Tuesday, June 14, 2011

I Need More Than One Brain, Please

May I pick your brains a bit today? I’ve been invited to speak at the Inland Northwest Christian Writers Conference in Spokane, WA, directed by Jan Cline, in March, 2012. My topic is Time Management Strategies for the Part-time Writer. I have my outline prepared and a long list of my own ideas, but I’d like your input on ways you manage your time. What works for you? What doesn’t work? What tricks do you employ that best fit with your personality style? I’d love to incorporate some of your tips into my presentation, if you don’t mind. I think my message will zing if I have more than one brain at work!

20 comments:

  1. Protect your writing time. And stick to it. Gather all the things you need before you sit to write so you won't be tempted to get up and get them. Give yourself a few min. to organize your thoughts before writing.

    Those are my 2 cents. Hope your speaking goes well.
    ~ Wendy

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  2. Yep - same with Wendy. Protect writing time. And schedules! I love, love, love schedules. Oh, and goals! I love, love, love goals. :) Not just making them in my head either, but actually writing them down.

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  3. Yes, Katie, there is something about writing down a goal that helps you stick to it. Perhaps it's a firm committment vs. simply thinking, "I need to do that."

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  4. Since I have a small house (with nowhere to go where I can shut the door) and because I work from home, I leave early three mornings a week and write at the coffee shop. Then I come home and do my day job. It's the perfect place for me to create, and I've even gotten material for posts/columns there from other patrons. What would make it perfect is if you would join me sometime...:)

    Good for you, landing this one!

    Love,

    R.

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  5. Sounds like a great opportunity for your audience.

    With a house full of kids and lots of responsibility, for me, being flexible is essential. If I get some quiet time to myself in the morning that is good, but if I need to write in the car while waiting to pick up a child from a practice or in the waiting room of the repair shop--I should be prepared to be productive no matter the circumstances.

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  6. I love all these ideas! I need this conference NOW! I'm taking a week off from work with the goal of getting a head start on a writing project and then setting up a part-time writing hours after that. My hope is that the head start gets me in the 'groove' of writing again. I'll let you know how it goes.

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  7. i'm not really a writer, but I do protect my bible study time fiercely! i rise in the morning and head straight to my study and stay there until the Lord lets me leave!

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  8. Lynn: DO DO DO come to this conference, please!! I'd love to meet you and have a friend in the audience!!!

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  9. Consistency, consistency, consistency. Whatever schedule or system you have, STAY consistent with it. For me, breaks and vacations completely throw me off track. It's easy to use the "life happens" excuse far more often than I should, whether it's a busy day with homeschooling, a wedding, a grandbaby, out-of-town-guests, or just one of those "I need to recuperate days".
    NO EXCUSES! WRITE!!!
    (Now, if someone could send that back to me in all caps with lots of exclamation points, I'd appreciate it.) : )

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  10. I think to understand that writing is as necessary to a writer as breathing and to not let that time lapse longer than a day. Write, write, write...

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  11. Commit to do at least 1 (insert your number) thing for your writing each day. I also like to write before I open email or FB or anything else. I give myself permission to leave a little bit of dust and dirt alone! Just accept that it will always be a challenge.

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  12. Jen, Im so excited you are going to be at our conference! I think for me, when I was working and writing, it was a matter of giving myself permission to take time to write. But first I had to let myself BE a writer. I dont know if that makes sense, but it's a matter of conviction I guess.
    You will be fantastic. Im going to mail you some flyers to distribute and it will help promote you too.
    love ya
    Jan, Conference Director

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  13. Hey, Spokane is my home town and my huge family lives there. You will love it.

    Sorry, no ideas . . . I write when I feel like it. (not the best plan, but it works for me.)

    fondly,
    Glenda

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  14. I highly recommend a heavy dose of coffee. It makes time management a possibility by making you ZING :)

    Aside from that, NEVER sacrifice family for writing. I've found that the Lord has blessed me immensely when I'm willing to make my daughter a priority and write in between her needs for me. He blesses.

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  15. Time Management! A constant struggle. As mother of a one year old, writing gets squeezed in when I rise early, or during nap time. I try to do FB, blogs, email, and other writerly things when she's awake. Play. Check a blog. Read a nursery rhyme book. Update FB status. That way most of what I need to get done in the online world gets done, and I can focus on writing when I'm not distracted by the cutie in my life.

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  16. Loved reading these and wish I were close to that conference to attend it!

    Lately I've been horrible about putting as much writing time in as I should be. But when I'm on a roll, I'm much like Slamdunk above, be prepared to do it whenever a moment is available--a notebook is always handy. But I also squeeze it in between laundry and vaccuuming for a neat change and when I'm gardening or doing other chores I'm either praying or working writing scenes out or characterization in my mind so that I'm ready to dump the words when paper or computer are handy.

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  17. Jaime: I so agree! We can win the world, but what good is that if our own family goes by the wayside?

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  18. I so need to hear your lecture. Managing time has become more and more difficult. So much to do, so little time. :) Hope all goes well for you.

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  19. Kathi: I laughed when I read your word "lecture." My messages are more like stand up comedy routines and verbal devotions. I think of myself as a Christian Cheerleader sans the short skirt and pom-poms!

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  20. Jeanette:
    I try to write when I can. Today it was in a steno notebook as we traveled. I usually type on my NEO when the house is quiet. But, I could use that workshop for ways to refine my time management.

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Oh, it's YOU! I'm so happy to see you here today, and look forward to reading your comments.