Fall into Danger of Falling Behind by Donna Michaels

Yes, that’s twice the falling because I seem to be twice as busy anymore. How about you?  I thought they said it gets easier as you get older. Liars. I was mislead. Although I’m blessed to have loyal readers who demand more books, (and believe me, I know I’m blessed) Father Time doesn’t seem to want to cooperate and let me write at a normal pace. Or stop time for just a tinsey bit so I could get caught up. Nope. The past twelve months seem to have been spent speed writing several books.  All I want is a few extra uninterrupted hours in the day. Is that too much to ask? Apparently, and life doesn’t slow down, it only speeds up and keeps things interesting. Between family, and conferences, and promoting, I fall into danger of falling behind in my writing every day.

My four kids are all out of high school now, so I foolishly thought I'd gain more writing time. Ha. Two are in college and don’t drive. So, I’m still chauffeur mom. Well, not to my daughter. She’s away at college, but now we have to drive to the next state to see her or get her to come home for the weekend, which means we have to drive her back two days later. And of course, I’m not the lucky type who can read or write in a moving vehicle. If only. Man, I’d get a ton done. The best I can do is close my eyes (if my husband is driving) and plot. But, as always, my family comes first. Somehow, I manage to take care of them, and my readers, I just wish I could do it at a slower pace.

And I’m sure I’m not the only author with these issues. We should form a club. Sleep-deprived Authors Anonymous. Because, yes, that’s exactly where my writing time comes from. My sleep time. Hello, my name is Donna Michaels, and I’m addicted to writing. J

This month is just as busy. I’m currently at a conference in Phoenix. If you’re in the area on Saturday, please check out the book signing at the Crowne Plaza, and stop on by and say hi. I have some cool swag!

I also have a new release this week. Royally Unleashed.
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00OE67LIU

My heroine falls into danger…okay, she seeks out danger. Pilar is a paranormal huntress who protects the innocent and is on a mission to find her missing cousin last seen on the island of Pavelonia, just off the Romanian coast. A dangerous, sexy prince hinders her investigation, wrecks havoc with her empathic sense, and harbors a Grim secret she has never come up against.

 

  Plus, the prequel to my Harland County Series—
Harland County Christmas releases December 1 and is now available for Pre-Order! 
Read about the first cowboy to fall…      http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00O3PON5G

Thanks for reading,

~Donna

I'm just not that into movies

Time.

I don't get much free time. I work 40+ hours a week in a rather stressful job and I try to write or focus on my WIP at least 3 hours a day during the week and far more than that on the weekend.

I did a little bit of math, and I have about 90 hours of "free time" in a week. During that free time I do everything else: promotions for my books, errands, household chores (groceries, laundry), gardening, exercising, socializing, eating, and sleeping.

That just doesn't leave a lot of spare time for TV or movies. I watch about an hour a day of TV (usually on in the background while I do something else) and I do go to the occasional matinee (we usually go to ones where we're the only ones there without kids: Frozen, or How to Train Your Dragon).

I really don't have uninterrupted blocks of time to just view a film (or read a book, but that's another story). I'm sadly out of it when it comes to "water cooler conversation" because I have no idea who's who on Breaking Bad, or Walking Dead, or any other series. I make a conscious effort to NOT watch any series that involves an investment of my time, because my time is more important to me than money at this point.

I don't think that will change when I retire and have lots of "free" time. I'm just out of the habit of being entertained by others, especially when I have so many stories rattling around in my head. I sometimes feel like a Luddite compared to others with Netflix queues a mile long, but hey, that's how it is.

Now let's see ... I think I have some editing to do. Better get at it!

J L
(jayellwilson.com)

Controlling the Beast of Social Media by Betsy Ashton

Writers face a daily dilemma: how much time to spend on social media marketing books and how much time in writing new ones. Our agents press us for new manuscripts which have to be written, edited and re-edited before we submit to the agent. Once the agent passes the multi-edited manuscript to the publisher, the writer faces additional edits and proof reads. At the same time as we are preparing the current WIP for publication, we are expected to be working on the next manuscript. The juggling act is worthy of the Ringling Bros center ring.

We are expected to have a presence on social media. Facebook. Twitter. LinkedIn. The next social media fad. Publishers tell us we need a platform we can exploit for book sales. No platform seems good enough. They pressure us to expand, spend more time in social media. Out on speaking engagements we set up. Out on book tours we set up. Out in signing events we set up. Tweet all the time. Post all the time. Blog all the time.

Some writers hit the daily slide into the social media sand trap and emerge hours later or not at all. If I don't set limits, I'll "check my mail and posts on FB" before I begin writing. I'll answer only critical messages, look at the most important posts on my timeline. Oh, look, how cute is that kitten. I love kitties. I respond. Before I know it, I need more coffee. What? Two hours flew by? It can't be.

I decide I'll watch the clock in the corner of the computer screen. Right next to that wonderfully snarky post from one of my favorite FB friends. Someone is following me on Twitter? I have to check out this intelligent person who finds me worthy of a follow. I tweet back, receive a response and trip lightly into conversation that goes nowhere but takes time.

I don't suffer from writer's block. I don't have ADD or ADHD. I love writing, but those snarky Maxine comics must be read.

I put my foot down. No more wasting time. Watching the clock was a failure. I asked my husband for a special present two Christmases ago. I wanted a special egg timer. Mine has blue sand and flows for 15 minutes. When the sand of time runs out, I switch off my wi-fi and get back to work.

Oops. Time's up. What works for you?

##

Betsy Ashton is the author of Mad Max Unintended Consequences published in March 2013 by Koehler Books.

Multitasking Or Overextending? How to Budget the Hours of the Day

Laura Breck

I’ve been so busy this week, I nearly forgot to post my blog today. That’s pretty bad. I have my life plotted out to the hour.

I use two calendars - one for personal and work commitments outside the house. Book signings, conferences, and meetings. The other is for online work commitments like blogging, editing, and writing deadlines.

Right now, both calendars are overflowing. I’m editing for my edit-swap partner, I’m doing a paid edit, and I’m helping my mentee with her first edits on her first contracted book.

Add to that trying to prepare for an upcoming conference where I’m presenting two workshops, rewriting a book I wrote three years ago and on which I just received my rights back. Plus I have requests from an agent for two books, and a request from an editor for a book. None of these three books is ready to be sent out without hours of rewrites.

I think I’ve over-multitasked myself right now, and unless I can find a way to stretch out my writing days, I may need another calendar to reschedule some of these projects - in 2014!

How do you organize your life? What are your tricks to make good use of every hour of the day?

~~~~~~
Have a wonderful Mother’s Day Weekend!
Laura
~Smart Women ~Sexy Men ~Seductive Romance
LauraBreck.com
~Dancing in a Hurricane is available in digital formats at Amazon, Smashwords, and Barnes & Noble and in paperback at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Createspace
~Love in the Land of Lakes is available in digital format at Smashwords, All Romance Ebooks, Barnes & Noble, and Amazon, and in paperback at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Createspace