A Snow Day in April

Time Management: Making Adjustments

There was no Writers' Block on Tuesday, April 3, because of a spring storm that dumped heavy snow knocking out power over a wide spread area of our town. I thought, "Fantastic, I can get caught up on a bunch of work!" And then I discovered my DSL modem had crashed and burned. Well, not burned exactly, but it certainly was not working.

I live by the internet. Okay, I don't actually live by the internet, but I spend a lot to time using it as a tool for my writing and other work. I had several projects with deadlines, so let it be said that not having access to the internet was a huge inconvenience. All I could think was, "Crap, I'll have to wait three to four days minimum to get my system back up and running!" I was not a happy blogger/writer/radio show host/church volunteer/busy body.

Imagine my surprise when I was told I could pick up a replacement at Wal Mart or Radio Shack. I found just what I needed in town and was back in business before the afternoon was over.

Problem solved, now on to the next thing, or things to be honest.

Setting Priorities

I do not know what it is at the moment, but I suddenly find myself overwhelmed because I've taken on so many new projects. I've thrown my arms wide and embraced everything! Is that why I’m feeling a little pressured? Well, duh!

Speaking strictly from a writing perspective I'm learning a lot and feel the time I'm investing in reading the blogs of people whose work I respect, taking online writing and blogging classes, and participating in poetry and platform building challenges is time well spent. The trick is to fit everything into my schedule. Oh, and I’m taking part in a virtual book club!

Time management for writers is to a degree a matter of personal preference. Some people are early birds and work better in the morning; others are night owls and find their creative muse at the witching hour. Either way setting priorities and having goals is critical to getting from the first page of a manuscript to the last.

 

Set your Agenda: 

• Keep a "to do" list and check items off as you accomplish them. My list is sometimes longer than my arm and some items repeat from day to day. Creating the list forces me to focus and organize.
• Prioritize. My list gets shorter as I set my agenda for the day.
• Schedule projects on a calendar you can see throughout the day. Digital calendars are great, but they don't grab my attention the way a calendar on my desk does.
• Set realistic goals. No, it's not the same as prioritizing. Prioritizing is timing; goal setting is all about accomplishment.
• Schedule down time. I tend to think I must be busy all the time. Not so. Relaxation and rejuvenation are essential. I walk at least three times a week for three miles or more. Writers tend to spend a lot of time sitting down, whether at a computer or noodling ideas around in their heads. Moving around is good for the body and it's good for the brain.

I write two other blogs besides this one (Rambling Prose and Joy in the Morning) and am working on three books. I say that with some reservation because these are all books that are in various stages of development. The novel is close to finished first draft, but the other two are in outline form. Being organized is my sanity.

Not included in the above list is making time for the business of writing. That is my Waterloo. I write like a mad woman, but dollars and cents success eludes me. In the coming months I'm going to be spending quality time trying to figure out how to turn my words into wealth. (That's me thinking positive!)


Tune in on Tuesday, April 10, 9 a.m. MST to KFUN for Writers' Block, this week featuring Bob Johnston, a 90-plus poet from Las Vegas, NM, and Clifford John Murray, a retired minister from Canada, and author of "If We Only Knew." Writers' Block streams live at http://www.kfunonline.com



 

Program Summary

An Apricot Year, by Martha Egan

University of New Mexico Press

Price: $25.95

An Apricot Year by Martha Egan was the featured book on Writers’Block this week. It is a wonderful story about a woman whose life is turned upside down and inside out by circumstances. A gift that should have lead to a joyous experience opens the door to a future Luli Russell never anticipated. Faced with starting over she gets caught up in the lives of strangers who soon become friends. These associations will bring her a new outlook on life, unexpected relationships and a new found appreciation for New Mexico, its art, color, traditions and people.

Martha will be the guest at an author event at Tome on the Range, 3 p.m., Sunday March 11. She is a writer, entrepreneur and importer of folk art. Her shop, Pachamama, in Santa Fe features imports from Latin America. Her experiences related to the import business lead her to write Clearing Customs, in response to what she refers to the US Customs Service’s “dirty little war on small import businesses.”  

An ApricotYear is a study in character, place and relationships. Luli becomes involved in the shady side of the art business without realizing it, but the bad guy – though undoubtedly involved in art fraud – is also generous in his way. Luli is perhaps a bit naïve, which shouldn’t be interpreted as weak. Despite a defunct marriage and years of being a traditional stay-at-home wife and mom, she finds freedom in the knowledge that against the odds she is a survivor.

Martha’s experiences in the folk art world and as a shop owner in Santa Fe are reflected in the storyline as Luli seeks work in a town were finding a living wage job is next to impossible. It says a lot about Luli that she doesn’t hesitate to take on work that even her family finds unsettling.

The following information is from online resources:

The author’s interest in Latin American folk art began in the mid-‘60s in Mexico City, where she was a student at the Universidad de las Américas. She graduated in 1967 with a B.A. in Latin American History, followed by two years as a Peace Corps volunteer working with credit unions in rural Venezuela.

 Martha’s works include award-winning novels Clearing Customs (2004), Coyota (2007), and La Ranfla & Other New Mexico Stories (2009) and two non-fiction titles—Milagros: Votive Offerings from the Americas and Relicarios: Devotional Miniatures from the Americas.

Gayle Gross

10daybookclub.com

Gayle Gross is a writer, entrepreneur and owner of 10daybookclub.com. She’s on a quest to change the world, which might seem like a big undertaking until you spend some time talking to her. Following a four-month retreat, she created a platform for authors where their work can be critiqued and where social networking training is available. Signing in as a member is free; fees apply to services. The fees are affordable. For $10 a writer can have his or her work read by a virtual book club and get feedback. A second benefit is a 15-minute prep interview with 10daybookclub that gives authors insight into ways they can use social networking as a marketing tool.

Gayle comes across as smart, creative and dynamic. Her background is in creative and professional relationship development. Her LinkedIn recommendation describe her as an entrepreneur and “the best hand-holder of budding writers and authors.”

Gayle has an active Facebook page and takes advantage of beneficial social networking tools. In developing her concept she offered shares to trusted friends. As the company grows she sees the initial benefactors as key to making the venture successful, and expects they will benefit.

“One thing that emerged from my retreat is the certainty that in everything I do I want to give back. Helping others is an important part of 10daybookclub.com.”

Based in Colorado, Gayle is building a network of resources to meet the needs of her growing client base. She attended Devry University and Kutztown University of Pennsylvania.

Her LinkedIn connections exceed 500 and the membership of 10daybookclub has passed the 5,000 mark.

Gayle's websites

·         Connect on 10dbc Facebook

·         Connect on Personal Facebook

·         10 Day Book Club (click here for membership information)

Gayle’s commitment to make good things happen for authors makes this an excellent tool for writers to put in their toolboxes.