Tag Archive for: Writing Schedule

Answering the Question, How do You Do So Much?

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People ask me that question all the time, in person and online, and frankly, I don’t think I do nearly as much as some.

One reason people think I do a lot is because I post what I’m planning to do nearly every day on Facebook. I’m not doing this to impress people, but to make me do it.

I no longer have children at home (except my grown son who lives in our little house next door). I do have a huge family–one daughter, her hubby and daughter and hubby and three kids live close by so I see them a lot. Everyone else is in California but not that close. I do try to see everyone as much as possible.

And this is a biggie–I no longer do my own housework and haven’t for a long time. I pay someone to do it–over the years it has been different someone’s but usually a family member who needs the money. No, it’s not done how I would’ve done it back when I had time–but that was back when having a sparkling clean house meant something to me.

Cooking is something I still do because most of the time I enjoy it. When it seems like a chore, we go out to eat. I’m old, I figure at this stage in life I deserve it. I’ve probably cooked a million plus meals over the years having raised 5 kids, always having company over, living in and running a facility for 6 developmentally disabled women, nearly always being the one to cook the holiday meals, etc.

When it comes to writing, I try to do that first thing in the morning. The problem I’m finding these days, is that I really need to do most everything in the morning–especially shopping. I just poop out to quickly in the afternoon. Sometimes my writing has to wait.

I have a new Deputy Tempe Crabtree books soon to come out, Spirit Shapes, just sent in the final edits, and have been busily planning both a blog tour for October and a lot of in-person events that same month. Should be interesting to see how well I hold up and if I can get any writing done.

My next Rocky Bluff P.D. crime novel is done, but I’m still reading it to my critique group. Then it will have to be edited before I send it to the publisher. And it’s time I started the next Tempe mystery. I have some ideas but have yet to type Chapter One.

To be honest, I’ve been promoting some books that have just gone up on Kindle and that’s taken some of my time. I also had to read and judge some books for a contest. Have one more to go. And I don’t have to do that in the morning.

One thing I’ve noticed is that it takes me longer to read the books I’m reading for fun. I used to read at least a book a week–no longer.  Hubby and I like to go to the movies–and we usually do that early in the day too.

And one last reveal…I often go to bed at 8 p.m. (the only time I don’t is when Dancing with the Stars is on) and I get up around 4:15 and 4:30 every day.

So there is the answer to the question–and I think the short version is I don’t really do nearly as much as I’d like to.

Marilyn

http://www.amazon.com/Deadly-Feast-ebook/dp/B00E8K05WQ/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1378042986&sr=1-1&keywords=Deadly+Feast

This is one of the older books that is now on Kindle–and began life as a Deputy Tempe Crabtree mystery, but I realized it really wasn’t Tempe and changed the characters and the setting a bit. And for Kindle and the other e-book formats, I updated it too.

For Writers: Organizing Your Time

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Or I could title this, “Figuring Out How to Get Other People to Do your Chores.”

The older I get, the harder it is for me to take care of everything in my home like I used to do. I’ve been paying someone to do my housework for years. Back when I had kids at home, I paid them. Relatives, who need money, have been my later choices.

One thing I’ve learned, though it hasn’t been easy, it isn’t necessary to do my chores on a particular day of the week like my mother. Believe it or not, some things don’t have to be done weekly. A lot depends upon your personal tolerance for messes. Dust waits for you.

I can’t stand to have dirty dishes piled around, so besides using paper plates a lot, I’ve trained everyone who eats or drinks at my house to put dishes and glasses away in the dishwasher. I only run it when it’s full. Then I hope that someone else will put the clean dishes away and often someone will.

My best time for writing is in the morning, so after I shower and dress (yes, I always do that first because I don’t like to be caught later in the day in my p.j.’s – just doesn’t seem fitting for a great-grandma), I plop myself down in front of the computer and get started. Usually I quit when I’m getting tired but still have more to write. That way it’s easy to get right back to it the next day.

I’m interrupted plenty during my writing time – phone calls, hubby or other relatives who have something “urgent to tell me that just can’t wait” and I do stop and listen. When the laundry piles up, I take time to do that while I’m writing. After all the washing machine and dryer work while I am. I fold and put away the laundry in the evening when I’m watching TV.

Yep, I watch TV. Love movies and I have my favorite shows. If I’ve written all day, I’m done by evening and need to give my brain a rest. Sometimes I do other paperwork in the evening – might even do some editing. I’m a champion at accomplishing odd jobs during commercials. (Helps keep me awake.)

Once a week, I take a break and for at least part of a day, do something totally unrelated to writing. Usually it involves a movie and eating out. Reading is also important to me. I read in bed and always take a book with me if I have an appointment somewhere and might have to wait.

For me, to keep my writing fresh, I have to know when it’s time to stop and have some fun. Though I don’t write out a schedule, I’m always sure to make that part of my daily schedule.

Having a calendar nearby that I make notes in also helps keep me on schedule for upcoming book promotions, blogs, the teaching I do, and the mundane stuff like doctor appointments. I also write myself lots of notes, especially when I’m in the middle of a book.

Fortunately, I have a wonderful husband who loves to go to town so he’s stuck with grocery shopping and running errands.

Now, it’s time to get back to the book I’m working on.

Marilyn

http://fictionforyou.com