Writers Who Kill

 

It’s All about Balance by Heather Weidner

Before I started writing novels, I was involved in some group anthology projects. For one series, we did almost one hundred in-person and virtual events in about a year and a half to promote the books. I enjoyed meeting people and talking about mysteries, but I soon realized a writing life needs balance. With so much travel, there was hardly enough time to write my novel.

Here are some tips that work for me to help me organize my time.

Make a schedule. I still have a day gig, so I have to schedule everything. I keep a calendar of key writing events and due dates. I have to stay organized, or chaos takes over.

• Try to write (or revise your work) every day. If you leave your project for a few days, it takes time to get back to the place where you left off. (I write from 5:00 - 7:30 every morning and then on my lunch hour. If I hit my word goal, then I’m done for the day.)
• Set your writing goals. To finish a first draft in a reasonable amount of time, I need a daily writing goal. I know if I stick to my schedule, I can have a completed first draft in about two and a half months. I have a running tally on a sticky note to keep me motivated and to see my progress.
• Sit down and write. When you are writing your first draft, just write it. Don’t stop to revise chapters or paragraphs. Make notes and keep going. If you fall into the rewriting trap, it’ll delay your writing process for months (or years).
• Plan your marketing. When I have a new book release, I create a spreadsheet (three months before and three months after). I track all of my online and in-person events, and I make sure I have plenty of time to complete guest blog posts and interviews. Make sure you track all your due dates.
• Organize your contacts. I hate spending time searching for something I know I have, so for things I want to remember, I make spreadsheets. One has all the blogs, podcasters, book reviewers, and other contacts that I like to follow. I add to this throughout the year, and it helps when I start planning my promotions.
• Organize your research notes. I also have a spreadsheet of ideas. I used to keep file folders of newspaper and magazine clippings. Now, I keep cool names, interesting locations, weird true crime stories, and names of resources in one document. It makes it so much easier when I’m looking for story ideas.
• Make sure that you’re also reading. It’s important to keep up with what’s being published and what’s new in your genre.
• And take a break for some relaxation or fun!

How do you balance your writing with the myriad of other things in your life? Let me know what you would add to my list.

Through the years, Heather Weidner has been a cop’s kid, technical writer, editor, college professor, software tester, and IT manager. She writes the Pearly Girls Mysteries, the Delanie Fitzgerald Mysteries, The Jules Keene Glamping Mysteries, and The Mermaid Bay Christmas Shoppe Mysteries.