Craft

Watch Prophets of Science Fiction on Netflix Streaming

Listening to Stephen King's 11 22 63

Business and Marketing

Write review of Dalaina May's Yielded Captive

Send Rivers in Space to DAW (or agents Becky sent)

Write blogs on Micky Cardex, variations on grilled cheese sandwiches, fig trees, muslin-ing trees, making the best of last days, 20 hour challenges

Review KTs resources: this week on blogs and reviews

Create a writers' network with a focus on marketing

So how about you? What are your tricks for accountable writing?

Making Time to Write Verses Taking Time to Live

Last week was spring break and my daughters had the opportunity to travel to New York with their choir. I thought I would use the week to write. And I did. Some. Maybe not as much as I had thought because I was invited to the beach and that took all day and on another day I went to lunch and that was too much fun to hurry through...and so it went. But no matter, here is another week. The girls are in the thick of play rehearsal, so even though they sleep, they do little else and my husband is away on a business trip—my life is one big empty slate. But on Monday morning my daughter has a dental appointment and she didn’t go to school until it was over (3:00—for play rehearsal.) No problem. I promised myself that I would write in the evening. No one would be home. So I take a quick trip to the mall…something that I never do. I come home with dinner from Paradise Bakery thinking that I’ll have hours and hours of a quiet house perfect for writing and dinner from Paradise Bakery. My oldest son, the attorney, who is never home, walks in. He had to pay his taxes. And he had questions.

Today my house is quiet. I wrote until I don’t want to write anymore. Know why? Because yesterday's tragedy in Boston made me rethink how I balance my life and my writing. My husband and I ran a marathon once. It took me more than five hours, but it took my husband almost exactly four. Which means that if he had been in Boston yesterday, he would have been there for the blast. 

And I think that maybe sometimes, maybe most times, what we do isn’t nearly as important as who we happen to be standing beside. 

There will always be time for writing and life will always (if we're lucky) get in the way.