all in a day’s mindset: tackling the to-dos

I’m a nerd. A to-do list nerd, especially. I like having a focus—or several—for the day and earning that sense of satisfaction when things get checked off the list.

Yet I’m continually refining the art of to-do list making. I go back and forth between paper and pen lists versus the kind I make in a Word document. Or a bullet point list on my phone. The tactile pleasure of the pen and paper route is great. There’s an added sense of accomplishment in physically striking something off the list. But the computer document has a great function, too, if I don’t let it get out of control: I can amend the day’s to-dos as I move along.

Where the computer doc causes trouble is two-fold: 1) I can continually add to-dos to the day, thus making it impossible to truly accomplish everything and 2) I tend to erase what I have accomplished, so at the end of the day all I see is what I haven’t done.

So I did an experiment this week (as I tend to do such things). I made a new document of to-dos and every time I completed a task, I crossed it out—rather than deleted the item. This was a test to see if I actually found more satisfaction in seeing what’s been done for the day. The result? Sure. There was some joy in seeing checked off items.

The real result, though, is the realization that no matter how I project my day’s activities, I always set overachieving goals. For whatever reason, I can’t bring myself to list just one or two things to do in a day. I aim high, do my best, and push the rest to the next day, or the next. It’s how I operate. And that’s okay. For me, it works. 

I love fantasizing about a super-organized life. One that has a place for everything, and where everything is in its place. One that has a to-do list of achievable goals for each day, and that’s checked off in true Martha Stewart fashion. But I’m not Martha. I’m me. Chaotic, imperfect, organized-in-my-own-dysfunctional-way me. And that’s a good thing.

A Bad Blogger in A Good Year

I’m not a bad person, I just do bad things.

Things To Do

Wait. I don’t mean bad things. I mean I do things—or don’t do things—that make me feel guilty. Guilty for not doing things or guilty for should-be-doing things. Guilty for not doing enough of the right things. Sounds a bit crazy and confusing? It is. It can be.

I like order. I like lists. I take pride in my to-do lists, even when they are a key source of self-loathing when I fail to accomplish impossible and over-achieving goals set for each day. I somehow feel that setting unrealistic goals motivates me to accomplish the majority of my ambitions; aim for the stars and maybe you'll reach the sky, or something John Lubbock said. 

My process is nothing new. I have written about this self-defeating/self-fulfilling strategic plan before:

“I have deliberately sabotaged nearly every day of my writing life with my to-do list. It is aggressive. It is unrealistic. It demonstrates my illusions of grandeur....Yet I continue to carry on this habit, this self-punishment. Because it works for me.”

From “The Not-To-Do List,” Passages North, May 2012

Each year I take stock of things I accomplished, things I didn’t quite check off the list, and, eventually, this transitions into setting goals for the year ahead. This all translates into more lists: lists of accomplishments,

More Things

lists of to-dos right now, lists of to-dos for the new year, lists to remind myself how I, and we, can exercise literary citizenship. I sometimes make lists of lists to make.

So, as December winds its way down, I’m drawn into my usual end-of-year assessment. Last year was apparently “A Tale of 100 Submissions.” In the middle of 2013, I did some self-reflecting and paid mind to needing to downsize some ambitions in order to accomplish bigger goals and keep my sanity. But I also swore to myself that I would not be a hypocrite and that I would, seriously, make my blog more of a priority. I changed up the blog design and set goals publicly—and then failed to execute what I set out to do.

It’s not that blogging is a make or break activity that defines whether or not I am a good person. I actually want to be consistent with my blog. I enjoy writing posts—for myself and for my readers. But the guilt also sets in when I think of emerging and fellow writers who turn to me in my social media workshops and who consider that I know something about this stuff. You’re a full-time writer! You’re good at all that social media stuff! You’re so organized! Oh, please. I’m human. I’m flawed in the most fumbling ways.

That means, in the big picture to-do list of priorities, the blog usually suffers.

These Other Things

In 2013, counting posts only before today, I posted a humbling 37 times to my blog. That’s a little embarrassing. Rather than wallow in my guilt, though, I’m taking action. I’m posting today, obviously, but I’ve also been making notes and plans for topics I’d like to blog about. I have a handsome list (!) accumulating blog post plans and I’m genuinely excited to write more for this venue.

And, really, I don’t feel too bad about being a bad blogger this year. It’s been a great year for me, otherwise. I’ve been busy—overwhelmingly so, but in ways that I feel so blessed to count as Good Things Accomplished in 2013. I traveled—for business and pleasure—to twenty states and two provinces. I worked with the wonderful editorial team at Accents Publishing in preparation for the new poetry book, Square Feet. I finished polishing a new nonfiction book that was contracted this year by Bloomsbury and will be published in late 2014. And I checked so many little—but important-to-me—tasks

Enabling Thing

off my to-do list that I can’t feel bad about not accomplishing everything I set out to do this year. I can’t feel that bad about not blogging more than I did.

But I can aim higher for the year to come. I can accomplish something as simple as posting more often on my blog. I will make this a goal and I will put a realistic plan into action. Which brings me back to assessing the year that was, planning for the year to come, and having fun creating a full-of-hope, full-of-ambition new list of to-dos. Because old habits die hard and I do love those lists…

It looks like I’m going to need a bigger coffee cup for 2014.

will resurface soon

I must apologize to my blog readers as I’m buried in a huge stack of to-dos right now and a bit behind on my blog posts this week. Please come back on Friday, when I’ll be returning to my regularly scheduled charm and wit. I promise!

are we having fun yet?

With the fall publication season upon us, I am currently lining up my author Q&A schedule so stay tuned for more great Wednesday interviews. I’ll post the schedule of authors asap!

Today, though, let’s talk about fun things. Oh, yes, sure this blog is ever so serious (ha!) and we are all serious writers and readers here (ahem), but perhaps one day of frivolity won’t hurt. Actually, it might do us all some good.

I don’t want you to think about this; I want a quick answer (in your head is fine, you don’t need to share): when was the last time you had fun?

Yes, when was the last time you had a seriously good, fun time? Or, put another way, when was the last time you laughed so hard you nearly cried?

The importance of having fun is sometimes shoved to the side as we all aim to get things done, be more productive, work harder, work faster. Lately, I’ve had a few blog posts about the ever-popular to-do list, how to be a productive writer, how to tap into that creativity we all thrive on. But in order to relish in the creativity, we need to free the mind and let ourselves live a little. This is where the fun comes in.

In writing – and in life – there must always be a time to breathe, a time to play, a time to let our minds relax. Otherwise, in a congested brain, how else can creativity break free from rules, restraints, and crazy to-dos? Our minds (and hearts and souls and relationships) need some lighthearted moments to be real, to be loose, to be open to what’s out there in the world.

For writers, it’s especially important to embrace opportunities for socializing with people we may not usually consider our crowd. Being that writing is such a solitary profession, it can be especially beneficial to get out of the house and have a good time. Interact with others. Be social. Not only does stepping outside the brain give us a mental break, it can also provide an opportunity for inspiration when least expected.

By doing something out of our comfort zone we gain new experiences, new insights, and new perspectives. We feed our creative brain by taking in new information. The inspiration may not come that same day, or the next day, but when we feed our brain new information and experiences, we build on what we know. When it comes to writing ‘what you know,’ then, isn’t it best to know a good deal? Or to be open to experiencing what others know?

Here’s an example: last week I took an unexpected opportunity to go bowling. I’m not a bowler, by any means, but a team I know needed a sub for their league for one night. I thought… sure, why not. Without much knowledge of what was required of me, I went for it and… apart from not doing too shabby, I also managed to have a heck of a good time. Not only was this a great escape from my monster to-do list and not only was this a great social break out of my usual realm of interaction… I also managed to surround myself with a few interesting characters. In fact, I bowled on a team made up entirely of cops. Yup. Cops.

What made this interesting, however, was not their profession. Because - as is the case for most of us - cops aren’t one-dimensional. They aren’t wholly defined by what they do in their day jobs. They also happen to be people with real lives, real families, real ups and downs like the rest of us. So, while it would be easy to say my team talked shop all night, it simply wouldn’t be true. In fact, I don’t think the topic of work came up once during the evening.

As a writer, this was a good night for remembering the importance of character development. In reading fiction, isn’t it much more interesting to learn about a three-dimensional character than seeing a cookie-cutter stereotype? It’s easy and cliché to have a cop be work-focused and hard-edged; a waitress who is working double shifts to support her kids; a woman who’s closed to relationships because of all the bad break-ups she’s been through. These are obvious and overdone clichés. In real life, any of these characters would be much more than that. As readers, we want to know more. We want to know the person.

As writers, it should be our goal to dig deeper and get real. However, there is only so much enlightenment to be found at our desk. There’s a large and complex world of characters out there just waiting to be discovered.

Inspiration comes through experiencing life outside of our own bubble. Inspiration may not always be something we can find when we want it, but it can come to us unexpectedly so it’s important to break free from our routines and get out of the house. It’s important to experience life. It’s important to have fun and open the mind to opportunities. And, sometimes, that means putting on a pair of rental shoes and bowling with a team of cops.

nerd alert: the queen of to-do lists

I’ve just finished organizing my to-do list. Perhaps I should be embarrassed to admit this list is five pages long. However, within these five pages are some really great opportunities to follow up on, projects I am working on that require attention, and well… it’s like five pages of hopes and dreams awaiting my focus.

Someone who doesn’t know me very well may be inclined to think such a list is out of control and unmanageable. Yet, here’s the thing: it’s totally organized and I am not the least bit panicked. Why not? My list is very straightforward, managed, and easy to work with. Because I made it with me in mind. Meaning… I know how I work, what I respond to, and what sort of structure I need to see on paper in order to get things done.

Thus, my list contains headers such as the following:

• to-do today
• to-do tomorrow
• to-do this week
• to-do next week

…and then, after the immediate attention items, I have broken down other ongoing projects and tasks into categories such as submissions, projects, website updates, etc. By breaking down the task into its category, when I need to refill my ‘today’ to-dos it’s easy to see where work needs to be done and in what order of priority.

Okay, so maybe it seems a bit much to have five pages of headers staring at me. But the thing I have learned about to-do lists is that they are only useful if they mean something to the owner. For me, it’s a matter of keeping everything in its priority sequence, with actual dated assignments next to each task. Maybe this doesn’t work so well for deadline-oriented folks or anal taskmasters, but it’s what works for me. So, I shall continue to relish in my nerdy glory.

What about you? How do you keep the to-do list in check?

Q&A with author Jennie Nash

One of the benefits of socializing on sites such as shewrites.com is getting to know other writers. It wasn’t that long ago I had the pleasure of meeting Jennie Nash, author of The Only True Genius in the Family. Naturally, I recruited her for an interview and am pleased to share this Q&A with you today. Please join me in welcoming Jennie Nash!

Hi Jennie. Can you tell us about The Only True Genius in the Family?
It’s a story about three generations of artists and the concept of whether or not talent is inherited. There is a famous landscape photographer, a prodigy painter, and a mother in the middle who is having a crisis of faith about her ability to make art. In the opening sentence, the famous photographer dies, and the book is very much about what his legacy will be, both in a traditional public sense and in a private sense for his progeny. The characters in the book are constantly creating – sweeping photographs of majestic mountains, paintings of the sea, commercial photos of high end chocolate, the perfect roasted chicken – and they struggle with what it means to succeed, creatively speaking.

Okay. But what’s it really about?
A woman in search of her creative voice, the resentment a daughter has for her father, the jealousy a mother feels for her child – how, in other words, your family can really mess with your creative impulse.

What sources of inspiration led you to write this novel?
I was originally inspired by a magazine article about the 12-year-old prodigy painter from Russia known as Petit Picasso. Her paintings were being sold for hundreds of thousands of dollars – and all I kept thinking about was her mother. What would it be like to be the mother? I did quite a lot of research on prodigies and genius, and was particularly moved by the Joan Aconcella book, Twenty Eight Artists and Two Saints. (Aconcella is the dance critic for The New Yorker, and is something of a genius herself.) One thing I learned was how much the people around very talented people tend to suffer – especially if they have the impulse to create themselves. I began to visualize my characters, and very quickly ended up with three generations of artists who each had very different ideas about the source of creativity.

That’s the “technical” answer. The personal answer –and really, the one that is by far more important -- is that The Only True Genius in the Family was the second novel in a two-book deal. The novel that came before it, The Last Beach Bungalow, was my first novel, but it was my fourth book. I had made a genre switch, and I wrote for three years not knowing if I could even finish a work of fiction, let alone sell it. The agent I had worked with on my non-fiction was not interested in representing my fiction, which was another big worry. So getting a new agent, and then getting the two-book deal on the first novel was just a huge vote of confidence. I had an editor who was waiting to publish whatever I wrote next, and was paying me in advance, to do so. Talk about being given permission. I felt absolutely validated as a writer, completely “legitimate,” and free – for a blessed short time – of any doubt about what I was doing or my ability to do it. I know what it’s like not to feel that; every artist does. And so The Only True Genius in the Family is, simply, a story about that – about a woman coming out of the darkness of creative doubt and into the light of creative sureness. At its heart, it’s a story about my getting to write the story.

What can you tell us about The Last Beach Bungalow?
It’s the story of a breast cancer survivor coming up on her five year cancer-free anniversary and not knowing why she survived – not knowing what the point of surviving really was. She falls in love with a quirky old house, because she thinks that it will give her life -- and her marriage -- the meaning it lacks. You know the way an old house feels – comfortable, and lived in, and resonant with story? That’s what she’s after. The house in question is being sold in a contest by a recent widow who has lived her whole adult life within its walls. The widow wants someone to buy her house who will cherish it the way she has because she, too, is looking for an external validation that her life had meaning. In the end, both women find what they need, but not in the way they expect.

I’m a breast cancer survivor – ten years now, actually – and I was very interested in what happens after you make it. I wrote about the illness part of the story (in a memoir called The Victoria’s Secret Catalog Never Stops Coming and Other Lessons I Learned From Breast Cancer) but that wasn’t the whole story, in my mind. The Last Beach Bungalow was the continuation of the story – and I loved wrestling with these questions in fiction rather than non-fiction. I loved creating drama and imagining possibilities. I was tired of writing about my own life, and was ready to break free.

Tell us a bit about your journey as an author.
I always knew I wanted to be a writer. My dad was a professor and a writer, and I loved the sounds of his typewriter and the quiet in his study. When I was in fourth grade I had some poems published in a school book – mimeographed pages, a cardboard cover – and I was just completely taken with the whole concept of my words underneath my name and other people being able to read it.

I had my first piece published the summer before I went to college, in the Wellesley alumnae magazine, which was the institution where I was headed. I was an English major and I wrote an honors’ thesis that was a collection of narrative essays. I thought that the next step was to go to graduate school, but I had a very wise advisor. He refused to write me a recommendation. He said he thought I would hate it. He said he thought I should go to New York and try to make it as a writer.

I followed his advice – but only halfway. I think what he thought I should do was go and really dig in and write a meaty book. I went to New York and got a job as an assistant editor at Random House, and then I got a job as a magazine editor, and then I began writing for magazines. I was too scared to really just write. I published a memoir (about getting married) at age 25, but honestly, it wasn’t a very good book. I wrote the breast cancer memoir, which I am very proud of and which allowed me to reach a large number of readers, but I followed it with another memoir (about parenthood) that wasn’t very good, either. I didn’t trust my voice, didn’t know what I wanted to say. I was writing out of fear – fear that I would be known as “cancer girl,” fear that I better write another book fast. The Last Beach Bungalow was very healing because I allowed myself to go back to cancer as a topic, and I allowed myself the freedom to write fiction, and I allowed myself the time I needed to get it right. It was a big risk for me, and it paid off. It was a thrill to land that two-book deal.

I have just finished my third novel for the same editor who bought my first two (see below for details), and I feel incredibly grateful for her trust and support. I know that she wants me to succeed, and that she is doing everything she can possibly do to help me build an audience and a career. It’s everything a writer could ask for.

What advice do you have for writers starting out?
Make sure you have something to say and give yourself permission to say it. These things sound very simple, but of course they’re not. It took me about 25 years to finally get it.

I also like the advice Elizabeth Gilbert (of Eat, Pray, Love fame) gives, which is to forgive yourself – for your false starts and wasted pages; for wanting to be a writer in the first place; and if you’re lucky enough to achieve it, for your success. Being a writer takes a lot of self-forgiveness.

As for practical matters, I’m something of an evangelist for Twyla Tharp’s book, The Creative Habit. Tharp teaches you how to do it – how to actually live a creative life. It’s all well and good to have a story to tell or a facility for putting words together on a page – or both – but you have to also know how to pin down an idea, how to organize your day, how to open your mind to inspiration.

How has social media and technology changed the way you connect with readers?
Social media has made me realize that it’s my job to reach out to readers, to answer their questions, to pique their interest. It’s not something I squeeze in when I’m not writing; it’s an important undertaking in its own right—and becoming even more so. Readers no longer want their favorite writers to be unreachable. They want to interact with them, learn about their creative process, know something of their lives. I’m desperately trying to learn how to be an effective blogger and twitter-er while still being a good writer – oh, and a good wife and mother, too! I feel like I’m scrambling to figure it all out, but I also know that I’m hardly alone in the struggle.

You’re also a fan of meeting readers at book clubs. Care to share some experiences?
I love visiting book clubs, both in person and virtually. It’s just such a thrill to be in a roomful of people – usually woman, in my case – who have shared the experience of reading my work. I feel very humbled by it, because people see things in my work that I never knew was there. My oldest daughter’s AP English class read The Only True Genius in the Family this year, and it was an amazing experience. I walked away being simultaneously humbled and boosted up – humbled by their ability to analyze text and boosted up because I was able to clearly see what my subconscious had wrought! They kept saying things like, “I loved how you brought back the light/lightning motif in the storm scene,” and I would be thinking, There’s a light/lightning motif? Really? I couldn’t wait to get out of there to go check out all the places where I had mentioned light and lightning.

What title(s) can we look forward to next?
I just finished my third novel, which is called The Threadbare Heart. It’s a love story inspired by something that happened to my mother on her first weekend at Wellesley College in 1956. There’s also a mother-daughter component to this book – an intergenerational disagreement about what love is, and how you get it and hold onto it and what it means when it’s gone. It’s due out from Berkley Books in May 2010.

I feel the stirrings of my fourth novel, but they haven’t yet taken shape.

How can readers learn more about you and your writing?
Visit me at http://www.jennienash.com/. Write me emails at jennie.nash@verizon.net. Invite me to visit their book clubs.

Thanks, Jennie! I appreciate you taking the time to talk about The Only True Genius in the Family and your latest news.

*****
There are more great interviews with authors around the corner. I look forward to the many insider tips, personal stories, and successes upcoming authors will share. Too, if you have any suggestions for the author Q&A – or any other aspect of this blog – feel free to let me know your thoughts. I always welcome mail from readers!

Thanks for joining in today. Until next time…

writing: dreams & reality

Last week I had the pleasure of visiting the office and folks at The Writer magazine. As a contributor, it was a joy to meet the editorial names I have come to know, up until now, only through email and telephone conversations. While the internet is certainly a great way to communicate and carry on writing business, there is something to be said for talking face-to-face with an editor.

Maybe it’s the memories of my childhood dreams of growing up to be a writer, and all the details those preconceived notions implied, that make such visits so entertaining.

If you write, what were your youthful visions of the future like? For me, I would think about the editorial meetings, the wining and dining, and the glamorous parties and intellectual conversations that would inevitably be my future if I worked hard enough. Well… some of these things have actualized in reality, and some… not so much.

I can’t say I wine and dine much, but in reality I do suppose I go out for coffee with an editor now and then - usually to discuss unrelated writing topics or just to socialize. The editors I socialize with, however, are usually locally based and not necessarily ones I work with, since I am a bit of a distance to my New York contacts. So, a small tangent on what the dream was, but a satisfying one no less.

As for glamorous events? Yes, I attend a good number of literary events in and around my area. I’d argue that they’re not that glamorous although many are, in fact, intellectually stimulating. At the very least, it’s great to meet and mingle with other writers, get to know readers, and spend a night out. Usually, the only glamorous aspect of these types of evenings is debating whether to wear make-up and fun shoes, or to go casual with sensible footwear. I’ll let you guess which usually wins the debate.
And while I’ve had my share of editorial meetings, most working discussions take place on the phone or via email. It’s rare to nab an editor’s dedicated time for a lunch or coffee, and since my proximity to the editors I tend to work with is a bit distant from home it’s even rarer. Maybe that’s why it’s so special when I do get the chance to mingle in person. I will say that editors do, indeed, like to meet their writers face-to-face when the opportunity arises.

Visiting the editorial team at The Writer office was great. After getting to know the staffers through various emails and the occasional phone call, it was a pleasant visit to just say hi as I was passing through the area. I received a great coffee shop recommendation, had a few brief chats about what I’ve been working on, but mostly the visit was just a quick social stop on my way somewhere else. Even so, I’m glad the staff were able to take a few moments to entertain me.

My youthful dreams of what having a writing career would be like were far from reality. However, I am by no means disappointed. Rather than flitting from party to party and keeping up with witty repartee, I find myself fulfilled with the real connections I have made, the ongoing work I am blessed to have, and the community of readers and writers I chat with both personally and professionally. For me, reality wins out hands down. After all, what good are imaged dreams if they never result in something tangible? Oh sure, I still daydream about the people I’ll meet and the places I’ll go. But as a working writer, I know these current dreams are within reach and not just child’s play anymore.

What about you? Have your dreams morphed into reality? Is your real life anything like you imagined it would be? Do you still daydream about what’s to come? I’d love to hear your thoughts.

And, as promised the other day, I have something special for Labor Day weekend. Until Monday, I’m offering up copies of my latest poetry book for a deep discount. If you’ve been waiting for the right time to pick up stains: early poems, you can email me to order your (signed) copy directly, and I’ll send it out to you for a mere ten bucks (including free shipping!). Of course, you can order the book from amazon or B&N, or grab it from your local indie shop, at any time, but for this weekend I’ll be offering up signed copies at a discount. Email me at lori@loriamay.com if you’re interested. Congrats to Dan Ames who posted a response to the blog the other day (on the facebook feed) and won a signed copy of stains.

Have a great long weekend; enjoy those last moments of summer; and until next time… happy reading!

calm amidst chaos

You know that moment when you think it’s a great idea to completely overhaul a room or a section of the house that has been desperately needing attention… and then ultimately end up with a bigger mess than you started with?

Somehow, I thought it was a smart idea to finally get around to organizing my office – a space I have occupied since I moved in to this house this past February. I thought (silly me) it would be an easy task. I’m an organizational nerd, you see, and I was soooo looking forward to making sense of the final few bookshelves that needed attention, the pile(s) of to-be-read books waiting for open hands, and an assortment of to-be-sorted stacks. Well… my mistake. This is no small task.

The grand scheme was to finish up what I started months ago so that I could finally say my office was perfect; that my mental space and my writing space were in sync. The grand scheme is over-rated. Or maybe I’m just delusional. Now, not only have I created a bigger mess than I started with, I have certainly delayed my writing work for a day or two. Or at least focused writing. Oh sure, I am jotting things down, but my brain can’t seem to focus like it usually does with chaos piled knee-high beside me. But am I freaking out? Nope.

Because as a writer I know chaos. I know that half the job is getting things down on paper, but the other half is making sense of it all. Organizing my office is like editing a first draft. It’s all there, scattered around the room; I just need to zero in on the big picture, tidy up the details, and somehow it will all start to resemble something real. Like life, writing is messy. But with a calm approach and a strong cup of coffee, the horror of chaos gradually begins to make sense. It’s a challenge that can be won, and one that is almost immediately gratifying.

So, just as I do when tackling an editing marathon, I am brewing up a fresh cup of coffee every hour, stepping back for a moment now and then to reassess the big picture, and focusing on the baby steps that will gradually take shape into something fresh, orderly, and a definite reflection of me. Like editing, cleaning this office may seem like a pain in the butt right now, but in a day or two I will be very grateful for having gone through the experience and more than happy to see the results of my labors.

After all, it’s not the simple reason of cleaning my office that has me motivated. It’s the fringe benefit of clearing some mental space and cleansing the creative palate in preparation for some fun writing projects that has prompted me to purge and restore order to my workspace. A few hours of crazy chaos in exchange for a fresh start in a calm working space? Not a problem. It’s worth it.

What about you? Do you prefer to work amidst calm, chaos, or a combination? Before digging into a big new project, are there any rituals (like cleaning marathons) you do to get yourself ready? What about your workspace? Is it tidy, disorderly, or pleasantly messy? How do you keep calm amidst the chaos? How do you keep your to-be-read piles in check? Considering I’m knee-deep in books, papers, and everything else office-related, I can use all the tips I can get.

Speaking of being knee-deep in books… I’m feeling generous (and came across more postage than I can deal with). Share your stories on organizing your workspace, keeping up with clutter, or various tales from your chaotic workspace. I’ll pick my favorite posted comment today and offer up a signed copy of my latest book, stains: early poems, just because. Yup. Just because. So go on. Share. And I’ll gladly help add to your to-be-read pile. If you miss out on a signed copy today, fear not: I have something special coming up on Friday, so stay tuned for more info. Plus, everyone who clicks to follow this blog will be entered automatically in my end-of-September giveaway. Aren’t free books fun?

Next week we return to our regularly scheduled Wednesday author Q&As. Until next time… happy reading!

falling for fall & critique mania

Now that August is wrapping up and we’re making the transition into fall, I find myself thinking about organization, setting goals, and clearing my desk for the working months ahead. Maybe it’s the relation of fall to school that always has me thinking autumn is such a great time for working on writing tasks and getting a few big projects from my to-do list accomplished, or maybe it’s just the change in season. But I always feel like fall is the start of something new. A new book; a new collection of poems; a new start….

Summer is such a time of play for me. The workload seems lighter, more playful, and social with readings, festivals, and other events. This change in season brings on a new schedule of events, sure, but it is also one of cracking down and getting to work. I’ve sharpened my pencils, I’ve reorganized my computer files, and I have a nice list of to-dos awaiting my attention as I segue into the next season. What about you? Do you start new projects in the fall? Do you reflect on your progress and set goals for yourself? Do you start drooling at the to-be-read pile, knowing you’ll get around to reading more during the fall than in the busy social months of summer?

Perhaps you’ve been working on something and are eager to receive feedback. If that’s the case, I have to let you know that Aug 31st is the last postmark day to register for the 2009 Critique Mania. This is a fundraiser for Soundings Review, which stems from the Whidbey Island Writers Association. Not only is this a great way to support a fantastic organization for writers, but for a mere $25 a writer can submit 1,000 words of prose or one poem (50 lines max) to be professionally critiqued and reviewed by one of many writers who have volunteered their time to support emerging artists through this fundraiser.

The response is fast – critiques will be returned by October 7th. And, if you have more than one piece you would like critiqued, or wish to have more than one author look at your writing, that’s possible too. So you can pick and choose what you’d like to receive feedback on, select which author(s) you would like to review your work, and all the while you’ll be supporting one of the best writing organizations I have come across.

You can find out more about Critique Mania here and there is detailed info about the participating authors here. Go on, check it out, and if you have something you want critiqued, make sure you get your submission postmarked today!

Also, don’t forget about the upcoming contest! At the end of September, I’ll be randomly selecting a name from the list of blog followers; one lucky winner will receive a personally signed copy of one of my books! So click to follow this blog if you don’t want to miss the latest news, interviews, and guest blogs and snag your chance to win a signed book.

Until next time… happy reading!

Guest Blog: how to write

Kiersten White, a fabulous YA author who blogs at http://kierstenwrites.blogspot.com/, was kind enough to share this previous post of hers with us today. Please welcome our guest blogger and make Kiersten feel at home!

fool-proof steps for becoming a writer
by Kiersten White

Step One: Decide you're going to write a story.

Step Two: Decide it's going to be brilliant. Imagine the response of your [teacher, classmates, reading group, agent] and how it will completely change the way they look at you.

Step Three: Open up Word.

Step Four: Stare at the blank white screen stretching on into infinity until your eyes begin to burn and your brain hurts from the sheer emptiness of it all.

Step Five: Check your email. If writing a novel, research agents for a couple of hours.

Step Six: Stare at the blank Word document again.

Step Seven: Realize you need music. Spend the next hour finding the perfect "mood" music for what you want to write.

Step Eight: Inspired by [insert perfect music here], click back over to Word document.

Step Nine: Change Facebook status to: [Your name here] is WRITING!!! Realize you aren't on Twitter, and that anyone who is anyone is networking/wasting time on Twitter. Sign up for an account and spend the next two hours figuring out how it works and what the crap # means.

Step Ten: Stare at blank Word document. Decide you need a title. Brainstorm for the next hour.

Step Eleven: Come up with a GENIUS title. Proudly type "The Scent of Green Papayas" at the top of the document, followed by your name. Happily consider how easily a story will come now that you have such an amazing, literary title.

Step Twelve: Take a four hour break for snacks and naptime.

Step Thirteen: Refreshed, sit down and toy around with pen names for a while.

Step Fourteen: Realize to your horror that your genius title is actually the name of a Vietnamese foreign film you saw seven years ago.

Step Fifteen: Erase the title, pressing Backspace much harder than necessary.

Step Sixteen: Stare at the blank Word document until your eyes bleed.

Step Seventeen: Check Facebook. See that fourteen people have commented on your status, asking what you are writing. Feel both guilty and annoyed.

Step Eighteen: Slam your laptop shut and go to the movies. Tomorrow's a better day for writing, anyhow. See? You never knew writing was so easy!

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Thanks to Kiersten for sharing her funny – and true – post with us today. Please check out her blog at http://kierstenwrites.blogspot.com/ for more wisdom and wit.

Until next time… happy reading!

housekeeping: organization 101

One of the most common questions I am asked is ‘how do you keep up with everything?’ For a writer, it all comes down to time management. While no one ever says it will be easy, I don’t know that anyone ever says it’s this much work either. I have no complaints as a writer, but I do wish I had more than 24 hours in a day. As much as I try my best to manage the time I have wisely, there is just never enough time in a day to get it all done.

So, what’s a writer to do? Prioritize. It’s easier said than done and many days I feel bad for having to move an item from today’s to-do list to tomorrow, but that’s usually the case. A girl can only get so much done in one day, after all. So at the start of each day I run down my list of tasks, designate their order of importance, and get through as much as I can. Whatever is left over at the end of the day moves on to tomorrow’s list, and the cycle continues.

For a writer, it’s not only about writing. That would be pure luxury. In reality, though, there is essentially a whole day’s worth of activities that has little to do with writing – directly at least. It all relates back in some way. A writer has to promote, market, and network in order to stay active in reader’s minds. That means social networks, media releases, bookstore events, and all of those things that involve other people. Then there’s the website updates, submissions to new publications, chats with editors and agents – all very important parts of the business. In order to sell a book, one has to be a sales person in some regard – whether to an agent or editor, or a magazine or store manager. These are necessary tools for success.

How do I keep it all in order? I do. And I don’t. I will admit there is a certain amount of chaos that keeps me working like a frantic person, worried I will never get enough done in a day. In a way, that busy feeling is the adrenaline push I need to make sure I get maximum productivity in for the day. If I were to wake up one morning and only have two things to do, I’d definitely work at a slower pace… and come to think of it, that might actually be nice for a change… but I would likely drag a bit, procrastinate, take my time, and do all kinds of things instead (like watch tv, nap, read horoscopes, etc). Now, I am not saying I am a workhorse, but I think the more I work, the more I work. The more I write, the more I write. That may sound a little silly, but there’s actually some sense to that. If you keep adding fuel to the fire, the fire keeps on burning all through the night, right?

What are some of the tricks I do to keep organized and under control? While it’s demanding to keep up with the social networks, I limit myself to one day a week for posting and responding to my various groups. Maybe that’s not as active as some people, but it keeps me in the loop without sucking up too much time. I clear my email inbox at least every other day; otherwise I’d be drowning in a backlog of replies-to-do. And as much as I am an advocate for attending real live literary events and readings, if I have already been out to three events in one week, I cut myself off so that I don’t spend an entire week away from my desk. The thing about prioritizing is setting limits, saying yes to some things, and – sadly – saying no to other things. Because at the end of the day, I still need to be able to say I did at least one thing – write. Yes, that other big part of being a writer. Making time to write.

Even if it’s a 1,000 word portion of a chapter, even if it’s just a paragraph or a few key sentences, I have to have made time for writing. Or else… why bother with all the other stuff? It’s all too easy for a writer to get caught up in the promotional side or spend a large portion of time networking. These things are important, but only if the writing can back up all the hype. One poem or a paragraph a day will keep you focused and on track. It adds up quickly too. A paragraph here and there soon becomes a chapter. A few chapters later, there’s a book in progress.

No, I have not mastered my time management skills, nor have I figured it all out. I am my own work-in-progress. But I try. I have a silly little to-do list to keep me in check and I strive for balance and aim to have fun in life outside of my working hours. Do I wish I had more time to work each day? Yes, but I also won’t compromise what little sleep I get or the time spent with friends and family. So I do what I can and hope for the best.

What about you? How do you balance your time? Do you make time for play? Do you keep a to-do list or prioritize some tasks over others? I’m curious what works for you and what is a challenge. I hope you’ll share your own plan of attack. It’s always interesting to hear tips from others.

Speaking of tips from writers, there’s a specially scheduled author Q&A on Tuesday, this week, with author Allison Winn Scotch. She’ll be chatting about her novel Time of My Life and share a few tips for emerging writers, her own path to publication, and lots more. So be sure to stop in for this extra Q&A for the week, in addition to the Wednesday feature. You won’t want to miss it!