Writers in the Storm

by Julie Glover

Have you tried using planners? Time management apps? Color-coded spreadsheets with goals and deadlines? And yet nothing seems to work?

Welcome to my club!

In case you’re a bit like me, let’s talk about time management for writers who hate time management.

First, what doesn’t work.

The System of Someone Who’s Not Like You.

Some writers seem to get 80 hours of work done in a precisely timed 40-hour work schedule while I can’t seem to remember it’s Tuesday. The personalities of those people and me are so vastly different that trying to adapt their system just isn’t going to work.

Someone else might draft a novel in two weeks, but I need eight weeks to turn out something I’m proud of. Someone else might write well on the subway or in a coffee house, while I need complete quiet or Bach playing through my headphones. Someone else might divide out their day in 15-minute chunks, while I lose track of hours when I’m writing.

If you want to try someone else’s time management method, make sure they’re a bit like you. How do view time? How long do you need to complete tasks? What helps you and what distracts you?

The Right Time Management Tool.

Have you been on the quest for that one planner, that one course, that one inspirational system that will make everything fall into place? Yeah, that’s not out there.

I’m not saying I’ve tried them all. But most time management tools are created for people who thrive with time management. For people who aren’t great at tracking time, you will probably have to adapt whatever tool you use to your particular way of working.

I finally found my own groove with more flexible planners like a bullet journal or the weekly planners at Erin Condren. (Thanks to my critique partner for getting me hooked on those!)

But your best tool might be something else entirely, yet adapted to your own workflow.

Carrots and Sticks.

Theoretically, reward and punishment should work to motivate better time management.

But those of us with an innately amorphous sense of time often find that no reward or punishment can overcome the sense of dread we feel at being nailed down to a schedule. Tell me I have to have something done by Friday, and I’m good to go! Tell me that I must work on that Friday project from 3:30 to 4:45 on Thursday, and my stomach hardens, my muscles feel heavy, and my interest wanes. Dangling or denying me a cookie doesn’t increase my desire to complete the task.

If there’s any carrot or stick, it must be for the project itself—not the specific, scheduled steps required to meet that goal.

Now, what does work.

Before I start these points, let me confess that I don’t know what will work for you. It’s a lot of trial-and-error for those of us who struggle with time management. But I am convinced that you can figure it out. Here’s what helped me and others I know.

Listening to Your Own Rhythms.

How do you work best to complete your projects? Is it by writing for three straight weeks and then taking a long break? Writing when the mood strikes and following that through until you’re spent? Writing in early morning or late-night chunks of time?

Pay attention to when you work best and then plan your schedule to that rhythm. Don’t worry if it would sound ludicrous to someone else. When you study the writing processes of various writers, you discover that a variety of time approaches work. What matters is not how you finish the book, just that you do.

Planning by Projects, Not Processes.

While writing with my co-author, we’ve had exactly one big disagreement. She is a time management guru, who not only lists the books she’s working on but plans out each step of drafting, editing, copyediting, proofreading, etc. (Good heavens, I’m exhausted just thinking about it!) Meanwhile, I just know when the book’s supposed to release. Every “deadline” in between now and then feels like a “guideline” to me.

However, we didn’t understand how the other worked when we started. Thus, I missed a “deadline” (read “guideline”), which made her anxious. Her anxiety made me anxious. And anyway…it devolved until we cleared the air, hugged like the besties we are, figured out a plan, and returned to writing excellent novels.

The point is that time management gurus like her plan both projects and processes. That’s way too much info for me to juggle. If you’re like me, you know what needs to happen from Nothing to Release Book, and you don’t want to write it down. It’s overwhelming! If you think about it too much, you’ll stop writing altogether.

No worries. Just track the projects and your next step in the project you’re currently working on. Step by step, you’ll get there.

Rearranging the Schedule (According to Your Muse).

What I write down on my calendar doesn’t have to happen exactly that way. I felt so much freedom and relief when I gave myself permission to rearrange the schedule when my writing did or didn’t cooperate.

For instance, some of my best writing has happened long after I should be in bed. But if I felt like the story and words were coming well, I didn’t stick to the schedule—I wrote well past midnight. Likewise, if I sat in front of my manuscript and nothing came, I learned to walk away.

This actually is a tried-and-true time management technique, but it’s a struggle for many who see that note jotted down on their calendar and internally demand that they check off that task on that certain date. As Elsa said, Let. It. Go.

For myself, writing in pencil helps this process, because if it really bothers me, I can erase rather than cross out a task. Then it’s like I never even planned to do it until it got done. And as long as it gets done, it’s a-okay.

* * *

Final Thoughts

I still don’t love schedules, but I’ve come to embrace mine a lot more—now that I’m tailoring it to how I work, rather than trying to tailor myself to it. Even as I type this, I have “write WITS post” in the planner in front of me. Mind you, that was jotted down for Monday and it’s currently Wednesday. But it’s okay, because I left myself some extra time, felt free to move the task to a different day when the first plan didn’t work out, and came back to the computer after dinner when I felt like I could write.

What I have stopped doing is trying to be like the amazing get-it-done time managers whose systems are precise, colorful, impressive, and just not for me.

I’d love to hear from y’all! Which time management system has worked for you? What have you learned as a writer trying to manage your time well?

About Julie

Julie Glover is an award-winning author of mysteries and young adult fiction. She also writes supernatural suspense under the pen name Jules Lynn.

Her most recent release is My Team's Fairy Godmother, the fourth of five YA paranormal short stories coming out this year.

When not writing, she collects boots, practices rampant sarcasm, and advocates for good grammar and the addition of the interrobang as a much-needed punctuation mark.

Image credits: Jan Vašek and Gerd Altmann from Pixabay

by Melinda VanLone

Book marketing is a squiggly squirrelly snake. Just when you think you have a handle on it, things change. People change. Audiences change. What works for one marketplace doesn't work for another. It makes sense, then to re-think or add-to your book cover strategy from time to time. Traditional publishers know this trick, and indie authors should too.

Book Markets Based on Country

It's a long-established marketing tactic to have a different cover for each market you're trying to target or country your book is published in. What works for the US doesn't exactly work as well in the UK, and vice versa. That's because societies in different countries expect different things, or are drawn to different things.

You don't have to look further than J. D. Robb/Nora Roberts for an example:

Book Markets Based on Audience Age

Another reason to put a different cover on a book is to target a new audience. For example, the first Harry Potter books aimed at a children's market with one set of covers, and adults with another.

Book Markets based on a Movie or TV Series Deal

Getting onto a bestseller list or (fingers crossed) having a TV series or movie based on your book always means a new cover, usually one featuring the actors in the book and/or that shiny "New York Times Bestseller" announcement. 

Book Markets based on Format

It can also be a good marketing move to put a different cover on each format of the book: ebook vs paper vs hardback. Readers are often collectors. If they loved the book a portion of them will go on to buy all the versions of the book. For example, check out these Nora Roberts covers. Clearly the original wouldn't work for today's audience, even though the content is exactly the same. The third version is obviously targeting a different audience than the first two, allowing that same content to reach shiny new readers.

If your sales stagnate, a new cover targeting a slightly different audience is an excellent way to generate new excitement, especially if you have a cross-genre story. You might start out targeting the mystery/suspense market first, then switch to romantic suspense. The subtle change can make all the difference in finding fresh readers.

The bottom line is, your cover is not set in stone, whether you're indie or trad published. If you're indie, you have the flexibility of changing it whenever you want to target a new audience, to generate excitement, or simply to bring fresh interest to established content, so don't be afraid to experiment.

Have you ever thought about having different covers for your already published books? Let me know what you're thinking down in the comments!

About Melinda

Melinda VanLone writes urban fantasy, freelances as a graphic designer, and dabbles in photography. She currently lives in Florida with her husband and furbabies.

When she's not playing with her imaginary friends, you can find Melinda playing World of Warcraft, wandering aimlessly through the streets taking photos, or hovered over coffee in Starbucks.

Her elementary fantasy series, House of Xannon, begins with Stronger Than Magic. For more information on covers, visit BookCoverCorner.com.

By Kris Maze     

November is a time of reflection. A time to enjoy the harvest of hard work, to appreciate others, and to show gratitude. Writers multi-task various jobs, care for others, and focus on our works-in-progress, but sometimes we need a tune-up.

When meeting at a recent Wednesday writing group, I realized the importance of protecting our writing time. Many writers struggle to find writing time, and I heard our group's difficulties as they shared updates. Even when we schedule writing sessions, and stick to our writing plans, there are always tiny time-suck monsters lurking, waiting to derail our writing. 

Removing distractions is a topic I often revisit, because as a busy writer, mom, spouse, teacher, and friend, I work hard to balance my writing goals with day-to-day demands. But this post is a reflection and compilation from other writers about how we can protect our writing time and dreams. Shout out to my writing group for discussing problems we all share about making more time to write.

How to Deal with Interruptions in the Writing Life

One of the biggest hurdles to getting words on the page is interruption. The little ‘i’ makes a big disruption to the capital ‘I’ for many reasons. Finding creative uses of time and space, automating tasks, having strong personal boundaries and can benefit our lives in many ways, but it can also provide us with more time to write.

10 Tips to Protect your Writing Time:

1. Finding the Writing-Friendly pulse of your home.

Do you have early risers or napping toddlers? Is your partner’s work schedule in the evening when you sleep? Try using the time they are busy as your writing time. Lessen your interruptions by finding a natural flow of your household. What you do with those precious few moments is up to you, but instead of binge-watching, capitalize on your gift of time. Invest in your writing goals. Then maybe catch up on an episode as a reward!

2. Reinforce your Personal Boundaries. 

Sometimes the biggest time interrupters are the people we care about the most. Those people who are dear to us can misinterpret a productive work session as frustration or loneliness. If they don’t understand that writers are okay when spending hours alone and working, be sure to tell them. Let them know what would make you the happiest (accomplishing your writing goals with a little time set aside for writing.)

Points To Consider For Sharing Your Boundaries With Others

• Writers tend to not only enjoy their time alone, but they are very unhappy when they don’t get this uninterrupted time. 
• Share with others what interruptions do to your work process and set ground rules that both of you are comfortable with.
• Communicate clearly when you intend to write. Then stick to your commitment.
• Your caring person will learn to accept your work routine and appreciate the time you spend together much more. Many well-meaning friends and family are trying to be helpful – let them know just how that would be best for you.

3. Have A Dedicated Writing Space.

Even if it is a chair facing the other direction from busy kids doing homework at the table. Make a place of your own. Claiming your space as you communicate your intentions may take time. Keeping others in mind can help you build a routine that benefits everyone in your home.

And telepath those pets your desires – let me know if that works and how. I can’t get that one down! They don’t seem to understand what the calendar means yet. *wink* In previous posts at Writers in the Storm, we have examined how feng shui can influence your writing how your writing space can inspire your writing.

4. Have a Dedicated Writing Time. 

How much writing time would satisfy your itch to write? Add a little extra for good measure and carve it out. Share this time frame on calendars you already share with your housemates, work cohorts, and friends. If you already have a system to share schedules, add your writing time to it. Then try these tips to implement it.

• Use a large paper or white board calendar in the kitchen.
• Enter your time on a shared online calendar that reaches all your roommate’s phones. Perhaps use a magnet in your workspace that says “am working’ and let others know that is a time reserved for you alone.
• Talk to your housemates about respecting the time you are working. Let them know a specific time when they can interrupt you again. Assure them it is because you have to get work done as well and you will be able to focus on them once you are have finished your work.
• Encourage them to complete things they need to do during that time. Working side-by-side can build independence in younger children. Having that conversation can reduce so many interruptions. 
• Consider putting a timer on the table next to you in case someone forgets. (adults, kids, elders – all of the above can use a visual reminder at times.)
• Explain what emergencies REALLY are and provide a signal if needed (I tell my teenaged kids to show me blood, for example. Anything else can wait for 15 minutes. Right?)

5. Use Voice-to-Text. 

If you can avoid distractions, make the most of them. When you find yourself waiting in line or in your car and an idea strikes, try dictation to your phone. Most devices now come with a standard read-to-you feature, but did you know they also have options for voice to text? Many writing systems already have these features installed.

A Few Benefits For Using Dictation

• Edit later and save your time waiting in line or other downtime.
• Get the nagging thoughts on paper and allow your mind to rest.
• Tip: Find a place that is acceptable for phone calls and pretend to talk to another writer or better yet, the character in your novel! Perhaps you will find realistic voice and dialogue by trying this method, and others may have no idea what you are doing. Bonus!

In Microsoft 365 (as of late 2021) here are instructions to use dictation.

And you can find instructions for Google Docs here:

6. Grocery Pick-Up – Write While Someone Else Does the Shopping.  

Game. Changer. So many stores offer this service for low or no cost, there really is no excuse to not use this time-builder for writing.

Once you have a list selected your weekly groceries online, you have only a click away from deciding when to have someone else put the bags of food in the trunk of your car.

This saves hours of driving, walking the lanes, and extra purchases of chips and chocolate that mysteriously appear in my cart by the time I hit the checkout.

Try it! Do it. Do it.

7. Plan your Sleep Schedule around Your Writing. 

We have times when we are naturally more alert and times when sleep is a necessary priority. Balancing our circadian rhythms with our writing routine can take some refinement, but it is an important place to consider making changes.

The Downside of Being Tired

Being tired keeps our minds from focusing. To avoid mental wandering and reading the same paragraph multiple times, find times when you are most alert and start a writing session then. I use a timer to let me know when I have met my half-hour goal for the morning. It is like a reward when I realize that I have been writing that long. It is easy to put the start button and try for another round of 30 minutes, but for me it works best when I’m not overly tired.

The Upside to Skipping the Snooze

I also chose sleep more often than I need to, but that doesn’t mean I need to sacrifice my needed hours of rest. One doesn’t need to be a part of a 5 am writing club to get more finished. (Although kudos to those who accomplish great things by getting up before dawn.) If you begin your morning with a simple 30-minute sprint, you also start having already accomplished part of your writing goal, too!

8. Doing Household Chores To Boost Your Writing Mojo. 

Who doesn’t love a clean house and an increased word count? Taking planned breaks can keep you focused and help you avoid interruption. Consider the following:

• Writing for long periods of time can be taxing for some writers, but priming the pump is also important. 
• When writing under a deadline, I write for an hour then follow it with a completely different physical activity. Movement gets blood flowing and refreshes the body and mind. It saves your body from retaining too much stress for sitting in one position for too long.
• If dusting and loading up dishes gives my mind a break, it can process the complexities of the story and lead me to write a better next scene. 
• Pro tip: If you are excited to write the next paragraph, it may be a good time to take a break. You will naturally want to return to the keyboard to address it. 

9. Circle the Wagons for Bigger Life Issues.

If an emotional struggle is draining you, your writing will also suffer. You may need more support.

Consider finding a young mom’s group, or a community group focused on the specific needs in your household that hold you back. If there is a constant need in your household – don’t forget to take of your mental health, too. Caring for an elder? Raising a child with special needs? Grieving an unexpected or life-changing loss? Don’t ignore your current stress. Many groups exist for members to share similar experiences and to support one another.

Put your oxygen mask on first and be the sparkling wonderful person you are as you find the writing path that works for you.

10. Get outside! Spur on your Creativity.

If all the interruptions are just impossible to escape within your house, then leave quickly and quietly.  

• Find your happy place in a pub or café and sip tea while building your next great novel. 
• Join a writing group at your community center  
• find a critique group at your local library. 
• Build up your energy and fill your writer soul with the work that whispers at you until it’s finished. 

When you return, your family will suspect you were dancing on tables and racing down Route 66 you will be so happy. Let them think that. Your dreams are important and those who care about you want the best for you as well. Stand up for your dreams and build a balanced amount of me-time into your lives, Writer Friends.

Letting Go of Daily Interruptions to Write More

If you want fewer interruptions, it would be good to identify what are your biggest culprits. Is it a needy child or an adult needing care? Do you need to be phone-ready to address a crisis at any moment? Perhaps you are stressed out by building a presence in social media or the many parts of an author platform and find yourself just spinning your writerly wheels.

Whatever your stress is that is pulling at your attention, it is paramount to give yourself permission for a respite from time to time.

A Quick Story

              Once, a professor held up a small glass of water to a hall of mid-term stressed-out undergrads. The students propped up on elbows, watched as the professor asked, “How much do you think this glass weighs?” A few students stirred and blurted out answers.

              “ 12 ounces.”

              “16 ounces.”

              “Depends on the cup – is it acrylic?”

              “Let me take a drink. Then I’ll tell you because it will be empty!”

              The professor listened to the various answers before responding, “I really don’t know how much this cup weighs, but I wonder if you could hold it up for a few minutes without much trouble?” The awake students nodded in agreement.

              He looked at the half-filled glass, “What about for longer?” He looked at the students. “How would your arm feel after 10 minutes? 30 minutes? An hour?”

              “My arm would ache.”

              “No way. I can hardly do a plank for 1 minute.”

              “Oooh. Don’t assign this as an experiment…” One whispered under her breath.

              He took a sip of the water and set it on the presentation table. “The water is still in the cup, ready for us to drink.  It is protected and in view. I am confident that this cup will not fall to the ground while I watch it. My arm is resting and ready for my next sip.” The professor did a couple arm stretches.

Moral of the Story

“When we hold on to our problems, our stress, our worries, we cause ourselves more pain and suffering.

Dear students,

Set. Down. Your. Cups.

Take time to do the things you love to do. The things that energize you and bring you joy. The glass will still be waiting for you. But after a break, you will be refreshed.” The professor began to pack his bag and took a long draw from the cup.

              And he dismissed the class for the afternoon.

---

Final Thoughts

We all have responsibilities at home, work, and in the community. Don’t forget to set down your cup. You need that arm to build up your writing dreams.

Until next time, keep writing!

About Kris

Kris Maze has worked in education for 26 years and writes for various publications including Practical Advice for Teachers of Heritage Learners of Spanish and award-winning blog Writers in the Storm where she is also a host. She published a YA dystopian novel by a small press in the summer of 2020. Lately, she has been entering and placing in writing competitions, such as NYC Midnight’s Short Story and Microfiction contests. You can find her YA horror stories and keep up with her author events at her website.

A recovering grammarian and hopeless wanderer, Kris enjoys reading, playing violin and piano, and spending time outdoors with her family. She also ponders the wisdom of Bob Ross.

All photo credits to Kris Maze and her use of Canva Pro.