Shooing the Fly and other Great Time Management Tips

Okay you writerly types...these brilliant tips have been earned from my own personal battle scars.

Tip 1: As much as possible, work ahead of schedule. Put the manuscript away for a few days, then read through it again. You’ll see it with fresh eyes and—I guarantee—it will be a better end product. It’s a trick I learned in college—my grades took a sharp rise. Finally.

Tip 2: Take care of other things that can distract you—like bill paying or returning phone calls. Otherwise, you're "shooing the fly."

Tip 3: If you work at home, like I do, try to establish “business hours” and let your friends know when you’re available and when you’re not.

Tip 4: Simplify other areas in your life. Menu planning. Shopping. Running errands. I try to combine three errands together to justify a trip out.

Tip 5: Protect your creative time. For me, that’s morning. Arrange activities around that highly creative time of the day. For example, shift doing the laundry or emptying the dishwasher to late afternoon.

These really, really, really work. Print them out and tape them to your bathroom mirror. Repeat them every day. Then, in a year, when you are getting picked up in a limo to be sent to a booksigning event for your bestselling novel, drop me an e-mail and thank me.

Ooops...you won't always be brilliant

I normally write my Monday morning post right after my last kid walks out the door to school. This morning I was making pancakes for overnight guests. My neighbor needed me, I had two appointments, I squeezed lunch with my parents in between.

This writing-gig is tough business. Which is exactly why it has to be treated like a business. A real live business with deadlines, commitments. Essentials if you want to succeed.

But just remember. Successful or not, there will always be days like this. You won't always be brilliant. For those days I recommend giving yourself a lot of grace. (And me too, please.)

After today I'm going to make myself a new file folder. It will be entitled "blog posts for really busy days."

Until next Monday...

Author of the Week: Linda Danis

Linda Danis is the author of the bestselling book, 365 Things Every New Mom Should Know (Harvest House). She contributed many quotes to Grit for the Oyster and generously endorsed the book. The mother of four, Linda is known in her community for having a gracious heart and a giving spirit.


Hi Linda! Welcome to Grit for the Oyster.
Thanks so much for inviting me!



Can you give us a little bit of information about your publishing history?

My book 365 Things Every New Mom Should Know was published in 2002 by Harvest House Publishers. Six years later, it is still in print and is in its ninth printing. I have had numerous “Wow!” moments with its publication including when I found out it was being translated into Indonesian and when it was featured on the television program, “Friends”. 365 Things… guides a new mom through the first year of her baby’s life, one day at a time, giving practical tips, encouragement, and godly insight. It makes a great baby shower gift!


When in the process of writing your book did you begin to look for a publisher?

My original intent in writing the book was to give it as a gift to friends when they had a new baby. As a mother or four, people often came to me for mothering advice, so I thought this would make a nice, personalized gift. As I began sharing it with others, many said, “This is really good! You should consider getting it published.”
After hearing this several times, I began to do a little research on how to publish a book. The more I read, the more I realized that it was going to take a lot of time and energy, of which I had little with four young children at home. I decided to just begin taking the initial steps and perhaps when all my children were in school, I would then pursue a publisher. I worked on my query letter and book proposal, made a list of possible publishers, and read as much as I could about what it takes to write, publish, and market a book. Little did I know I was laying the ground work, for an incredible opportunity that awaited me.

My husband was on a business trip and struck up a conversation with the man sitting next to him. They had much in common and conversed back and forth during the flight. As they approached the end of the flight, the gentleman mentioned he was the founder and president of Harvest House Publishers. My husband told him about my manuscript and, amazingly, Mr. Hawkins said they might be interested! Fortunately, I had everything ready, so I sent off my manuscript and book proposal thinking he was probably just being polite in offering to look at it. Yet, six months later I received a call from the acquisitions editor saying they were interested in publishing my book!

What has been the best part about being published?

The best part is knowing that my book is helping new moms through that exciting, yet often overwhelming, first year of their baby’s life. My desire is to help and encourage other women in what I think is the most important job and ministry we will ever have – motherhood. Knowing that I can help moms in this way is what motivates me to write. I don’t think about the number of books sold, but instead stand in awe that I have had the privilege of helping over 40,000 moms.

Are you a morning writer or a night writer?

Most of my book was written between midnight and 2:00 a.m., because that was when everyone was tucked in bed, fast asleep. Now that I have teenagers who keep later hours than I do, my best time for writing is in the morning!

Do you have plans to write another book?

My publisher has invited me to write additional books, but I have had to turn down the offers due to several serious illnesses in my family. I believe God wants me to focus my attention and energy on these family members, instead of on writing, for this season of my life. Most of the time I feel at peace about it, but sometimes I think, “Why God? Why would you want me to pass up on all these great opportunities?” But, I know that when the time is right, He will once again open up the doors, just like He did the first time. In the mean time, all these experiences will be “grit for the oyster”!

What is the most valuable piece of advice you have learned in your life as a writer?

Sometimes, as writers, we let perfectionism and self-doubt get the better of us. I would recommend trying to turn off the critical side of your brain and just let the words flow. Give yourself permission to write poorly at first. Our desire to choose just the right words and say it in just the right way often paralyzes us from beginning to write. For the first draft, focus only on getting the words and ideas out on paper. Then and only then, should you begin the important process of editing.

What do you wish you had known when you first started out as a writer for publication?

That writing a book is only one part of being a published author. Most of your time and effort will be in promoting your book, first to potential publishers then to potential readers. Most of us think once we sign a contract, our publisher will put all their marketing dollars behind our masterpiece and will advertise in every media outlet possible. Reality is that publishers have a limited marketing budget and it is often spent on their established authors where there is a better chance they will receive a good return on their investment. Publishing, yes even Christian publishing, is a business and their goal is to make a profit. It’s our job as authors to help them make that profit by promoting our work.

Has it been a bumpy ride to becoming a published author or has it been pretty well smooth sailing?

Fortunately, it has been pretty smooth sailing. Trying to find time to write subsequent books has proven to be the more challenging task!

How important do you think self-promotion is and in what ways have you been promoting your book offline and online?

Promotion is very important, yet the idea of “self” promotion is difficult. I hated anything that seemed remotely like I was trying to push my own book. Even telling friends about it was awkward, because I didn’t want to seem prideful. But then another author told me, “God has given you this opportunity to share what you feel is very helpful for new moms. How can God ever use it in their lives if they don’t even know the book exists?” That helped me have a new perspective. I am not promoting “myself” or “my” book, but instead I’m promoting a book that I truly believe will help and encourage other mothers.

I have found radio and TV interviews to be the most effective marketing tools, even though they are the most nerve-wracking. Each time I do an interview, I see an immediate increase in sales. Magazine articles are great as well, because they reach such a large audience and they usually focus on your target market.

Where can readers find a copy of your book?

At their local bookstore or on amazon.com

Is there anything else you would like to share with the readers here?

My parting words would be stay focused, stay positive, and don’t let the statistics deter you from writing. It’s true that getting a book published is difficult, but it is possible. The authors of Chicken Soup for the Soul were rejected by 33 publishers before they found one who was willing to publish it. Editors' jobs depend on finding new writers and new manuscripts. Your book may be just the one they are looking for!

Thank you, Linda,for stopping by our blog. We wish you great success!

Thank you so much for having me and I wish you much success on your new book, Grit for the Oyster. I think all writers, whether published or unpublished, will be inspired to take their writing to the next level after reading it!

One writer's prayer:

God,
I need an invasion of you
without it I cannot write.
My soul is tired.
My thoughts are many and clamoring and futile.
They lead me down rabbit trails to flatness and despair.
I think them.
I re-think them.
I unwrap, unfold, examine them.
I squeeze the essence from them--
and realize the essence will harm me.

Dear God, invade me.
Let me live near You.
Replace my futile thoughts with thoughts of thanks to You.
Replace hopelessness with the sureness of Your nearness.
Take my thoughts, tame them, turn them to You.
Then, my ideas will be worth writing.
Amen.

Grit Happens

I'm already miffed about the 50% consignment the bookstore insists upon to carry Grit for the Oyster on consignment. Other retail outlets offer 60/40 or even 70/30, which allows me to make a bit of profit, but 50/50? It's hardly worth my gas to bring the books down here.

So when I arrive for the writer's mini-workshop I had prearranged three weeks earlier, my blood pressure blows out my split ends.

"I'll only need you to supply a table for my materials and at least twenty-five chairs for attendees," I had told the manager. "I'll bring everything else."

"Sure, sure," he had replied. "No problem." I called again the day before the well advertised event (all my effort, of course) to make sure we were good to go and the manager assured me everything had been taken care of. Except that I would have to bring my own table. Okay. I can deal with that.

As I lug my heavy table and bulky boxes of books, a crate of props and case of posters through the door a half-hour before the event is scheduled to start, I find that there are no chairs whatsoever.

"Where are the chairs?" I manage to ask through gritted teeth. He won't meet my gaze. "There aren't any," he mutters. "I tried to borrow some from a church but it fell through."

I stare at him in disbelief. "And you didn't try another church...or funeral home...or rental place...why????" My voice squeaks like my dog's chew toy.

He shrugs.

I'm speechless. I finally gather my wits enough to ask in a calm voice edged with steel, "What are the people supposed to do for a whole hour during the workshop?"

Then comes the kick in the teeth. "I guess they can sit on the floor."

Okay, I'll spare you the rest of the maddening details. Thanks to my quick-acting husband, we managed to seat half of the 45 people on chairs begged, borrowed, or stolen from friends, neighbors and nearby businesses. I kept apologizing for "the misunderstanding with the chairs" and thankfully nobody left. They just stood for a solid hour. There were four elderly people and a cerebral palsied lady in leg braces for whom some very nice men gave up their chairs.

I hoped the manager had nightmares about them wallowing all over the floor. But retaliation is not my point (he is, in fact, no longer with that company).

The point is to share one of the many bumps in the road that occur to every author (at least I hope it's not just me) during their writing journey. Some may be simple speed humps, while others may be teeth-jarring potholes. But the road will not be straight and smooth. So prepare yourself for twists and turns; prepare to persevere when your transmission falters and your gas tank is empty; prepare to ditch old maps and search for new routes when the road is blocked.

Prepare. And by the grace of God, your destination awaits you.

Time Management Tips for Writers

I found these tips the other day and thought they hit the nail on the head. They're from an article called "Six Ways for Writers to Produce in Volume" by Michele Beardsley.

DECIDE WHAT KIND OF WRITER YOU ARE BEFORE COMMITTING TO NUMEROUS PROJECTS.

Does it take you an hour to write two pages? Or can you write one page in ten minutes? Some writers produce many pages in a short amount of time, others need longer amounts of time to write just a few pages. Once you figure out your own writing style, you can determine how many hours or pages per week you can commit to without setting yourself up for failure.

SET ATTAINABLE GOALS.

Are you writing a novel, short story, or article? If you're under contract or preparing an editor-requested submission, it will make a difference in how you set your goals because more than likely, you already have a deadline to meet. However, if you're not writing against a deadline, it's up to you to determine:
A. How much time do you have each day to write?
B. What kinds of projects do you want to finish?

ORGANIZE AND PRIORITIZE.

Devise a schedule or chart and post it near your computer. Each day, when you complete your daily goals, mark them off. If you don't complete your pages for the day, don't make yourself crazy by adding those pages to the next day. Goals must be attainable! If you get overwhelmed, it's easier to give up. If you find you're consistently unable to meet your daily goals-change them. And remember, even if your muse decides to take a vacation,
write your pages anyway. You can decide what to change or discard during the re-writes.

Decide which projects you must complete first, second, and so forth, and write on each one in order of importance. If a deadline looms near, you might need to drop working on everything else except the project du jour until it's complete.

WHEN IT'S TIME TO WRITE - WRITE!

Do not your use writing time for anything other than writing. If you need to write a query, follow up on a submission, work on promotion, prepare a contest entry, or update your Web site, then figure out other times of the day you can devote to the "business" end of writing. You can even use the same kind of chart to help you finish writing-related projects.

DON'T OVERCOMMIT.

If you're re-writing a novel, starting another one, finishing a short story for submission, working on a couple of articles, and so forth, you'll get overwhelmed fast. Consider how much time each day you have to devote to writing and limit the number of projects. If you have two hours of writing time, then choose one or two projects. If you have several hours during the day, you might choose four or five, or you might decide to devote more time to two projects, thus completing them faster.

REWARD YOURSELF.

Whenever you finish your project (or just your daily or weekly goals) then reward yourself. Buy a book, go to the movies, eat chocolate, or just relax. Rewarding yourself for jobs well done will go a long way toward helping you complete the next set of goals.

write

Although I call myself a writer, I am particularly good at not writing. Even when I have a big project due. (Okay. Especially when I have a big project due.)

You would not believe the things that capture my attention. Suddenly the coat closet has to be vacuumed, my car needs detailing and that darn silverware drawer has one too many toast crumbs in it. I can waste vast quantities of time reading about writing, reading what other people write and in general doing just about anything but writing. Over the years I've learned that the only way to get the big job done is to actually do it, but that doesn't stop me from trying not to.

In her book, Letters to a Young Therapist, author and psychologist Mary Pipher writes a fabulous essay called Therapy & Writing. Since I'm studying to become a therapist and am also a writer I find this essay to be particularly inspirational.

The gist of her message is that writing (and therapy) require hard work, persistence and patience. If you want to be a good writer, follow Rosellen Brown's and Mary Pipher's advice: show up, pay attention, tell the truth and don't be attached to results. Most importantly, sit down and write.

"There are three secrets to writing a novel. Unfortunately, no one knows what they are."~Somerset Maugham