Time management and writing...and a poll
Apologies for the sporadic schedule of my blog posts lately. I'm finding it much easier to post regularly in my inkyelbows Twitter account, if you're interested in writing tweets...I usually post there at least several times a day.
Since the SCBWI Summer Conference, I've been approached by a number of publishers interested in my illustrations and/or writing. While it's wonderful to have the attention after years of trying to get publishers to notice me, I'm now scrambling to get my projects finished so I have something to send.
Which brings me to time management. There's a fine balance between working on building up a strong author platform and not spending enough time creating the content for that platform to support. But where do you draw the line? I'm still figuring that out myself.
Meanwhile, however, I'm about to send off one mss today (yay!) and aiming to finish a nonfiction book proposal to send out by the end of next week.
What about the rest of you? How do you balance social networking and blogging with your writing time?
Thursday, August 26, 2010 at 6:21 AM
Reader Comments (6)
Whew, balance? What's that? :) It's not easy to achieve, that's for sure. I think it's something we all struggle to find. For me, I just accept that there are only so many hours in the day. And the only timeline I'm ever on in terms of writing is self-imposed. So I try to be lenient and patient with myself. As for your illustrations getting noticed, we couldn't be more happy for you! Congrats on the success. Enjoy the ride!
Marissa
Debbie... your illustrations and blog are wonderful. So great to hear that publishers have noticed you. Yay! for getting the manuscript off today. Enjoy...
Good lesson to keep producing the content while blogging and tweeting. It's so easy to let the on-line writing take over.
*laughs* Your comics are popular because they're PAINFULLY true. <3
I'm so glad to hear you're getting publisher attention! I could definitely see your stuff nestled next to "Eats Shoots and Leaves" and "On Writing".
Too right on balancing social networking and writing.
I think most folks know where their personal mix of the two should fall (writing should be more important than writing about writing, assuming a book on how to write is not the goal).
The problem comes in when Social Networking gives immediate feedback and a sense of accomplishment, while writing is often frustrating and months away from getting any kind of feedback at all.
At that point, it becomes a willpower game, and any hungry dieter staring down a sprinkle-bedecked donut knows how much fun those are. (the willpower games, not the donuts.)
What balance? There IS no balance for me. :) It takes literally all my willpower to do some writing.
It's fairly easy for me. All of the new posts and blogs happen in daylight hours and I'm a nocturnal writer. I simply get my internetting out of the way during the day and have nothing to look up or read by the time I sit down to write.
Much to the chagrin of many of my writing friends, I don't spend much time on Facebook, less on Twitter, and only focus on getting one (good!?) blog posted per week. The writing (and homework in my Master in Creative Writing degree) is far more important to me - and more fun for me! :) But I do LOVE inspirational and how-to posts, and I try to support my friends a couple times a week commenting on their blogs - hence this post when I should be doing homework! LOL! Love ya, Deb!