Create a Routine

A version of this entry appeared on January 19, 2013 at "Wonderings & Wanderings," my blog about living the writer's life. 

A regular writing routine sets a career in motion. Finding time is tough at first, so once you've set a schedule, it’s frustrating when life messes with it. It’s okay if the schedule is sporadic from time to time. It will settle back into place when the timing is right. Until then, try to write everyday – for at least 20 minutes. For several years this was the only way I accomplished any writing. I call it "writing in snippets of time." The time adds up. So does the writing. In six days you’ll have 2 hours’ worth of work. You’ll be amazed what you might accomplish. 

If family interruptions stifle your writing plans, it’s even more important to set a regular writing schedule. Not only will it help your family realize you're serious about your writing (and if you want to receive payment, it is at least a part-time job) but it helps you take your writing seriously. 

One woman I know posted “office hours” to help family get the point. Another made a “mailbox” by taping a file folder to the door. If the kids wanted to ask her something, they wrote it on a slip and put it in the mailbox, which she checked several times a day. Only emergencies warranted interrupting. 

If you have small children, they won’t understand that you’re “working” so you may have to focus on adding up paragraphs instead of minutes. Target writing one paragraph during nap time. They’ll build to a story or article in a few days. Every little bit helps. 

Life only Seems to Get in the Way

I know. I know. It's been too long since I've posted here. My only excuse is that this blog is dedicated to "all things writing." And, I've been blogging about life in general at my other blog: Wonderings and Wanderings. 

Even at that blog, I haven't posted all that often because this has been one insane year! But, the holidays are approaching and as busy as I am personally, I am even more determined to make time for my writing projects. The lesson here is that even when it seems life is getting in the way, it does not have to. 

Despite this busy year (and by busy I simply mean that my plate is full to brimming with the main course--my writing and teaching--as well as side dishes with family issues and other stuff demanding time), my business is growing. I have been asked to teach new classes. The first is a self-publishing class through an evening community education program. Now, other locations are requesting something similar. I've also taken on extra workshops during this part of the year (when I usually wait to offer these January through April). But, members were requesting my workshops. 

Also,  few good things have been happening with my writing and I've decided to launch a companion site to help people overcome writing challenges. One thing I emphasize with my students--of all ages is that writing does not need to be painful! So, that's the focus of this new site, called Lisa Wroble, Word Coach. It will launch soon through Weebly but until it does, you can find out more at www.word-coach.info

So, though I haven't been here much, I have not given up or fallen in the wake of the publishing industry confusion and economic adversity. I will be posting again soon, so watch this space. 

Winds of Change Blowing

Southern Florida is getting ready for TS Issac. Since I've just emerged from an intense summer that has left me working hard to carve out writing time, the last thing I wanted to deal with was battening down and preparing for severe winds and rain at the least and a full-blown gale at worst.

I haven't posted much since spring because I promised myself I'd devote this blog to writing. But, I did learn some things out of this experience that I do feel are writing-related. It helped me put a positive spin on my personal life, so I can continue generating energy toward my writing. (I'm making baby steps, but at least I'm making regular progress!)

First, as I battled all the items in my storage closet, trying to make room for some of the lanai furniture, I realized the struggles I've been plowing through are much like the trials and conflict characters face in a good story. Who wants to read about a character who gets everything she wants? I do believe that the struggles make reaching a goal more satisfying. 

Second, since I couldn't fit everything from the lanai in storage, I had to move the larger furniture and plants inside. That meant indoor furniture to make room for the outdoor furniture. Now I had to clean, too, and wipe down all the outdoor furniture before bringing it in. So, in the end, things are cleaner just because I gave attention to areas I've been too busy to attend to. (And, the empty lanai was swept and cleaned and will need the same again once the storm blows through.) Also, since I was cleaning and rearranging, I continued that energy into my office to see what I can move around for more space and efficiency. 

Finally, during the numerous trips to the store to buy supplies, fight with the crowds of panicking people, and acknowledge the sense of urgency everyone seemed to be feeling, I decided to tack on a few "errands" that would give me a feeling of doing something for my writing. I mailed copies of my book, Food for a Greener Planet: What You Can Do, to a reading association award program, submitted the opening of one of my novels to  a literary contest, and ordered promo materials for my latest book, Dealing with Stress. 

I'm determined that all these "life issues" will not get in the way of my goals. The baby steps are paying off. The winds of change are blowing, and not just from this tropical storm/possible hurricane. I feel this storm is (and will continue) helping me "clean out" and make changes. 

To all affected by Issac, may you stay safe and weather the storm! 

Too Busy Writing: Seeking Balance

Sorry, I haven't posted sooner. I know it's been a while. Too long in fact. But, I been so busy writing. Well, teaching and freelancing anyway. Those who know me know that I balance my time between teaching and writing, and between work with younger readers and adult learners. The adult learners are participants in writing workshops I offer locally (though I am taking a few of these workshops online soon).

Though summers are usually my time to write more and teach less since the seasonal folks have headed north to cooler summer temps, this year is unusual. Not only was I asked to teach at the local college for both summer semesters, but two of the venues I offer workshops for asked me to add a class. And they filled, which is unusual for summer. I don't mind because this is all a change of pace. I thrive and draw both ideas and energy from shifting up my scheduling. 

Enter a new issue: time for my own projects is limited, especially when I get through the hectic scheduling of season by promising myself time to work on my writing projects. I also took on a huge (as in equivalent to a large advance) client project. So, for a few weeks I was edging toward burn-out and wondering why I had agreed to any of it.

 Now that I've had a little time to re-balance, re-organize (mostly my office), and re-charge I'm ready to move forward again. As long as I keep my "life wheel" balanced between the teaching and the writing, between my projects and client projects, and between work with or for younger readers and adults, I seem to have the energy I need to make and meet my goals. 

Think about what demands are placed on your time. Is it balanced? If not, what do you need to do to put all those demands in equal portions? You will find yourself with a little more time for your writing and a lot more energy. Happy writing!

Writing Discpline

Discipline is a big part of working as a professional writer. It's important to focus on the task at hand, but I may take a short break to play with new ideas if I hit a lag and need to get the creative juices flowing. After my deadline is met, however, I will have plenty of ideas waiting. How do I decide which to pursue next? I consider two things: exhilaration and marketing. With which of these ideas am I most intrigued? Which will maintain my interest during all the stages of writing–including repeatedly revising and polishing? Once I've selected the three most promising, I'll consider markets. This is especially important for nonfiction. If it won't sell, why spend the time  working on it? Of course, trends change and an idea that may not interest an editor today may interest him in 2-3 months or 2-3 years.

Journaling: Writers Basic Training

Keeping a journal is the best way to harness thoughts, memories, ideas and dreams. Those penned experiences will provide plenty of details to add realism to your stories. Journaling also serves as "training," to help you find your writer's voice, among many other writing skills.

You don't need to write daily, and the entries you make could be one page or ten pages. They don't need to make sense as far as transitions or sequence either. I often use // in the margin of my journal to indicate a change in thought or when I've returned later in the day to record a new thought or idea. I put an asterisk next to ideas or dreams that I think have story or article potential. I usually reread entries monthly to add idea notes in the margins or highlight pieces I think may be useful in the near future. 

Sometimes entries during the course of several weeks or a month show an idea slowly developing and I'll start a new entry which comments on those previous ideas, reminding myself how the idea sparked and where I see it possibly leading. It is usually a lack of time that keeps me from outlining or drafting these ideas right away, so using the journal helps me document them for later development.

I also do writing exercises in my journals, practicing different story elements–dialogue, description, sensory details. I find it helpful to clear my mind by writing ideas down before bed-time. When I'm under deadline, journaling helps me clear my thoughts each morning so I'm able to focus on the project at hand. 

Write Through the Year

I've had a nice long break from teaching. Writing workshops concluded just after Thanksgiving. Teaching for both elementary arts enrichment students and college students concluded the second week in December. That makes it from 4-6 weeks since some of my students have seen me.

My workshops students, however, have been in contact. Not every one of them, but several. Most have asked for advice on how to keep up their writing, so I've decided to add postings to Word Coach to help them out. I'm calling them "Write Through the Year" and I'll answer questions about finding ideas, keeping a writer's journal, various craft elements, creating or finding critique groups, and so on. Stay tuned!

Writing in "snippets"

     My workshop students often express how they struggle in finding time to write. I always share my “snippets of time” suggestion: if you can carve out 15-20 minutes here and there, you can write a few paragraphs at a time until your draft is finished. Then you revise 20 minutes at a time.

      Basically, if you want to write badly enough, you’ll find time, even if it’s snippets of time. My students appear dubious. Have I really done this?

     I have. For about five years, when I worked a full-time day job, this was the only way I could write. I used my “snippets” during my lunch break. Later, when I found a job that allowed me to arrange a 4-day work week, I still used the “snippets” to work on one magazine article a week. At this job I receive an entire hour as a lunch break. Though I didn’t need an entire hour to eat, I did need to get away from my desk so I’d spend the rest of my lunch hour researching the next article topic, reading a book about writing, writing a few paragraphs, drafting a cover or query letter, or researching markets. Every Monday on my way to work I’d mail off a manuscript or query letter.

      Eventually, the credits added up, led to other writing credits, and finally to my first book series: Kids Throughout History for the PowerKids imprint of Rosen Publishing. When I took on that project, I left that 4-day-a-week job for a half-time job at the District Library in that town. That job offered resources and encouragement from library staff and patrons. I doubled my output of writing—and accumulated bylines. 

     Now that I write full-time and teach part-time, I still use snippets on occasion. This method comes in especially handy during Season when the number of writing workshops I teach increases and it seems I’m teaching more than I’m writing. I can always find 20 minutes here or there to create a paragraph or a page at a time because writing is that important to me.