Showing posts with label procrastination. Show all posts
Showing posts with label procrastination. Show all posts

Why Writers Need to Become Time Aware


By W. Terry Whalin
 @terrywhalin

As a writer, I want to increase my writing and ability to publish (in any format). I’m basically saying I would like to be more productive. In this article, I want to explain a  key to increasing your productivity: become time aware.

For example, the timing of your pitch is a critical part of the process—and often outside of your control. As an editor, I’ve had authors who don’t take the publishing contract that I offer them through Morgan James yet later (sometimes years after the offer) they will reach out to me and ask if it is still possible. Before answering, I will check with my colleagues then when I find the opportunity is still available, they move forward and publish their book with us and get it into the bookstores.

Everyone has the same amount of time. The key distinction is how we use that time. One of the first steps in the process of becoming more effective with your time is understanding how you’re using it. I encourage you to keep a time log for a week. You can be as detailed or simple as you want but make a written record of how you are spending your time each day. Then after a week evaluate the time log to note areas where you are wasting time. You will “discover” the hour or two you are spending reading Facebook posts or watching videos on YouTube. Or the several hours each night you are spending in front of the television watching shows. Or possibly it is some other time-wasting activity such as spending time on the phone talking with a relative or __________. Each of us are wasting time on these types of activities. Once the time is spent you can never get it back. Your awareness is the first step then you make intentional changes in how you spend your time to accomplish whatever you want. You may want to increase your writing, publishing, platform building, marketing and any number of other aspects of the writing life.

In the past, I’ve learned my mind can often create barriers. Possibly you are in this situation. I say to myself, “My best writing time is in the morning so I can only write then.” Or “My best time to write is after my kids are in bed.” Be aware of these mental restrictions, then consciously remove these barriers from your schedule. Maybe you only have ten or fifteen minutes to crank out some words like part of a magazine article or a blog post or a book review. My encouragement is for you to use these fifteen minutes wisely and write whenever you can. Some people wonder how I’ve written over 60 books and for more than 50 publications. My writing is just like your writing: one word, one paragraph, one sentence, one page at a time—over and over. When I think about writing, it does nothing to put words on my screen. It is only by sitting at my keyboard and moving my fingers that my writing moves into action.

Our lives as freelance writers provide freedom to control our own schedule and calendar. If I want to spend the day reading a book or taking my wife to lunch, I can do it. Yet this freedom also brings greater individual responsibility. You have no taskmaster or accountability to anyone other than yourself. Be aware of how you use your time.

I also encourage you to create systems and habits to make better use of your time. For example, I use the program called Hootsuite to schedule the majority of my social media. Other people use Buffer as this tool. I also use the “reminders” section on my phone to make sure I meet my various deadlines and tasks. I’ve learned that I can write anywhere and at any time.

As you become more aware of time and how you use it, you can become more productive. Like any journey, your commitment to make changes begins taking the first step.

Tweetable:

This prolific writer and editor contends your first step to increase your productive as a writer is to become time aware. Discover the details here. (ClickToTweet)

W. Terry Whalin, a writer and acquisitions editor lives in Colorado. A former magazine editor and former literary agent, Terry is an acquisitions editor at Morgan James Publishing. He has written more than 60 nonfiction books including Jumpstart Your Publishing Dreams and Billy Graham. Get Terry’s recent book, 10 Publishing Myths for only $10, free shipping and bonuses worth over $200. To help writers catch the attention of editors and agents, Terry wrote his bestselling Book Proposals That $ell, 21 Secrets To Speed Your Success. Check out his free Ebook, Platform Building Ideas for Every Author. His website is located at: www.terrywhalin.com. Connect with Terry on TwitterFacebook and LinkedIn.

Pick Two Things and Do Them


Do you have a laundry list of writing and marketing things you've had to get done, but just haven't had the time?

Today is the day to start to tackle that list.

Just pick TWO things and WRITE THEM DOWN.

Maybe it's to do a video for your marketing.

Maybe it's to write a new blog post for your author website.

Whatever those two things are that you've picked, take care of them today!

Don't procrastinate.

Before you know it, your to-do list will be manageable.


Midsummer's Nightmare



Yes, you heard me right - write! As I'm putting together this post I'm realizing that the summer is at a midpoint, and my writing goals for the year are not.

While under the best of circumstances summer is a distraction - vacations, visitors and all, this summer has undermined me in an unexpected way. I rise each morning, eager to begin the day, only to find the minutes and hours creeping by without me sitting my behind in the chair - which we all know is the secret to getting the job done. So what to do when this occurs?

1. Join an accountability or critique group: Becoming accountable to others can help with keeping you on track with your goals. In the past I've belonged to critique groups who have encouraged me to submit pages weekly, bi-monthly or monthly. An accountability group may be more diverse in its makeup - some will be attending hoping to improve their home business, while others may be looking to just improve their marketing skills. Either type of group can be beneficial depending upon where you are finding the challenge currently.

2. Set strick limits with family & friends: Writing time may need to be scheduled and committed to by not only you, but by those you love as well. Schedule yourself "out" as you would if you had an important commitment, because it is important.

3. Turn off the phone, don't check Facebook or your email: Internet distractions can undermine your ability to be creative and productive. Telephone calls are really only an excuse to not do the job needing to be done.

Midsummer, mid year 2015 - now is the time to review your yearly goals and gain control over your writing.


____________________________________
D. Jean Quarles is a writer of Women's Fiction and a co-author of a Young Adult Science Fiction Series. Her latest book, House of Glass, Book 2 of The Exodus Serieswas written with coauthor, Austine Etcheverry.

D. Jean loves to tell stories of personal growth – where success has nothing to do with money or fame, but of living life to the fullest. She is also the author of the novels: Rocky's Mountains, Fire in the Hole, and Perception.The Mermaid, an award winning short story was published in the anthology, Tales from a Sweltering City.

She is a wife, mother, grandmother and business coach. In her free time . . . ha! ha! ha! Anyway, you can find more about D. Jean Quarles, her writing and her books at her website at www.djeanquarles.com

You can also follower her at www.djeanquarles.blogspot.com or on Facebook.

Using Bookends to Overcome Procrastination


If and When were planted, and Nothing grew.” ~Proverb
Procrastination………….who me? I know how to get things done; I also know how to procrastinate. As a writer, sometimes procrastination has to do with feeling lost in a project, other times it’s about not being satisfied with a draft.  Personally, I'm pretty disciplined with my writing time, but I can procrastinate for months when it comes to sending a draft off to an agent or editor.  After having my 900 word manuscript accepted by a magazine, the editor sent it back to me asking that I further develop the topic.  I quickly added the info requested and sent it back.  The editor responded with ..."tell me more."  Again, I added another section and resubmitted the manuscript.  I was sure I was done with the manuscript.  The editor responded with highlighting another section  and once again said..."tell me more".  Frustrated and not sure what she wanted, I put the manuscript down for three months.  When I finally finished the manuscript it was almost 3,000 words.  I was sure too much time had elapsed and the editor would no longer be interested, but with the next submission to the editor, I received my contract for publication.   Fortunately, my procrastinating didn't cost me the contract, but it certainly raised my angst about the project.
Now when I find myself procrastinating I apply bookends to the project.   Once I decide what I'm gong to work on, I schedule it and plan a pre and post project incentive. It’s my bookends. I treat myself or do something I enjoy prior to starting the project and again when I finish it. Sometimes, it’s something small like a trip to Starbucks before doing research on a project, other times it’s a day at the zoo or the art institute. Why do bookends work? I think because the first bookend marks it’s time to start and then the last bookend acknowledges the accomplishment. Sometimes the bookend at the end is something that I’m really dying to do or is time sensitive. This gives me the added push to slug through until I’m finished. So if you find yourself procrastinating, try bookends.
Mary Jo Guglielmo is writer and intuitive life coach. For more information check out:

http://facebook.com/DoNorth.biz  



Procrastination Styles - Results from Survey

Last month I asked our readers to complete the procrastination style survey .  Thanks to everyone who participated in this survey.  We had over 100 respondents!  The pie chart below breaks-out  the percentage  for each procrastination style.  

  • Many respondents indicated their procrastination style was a combination of styles.
  • The largest group of respondents were Dreamers, followed by Crisis-makers, then Perfectionists.  

  • 25% of  respondents were male; 75% female

  • The only category that appeared to have a correlation related to gender was defier.  A greater percentage of males were defiers than females.




























  • 44% of the respondents were under 30
  • 39% of the respondents were over 50
  • Over-givers crossed all age groups except 20 and under.


Although different forces drive each procrastination style, structure is the one tool that helps keep any procrastinator on track.  Scheduling and tracking your writing time on your calendar can increase your productivity.  Start with manageable time expectations--something you know you can achieve.  This sets the stage to keep your personal commitments.   Slowly build your time commitment.  This structure will keep you focused.  

Try this for two or three weeks, and see if it impacts your writing.  I'd love to hear from anyone who tries this strategy or already schedules their writing time.



Mary Jo Guglielmo is writer and intuitive life coach. For more information check out:

http://facebook.com/DoNorth.biz  

What's Your Procrastination Style?

Are you struggling to finish a manuscript?  Maybe you have a dream to be published and you know what you want to write, but you’re not making any progress. If this sounds like you, it's likely you are procrastinating.  
If you are feeling frozen, it's useful to spend some time considering what’s behind your procrastination. Identifying what’s in your way, can help get you moving.  In Dr. Linda Sapadin’s book, It’s About Time!: The Six Styles of Procrastination and How to Overcome Them, she discusses procrastinator types.  The following is a quick overview:
  1.  The perfectionist – They don’t finish projects because they need to be perfect and if it’s not done than it can’t be imperfect.
  2. The Dreamer – It can be fun to dream about doing something, but actually having to do the work and focus on details is another story.
  3. The Worrier –  This is living with the cup half empty.  Worriers fear change, they want to know the future.  What if the cup ends up empty?
  4. The Defier –  Does resistance to authority keep you from moving forward?  Do you resent being told what to do?  Many high school students who want to go away to school procrastinate filling out their college applications because their parents told them ‘to get it done’.
  5. The Crisis-Maker – Some people need to feel backed up against a deadline to get moving.  They feel most productive and alive when working in the overload mode.
  6. The Overdoer – I think a better name for this type of procrastinator is the Over-Giver.  It’s the person on every committee, the one always taking on the extra project.  An Over-Giver always has more to do than she has time for.  Did you notice I said “she”?  I think there are cultural messages that have created the Over-Giver.
Knowing your procrastination style can help you uncover the root of the problem and is often the first step towards changing your behavior.  So what type of procrastinator are you?
Once you analyzed your procrastination style, check out T. Forehand suggestions in a recent blog post on tips for overcoming procrastination.   In a follow-up post next month, I will share the results of the survey and provide specific suggestions for each type of procrastinator.

Mary Jo Guglielmo is writer and intuitive life coach. For more information check out:

http://facebook.com/DoNorth.biz  

Writing Challenges

With a novella due for inclusion in a seasonal anthology, I have to stop dithering and impel myself to write. At the start date I could have written 1000 words a week. Now I need to push out 1000 words a day--not too difficult for a regular writer, much more difficult for a beginner or inveterate procrastinator like me.

But serendipity as always came to the rescue and emails this week brought news of two challenging incentives ideal for the purpose.

Camp NanoWrimo is allocating virtual cabins with up to 11 fellow writers as from tomorrow. The joy of this Nanowrimo adventure  is that you choose your own project and word count, use their writing resources, and hopefully meet friends or new writing friends along the way.

You have from now till April 1 to plan your project and get ready for the off.  I have in the past been a Nanowrimo winner but the November effort totally exhausted me. This is far more doable.

To prepare for the off, I recommend joining Lazette Gifford's Forward Motion for WritersSadly we are too late to sign up for her free two year course for novelists--have to wait now till 2015--but there is still one remaining five day March Challenge from March 26-30. You can sign on at several levels and aim for higher wordcounts but I've started at Level One and 1000 words a day. Just post your wordcount per day or at the end of the challenge.

The site is full of writing help, resources and support and well worth a visit.

Camp Nanowrimo
http://campnanowrimo.org/news 

Camp Manual and fun introductory questionnaire
http://campnanowrimo.org/news/the-camp-manual-choosing-your-own-adventure

Forward Motion for Writers
http://www.fmwriters.com/zoomfm/

And if you're a committed procrastinator like me, start by reading (or rereading) Terri Forehand's WOTM article on beating procrastination.

www.writersonthemove.com/2014/03/beating-procrastination-and-increasing.html




 Anne Duguid is a freelance content editor with MuseItUp Publishing and she passes on helpful writing,editing and publishing tips from time to time at Slow and Steady Writers 


Matching Actions with Goals

We are well into the second month of 2013 and it is time to get very serious as well as professional about writing goals and the actions that make them happen before too much time elapses in 2013.

We all know that it is most productive to shave down our writing goals to the top three, maybe four for the first half of the year. We understand that too many goals will lead to frustration because it will interfere with our productivity and set us up for failure.

 We are all professionals and we also know that it takes action to make our goals come true but often our actions may not line up with our goals. How this happens is simple, life gets in the way.

So my advice to you and mainly to myself is to re-evaluate goals vs. action steps. When we do this we can change our productivity and ultimately the results of all our writing efforts.

This is what to look for when analyzing goals and actions. Ask yourself :
  • Are your writing goals specific, measurable, and attainable?
  • Do your action steps move you towards your goal?
  • What actions can you delegate or even delete?
  • How much of what you do is busy work that may actually be disguised as procrastination? ( Bingo.... A light bulb just went on in my office space)
If you can answer these questions with honesty and make the necessary changes to your writing habits you may well be on the way to publishing another great work.

Honestly we only have so many hours in any given day. Being flexible enough to allow life to happen but controlling how we spend much of our time will make our actions align with our goals in a more productive way.

Blogging for instance may not be the best use of time if you have nothing ready for submission. Revising the first paragraphs of a beginning story trying for perfection when you don't have a well rounded character, a conflict important to the reader, or any idea where the story might fit in the market place may make having the perfect beginning paragraph worthless to your goal.

My goal is to be a published children's writer. But I also want to publish magazine articles. My third goal is to make money with my writing. Blogging for pay is an action step that lines up with goal number three. Researching and writing on my children's book is an action step for goal number one. Researching for articles in the quilting arena fits my second goal.  Creating new blogs that don't directly relate to the three goals would be non-productive at this stage and clearly for me allows me to procrastinate so I am deleting those for the time being.

This is how I see myself in the middle of month two of 2013. I need to realign my actions with my goals. How are you feeling about your actions and your goals? Whether you are an expert author or just beginning your writing career,  it is never a waste of time to re-evaluate where you are going and how you are going to get there. And whatever you do, keep writing.

Terri Forehand writes stories for children, health related articles for a variety of blogs, and is the author of The Cancer Prayer Book and The ABC's of Cancer According to Lilly Isabella Lane. Living in Nashville Indiana with her husband she finds the beauty of nature there gives way to procrastination. Visit her blog at www.terri-forehand.blogspot.com or her website at www.terriforehand.webnode.com

How Do I Procrastinate?


I hereby dub myself “Queen of the Procrastinators.” How do I procrastinate? Let me count the ways.

Instead of working on my WIP:

·         * Yesterday I baked bread.
·        *  Today I cleaned my keyboard.
·        *  Once I even cleaned my stove!
·        *  I go grocery shopping.
·        *  I check e-mail.
·        *  I have lunch.
·           *  I do dishes.
And on and on…

I even took a class on procrastination once. No, not how to, but how to avoid doing it. I think I need to re-read my notes!

One thing the instructor recommended was to make an appointment with yourself. Every day from 9 to 10 a.m. (or whatever time you designate) I will write. Period. Nothing should interfere with this appointment. This is creating a habit, and most likely you will end up working longer, because you’ll find you’re on a roll.

Reward yourself for doing this. Even something that seems as silly as putting a sticker on your calendar each day that you write is a huge thing. I did this a few years ago and I found that if I had a day that interfered with my writing and I couldn’t put up a sticker, I was disappointed. I became determined to fill my calendar with stickers every day (except Sunday. It’s OK to give yourself permission to take a day off).

Some writers set a daily word goal. And maybe the reward for that is to check e-mail AFTER you’ve accomplished this goal. Or to go for a walk (that results in a number of rewards, mentally and physically). Or meet someone for coffee.

How do you procrastinate? And how do you overcome it?

~~~~~
Heidi M. Thomas
 

End procrastination and get started on your writing project today


End Procrastination in Just Seven Minutes

Procrastination is an insidious habit that makes you feel as if you are accomplishing things while you remain stuck, paralyzed by fear and anxiety.  At some point, most of us procrastinate about writing.  Many people procrastinate about starting a diet or beginning an exercise plan.  It is very easy to say that you are going to start writing that new article tomorrow.  The trouble is that tomorrow never comes but your feelings of powerlessness, shame, and guilt stay with you in your subconscious mind.

There is hope!  The first step to ending procrastination is to focus precisely on what you have been procrastinating about.  Make a list of all the things you have been avoiding.  Allow this task to be simple and liberating. Remember, you are simply writing down all of the things you are avoiding. You are not requiring yourself to take any action steps right now.

Choose one item that you procrastinate about that causes you the most pain.  Perhaps you chronically procrastinate about writing an ebook and long to get your work published.  Make a decision to stop procrastinating about your writing today and get started on your dream life.  Obtain a kitchen timer or set the timer of your cell phone for seven minutes.  Write for seven minutes or until the timer goes off.  I guarantee that the first three minutes will be the most difficult.  Your mind and body will urge you to quit.  Observe how something truly magical happens around minute number four.  You feel yourself start to get into the flow. Fully experience this feeling of flow and be aware that you accomplishing this task.  Use the seven-minute timer to jump start any area of your life in which you find yourself procrastinating.


Aileen McCabe-Maucher is the author of the book "The Inner Peace Diet" which was published by Penguin Books and released in December 2008. Aileen is a licensed clinical social worker and psychotherapist who has helped many people find inner peace and discover their unique life purpose. Aileen has worked for over fifteen years as a licensed psychotherapist and registered nurse providing individual and group counseling to a diverse client population. She is a graduate of West Chester University, Widener University, University of Delaware, and The Gestalt Therapy Institute of Philadelphia at Bryn Mawr College. Aileen studied yoga and the chakra system at The Yoga Lifestyle Center in Paoli, Pennsylvania and is currently pursuing a doctorate at the University of Pennsylvania and writing her third book.


To sign up for Aileen's completely free Inner Peace Diet ecourse, please visit www.aileenmccabe.com


"How to Set Writing Goals with a Family," by Mayra Calvani

“Nothing has a stronger influence
psychologically on their environ-
ment and especially on their children
than the unlived life of the parent.”
--C. G. Jung


You want to start your career as a writer, and you have young kids at home. How do you find the time to write and actually produce something while your children ask you for sandwiches, demand you play with them, or refuse to take a nap. Writing with kids at home isn’t easy, but it can be done.

The following are 7 tips to setting writing goals with a family:

Be realistic

If you set your goals too high, you’ll crash and you’ll be left with feelings of failure, frustration and bitterness. This will have a strong impact on the way you feel about yourself as a mom and wife, and will affect the time you spend with your loved ones. Face it, unless you have a nanny, you won’t have a lot of free time until your kids are old enough to go to pre-school. If you’re not able to set your writing goal to one hour a day, or even half an hour, what about 15 minutes? Start small. Take baby steps. Persistence is vital: If you stick to it, a lot can be accomplished in just 15 minutes a day over a long period of time. In 15 minutes, you can plot a scene, profile or interview a character, write dialogue, do research on a specific topic for your book, etc. Everybody can set aside 15 minutes of writing time.

Get organized

This is the key to succeed! Buy a planner or calendar and schedule your week in advance every Sunday. This way, come Monday morning, you’ll know what to do. What’s the best time to set aside those 15 minutes? Does your child take a morning or afternoon nap? Do you have the type of child who would be happy playing in a playpen by himself while you write? Could you hire a teenager to look after your child twice a week for an hour, while you write in the next room? Perhaps you know other moms who are in a similar situation and who would be interested in taking turns taking care of the kids? Brainstorm various possibilities. When there’s a will, there’s a way.

Stay flexible

You might not always be able to follow your daily writing goals. You know what? That’s perfectly fine. Life often gets in the way. In fact, it feels as if life always gets in the way when you have a family, doesn’t it? The planner is there to keep you motivated, focused, and steered in the right direction. But those words aren’t set in stone. If you can’t meet your writing goal for that day, just try to get back in track the next. Pat yourself on the back and tell yourself, “I tried my best.” It’s like with a diet. You don’t have to quit the whole diet just because you broke it one day by eating pizza.

Be consistent

Books are made of words, sentences, paragraphs. Depending on how fast a writer or how inspired you are, you can write words, sentences and even a whole paragraph or paragraphs in 15 minutes. The key here is to keep doing it regularly over a long period of time. You have heard it many times: write a page a day, and one year later you have a 365-page book.

Stop procrastinating

If only I had more time!
I’ll write when my kids start school.
I’m always so busy!
When I’ll retire, that’s when I’ll write that book.

Blah, blah, blah. Listen: there’s never a perfect or right time to write. You just have to stop whining and you have to do it. Why leave for later what you can start doing now? Life is short and unpredictable. You have no control over the future. But you have control over the now.

Love yourself

You work hard. You’re always there for your children, husband, parents, relatives and friends. Why is it that you so often forget about yourself? Treat yourself like a precious jewel. And I’m not talking about being selfish—though being a little selfish is often the best thing you can do to be able to give yourself to others. Reward your accomplishments, however small. When you love yourself, you’ll find the time to set aside those writing times because you know your goals and dreams are important. When you do what’s important to you, you feel accomplished and fulfilled emotionally and intellectually. When this happens, you’re able to give yourself to your family without reservations. Mostly importantly, the quality of those family moments will increase because you won’t resent them.

Set Your Priorities

How badly to do want to become an established author? Can you live with your home not being spotless or dust-free at all times? Or with letting the laundry accumulate once in a while? Because this is exactly what will happen once you’ve made your decision of becoming an author. You’ll face times when you’ll have to choose between writing or doing the laundry. I’m not saying you should neglect your family and put your writing first. What I’m saying is you don’t have to be a ‘super’ mom at all times.

You have the potential to make your dreams come true. But you have to believe in them and you have to follow a plan. You also have to make them a priority in your life. Keeping these tips in mind will help you achieve your dreams and become a happier writer. As I always say, a happy writer is a happy mama.

© Copyright 2011 Mayra Calvani.

 Mayra Calvani writes fiction and nonfiction for children and adults.  Her nonfiction work, The Slippery Art of Book Reviewing was a ForeWord Best Book of the Year Award winner. She’s had over 300 stories, articles, interviews and reviews published. Visit her website at www.MayraCalvani.com. For her children’s books, visit www.MayrasSecretBookcase.com

4 Ways Writers Can Replace Procrastination With Action

I am a procrastinator. That's not a great trait for a writer. So for my fellow procrastinators out there, here are some things you can try to replace procrastination with action.


  1. Stop trying to find time to write and make time I work a full-time job. After that job ends (and sometimes during) I'm responsible for the care, keeping and schedules of two non-licensed teenagers. Oh, did I mention I'm married, so there's also husband's needs in the mix too? Finding a consistent time is difficult. So I decided that when I have 15-20 minutes, I'll write. I can't always wait for an hour, but that's okay. I write when the time presents itself. 
  2. Just write it down Sometimes I avoid writing because I'm just not enjoying the words in my head. Consequently, I avoid writing them down. One day I read somewhere that those words were blocking the good ones. If we write down the words we don't like, it opens up our mind for better words to pour forth. So write them down and get them out of the way.
  3. Give yourself a prize Who doesn't love a treat? Motivate yourself with a small treat for each day you actually put words on paper. It works for me. Try it!
  4. Be accountable I let my accountability partner know when I'm supposed to be writing. She then has the right to quiz me to see if I stuck with my commitment. I don't want to lie to her or disappoint her, so  I make myself write. If you don't have an accountability partner, I urge you to find one.
My last piece of advice is this: Don't fail prey to the procrastination bug and not implement any of these tips. They are easy and worthwhile. You'll be glad you took action.


Marietta Taylor is an author and speaker. She is the author ofSurviving Unemployment:Devotions to Go. Marietta is a monthly blogger at the Go ask Mom Blog at www.wral.com. Her tagline is Mom of Teens. She was also a contributing author to Penned From The Heart Vol XV. Marietta has a bachelor's degree in Biology from the University of Illinois-Chicago. Visit Marietta at www.mariettataylor.net or www.marismorningroom.blogspot.com or email her at maritaylor@mariettataylor.net.

Get Organized For Less Stress!


 One of my writing friends likes to say, "The dirty dishes never seem so important as when I am struggling to write." I know what she means -- when facing the blank page or empty Word document, or when I'm 200 words into my writing for the day and already feeling as empty as my car's gasoline tank, it seems like anything else would be more appealing than staying there in front of my computer screen typing or pressing my pen again and again to the notebook page. When that time comes, and the dirty dishes call, it is best to ignore them. Stay put. Butt-in-chair. Keep writing. In the writing manual Ron Carlson Writes a Story, he urges that this is when the magic happens -- when you push through the distractions and stay there in the story.

But, after my writing time is over for the day, I'm going to attack those dirty dishes. When I get home, instead of collapsing immediately on the couch, I'm going to take ten seconds to hang up my jacket, put away all the groceries, place my keys in that little dish by the door so I can find them the next day. This year, I am going to get -- and stay -- organized. That is the gift I am giving myself to cut back on stress, to make an already busy semester less hectic than it needs to be.

When my surroundings are neat and free of clutter, my mind feels less cluttered, too. I feel calmer. And the funny thing is, once you get organized, it is easier to stay organized -- it just takes a few minutes every day to keep that way. And really, how much harder is it for me to file that important paper away in my file cabinet than to set it on the kitchen table, where it will continue to take up my mental space before getting lost or buried underneath other stuff, alluding me when I am frantically looking for it weeks later? Answer: actually a heck of a lot easier to just file it away from the get-go.

Today, in between working on my novel, going to the gym, and preparing my lesson plans for the week, I am going to take half an hour to clean out my backpack and purse. I am going to sort through the papers scattered on my desk and kitchen table. I am going to make a list for the grocery store instead of winging it and forgetting something I need.

I am going to get organized, and stay that way! Will you join me?

Dallas Woodburn is the author of two award-winning collections of short stories and editor of Dancing With The Pen: a collection of today's best youth writing. Her short fiction has been nominated for a Pushcart Prize three years in a row and her nonfiction has appeared in a variety of national publications including Family Circle, Writer's Digest, The Writer, and The Los Angeles Times. She is the founder of Write On! For Literacy and Write On! Books Youth Publishing Company and is currently pursuing her Master's degree in Fiction Writing at Purdue University, where she teaches undergraduate writing courses and serves as Assistant Fiction Editor of Sycamore Review.

Audio Books – Make Your Own or Hire It Out

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