Starting Over

I drove into work with Blair this morning. “So this is what this ‘work’ thing is like,” I said as I climbed into the passenger seat of the car. “Hmm. I’d forgotten.”

I’m meeting a friend in Winston for a writing session this morning and Blair and I have plans in Greensboro tonight, so it seemed a waste of time and gas to have both of us drive to Winston, both of us drive back to Madison at different times, and then drive into Greensboro together. Instead, I dropped Blair off at work and am tooling around Winston all day. Except ideally there will be no tooling. There will be novel writing and lots of it.

I’ve gotten off track, yet again. The thing with creative writing is that it needs to be done on a regular basis. Even going 2 days without working on the novel throws me out of the “zone,” and I have to spend time reorienting myself to the time and feel of the story. This week I’ve had some client work and lots of work for the agencies with which I volunteer and have let the novel writing take a backseat.

Bad writer! I know better. But I kept thinking, “I’ll have all day Friday to devote to it.” But writing is like exercise, best done even in small daily doses versus trying to shove a week full of missed workouts into a one-hour power session at the gym. Doesn’t work and leaves you feeling frustrated and exhausted.

So in a few minutes I’ll drive over to Borders and plant myself there for what I hope will be a solid 5-6 hours of writing time. Then a quick jaunt to Goodwill. I’m on the hunt for clothes for our trip to Egypt. I need long-sleeved cotton and linen blouses. I’m pretty sure I will never again wear most of the clothes I’m required to pack on this trip, so cheap is good.

I hope everyone has a marvelous Friday! Oh, and if you need a smile, this 2-minute video of a true-story reunion between a lion and the people who raised him will be sure to bring one to your face.

How to Achieve Scheduling Zen

www.freefoto.comLooking at my day timer, it is apparent that I am losing the scheduling battle. Today I flipped to March and was all but blinded by the numerous appointments I've written down and highlighted in hot pink.Who the heck scheduled all this stuff when I wasn't looking???

Some appointments are practical in nature - a hair cut or visit to the allergist. Some are work related - speaking at a writers' workshop or attending a Toastmasters meeting. Some are monthly obligations - my radio show, board meetings. Some are weekly exercise dates - hill runs on Mondays and trail runs on Thursdays, and yoga 2-3x/week. Still others are social in nature - dinner and a play with friends, a jewelry party, brunch with friends we've not seen in some time. And then there are the random events - our classes on Egypt, sub-committee meeting with the Animal Protection Society, speaking to middle-graders about proper pet care, a meeting with a local writer who wants advice on how to submit to magazines, a mastermind marketing meeting.

But it boils down to rarely if ever having a free day where I just sit down and work, focused and non-stop. I realize few people have the type of job where they work uninterrupted but I'd make the argument those type of days are rather vital in the life of a writer.

The fact is, we all lead busy lives. And that's not going to change. I try to look at it as the things I'm "signed up" to do are there because they're important to me. Staying home 24/7 doesn't broaden my understanding of the world. The more I'm out in the world, the more I have to write about.

But I'm considering setting aside at least one day a week as a "non-schedule" day. Just crossing it off the calendar so I know that day there is no exercise, no meetings, no phone calls, no doctor appointments, no drive time. I'll treat it as an "out-of-office" day and just disappear as if I'm at an all-day conference and can't be reached. 

The issue is figuring out what that one day should be. Fridays are actually looking promising, although I prefer to be available to clients that day in case we need to touch base before the weekend. Wednesdays are an option... if I can juggle a few things around.

How do you all manage your schedules--doctor prescribed medication not included?

Dena

Funnier Speeches

Click image to go to the siteIf you're ever in need of humor for a speech or presentation, you simply MUST contact FunnierSpeeches.com. I met co-founder Ron Culberson years ago at an Erma Bombeck humor writers contest. We e-mailed a bit then lost touch. About three years ago I was an instructor at a National Speakers Association weekend retreat and ran into Ron, a member (with their highest designation of CSP) attending the retreat. We knew we knew each other but couldn't place how. It took us almost 30 minutes to come up with it. But since then, we've stayed in close touch, editing one another's work.

Thank God I got in on the ground floor. Ron is heading for the big time with his speech writing but has been kind enough to grandfather me in. Never turn away a funny writer willing to read and comment on your work! Some of the funnier lines in my articles (I'll never tell which ones--NEVER!) were written by Ron. I like to think I've helped him a time or two as well, but as I'm having him critique my latest book manuscript, he's definitely putting in more hours than me.

Just FYI, there is a fascinating sub-culture of writers helping writers, all done behind-the-scenes. I know I've got my "set" group of 6-8 people I can turn to for help, and they in turn can rely on me. For all it's competitiveness, I've found the writing sphere filled more often than not with talented, generous individuals willing to share their gifts.

Ron is at the top of the list. Funny and nice. What are the chances there would be two of us in the  world?

Busy Friday

It's almost 8 AM and I need to be out the door in under 15 minutes. Heading into Greensboro today for a L-O-N-G, but fun, day. 

I'm teaching a class on Networking to job searchers this morning at the Women's Resource Center. That's followed by a flurry of errands that MUST include an allergy shot, then lunch with friends. After that I hope to plant myself somewhere for at least 3 hours worth of work. Then off to a friend's book signing and then dinner with writer friends to critique a member's manuscript. Home before 10 (I hope) and up early tomorrow for a 15-mile run. 

Not complaining. Actually loving it. Today is a good mix of people, activity, down town and, my favorite, food. 

It's a miracle I make it out the door for these 12-hour days. I've got a stack of "must remember to bring" stuff piled on the front chair that includes a Richmond marathon CD for a friend, recipes for another friend, manuscript in a box with my notes for critique, checkbook, library books to be returned, book to be mailed, class manual, work folders, ... I look like a bag-lady and I swear I'm but a short step away from ditching my briefcase and just dumping everything in a Hefty tall kitchen trash bag, tossing it over my shoulder and moving out.

Speaking of which, time for me to hussle out of here. Have a great Friday!