What Are You Waiting For?

Five romance novels, seven extra pounds, a stack of magazines, dirty kitchen cabinets, a messy office, winter shoes, a manuscript to polish, my daughter's drive time to qualify for her license--last week I stared down many things I planned to "get to" at some point last month. Yeah, my life has been crazy lately (what's new?) with extra responsibilities and not enough time or energy for the regular routine, let alone the additional tasks. But did that mean I should completely give up? Pretend the to-do's on my list didn't exist?

Of course not!

I'd read a book on organizing my life earlier in the year, and some of the advice roared back. Life wasn't going to accommodate me with big chunks of time. I was going to have to chip away at the issues.

The first thing I did was ask myself what was bothering most on the list? Easy! Two things jumped out at me.

1. My weight
2. My manuscript

Next up?

3. Drive time for my daughter
4. Romance novels (I'd agreed to read each of them)
5. Everything else

I work on my manuscript every weekday, but I mapped out a clear end date with target goals for the remaining steps I needed to take to finish it. As for my weight, I want to be toned, so I committed to twenty minutes of exercise six days a week.

Then I smooshed the other things into the days I don't have to drive my son to baseball or my daughter to track. A few of them I haven't gotten to yet (winter shoes and dirty kitchen cabinets might wait a long time), but I feel so much better now that I'm making progress, I'm okay with having a few danglers!

Sometimes I get behind because life overwhelms me, but when I make a plan and tackle things a little here a little there, they get done. We don't have to wait for a huge block of free time. Let's face it, that big old hunk of time might not happen for months! The slowly-but-surely method works great. Try it!

What are you waiting for?

Have a terrific weekend!!

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Writing Goals: The Summer Push

January and September are my ideal months for setting writing goals, but July? The only goals I can wrap my head around involve ice-cream and sleep!

I recently put the final polish on another book, and the last thing I want to think about is setting an aggressive writing goal. However, a few mini-goals will rejuvenate my creativity between now and fall.

If you're considering setting a short-term, summer writing goal, try the following steps.

1. Determine your commitment level.

Many of my friends are attending ACFW's annual conference mid-September. This automatically raises the commitment level. Aim for a higher goal if you have a concrete deadline and reason to meet the goal. If you've recently wrapped an intense project and don't have deadlines looming, your commitment level should be lower.

2. Be honest about the time you can reasonably spend.

Sure, we can say we'll spend one hour every night and four hours each Saturday morning working on our book, but summer has a way of subtracting hours we thought were available. Mid-week picnics, baby showers, weddings, impromptu tickets to a ball game--there is nothing wrong with enjoying these! Just check your planner BEFORE you set the goal. And, please, don't eliminate the little things that bring so much joy, like watching the sun go down from your deck.

3. Determine what one goal would rock your world if you accomplished it this summer.

Maybe you've been writing the final ten-thousand words of your manuscript for six months. Or you just can't bring yourself to start revising the book you finished drafting last winter. It could be social media--you've been meaning to set up a blog or a Facebook page, but something holds you back. Now is a great time to move past your roadblocks and get going. Build momentum now and you'll be flying when the weather cools.

4. Creativity is like exercise. You don't have to go full throttle every minute, but you do have to keep moving.

Small kids at home forcing you to set your manuscript aside for the time being? Vacations eating into every free moment? Make goals to read, journal, explore--anything related to writing.

My summer writing goals?
- Catch up on reading (Reading great fiction improves my writing.)
- Study one new writing craft book
- Brainstorm story ideas
- Free-writing (I rarely free-write when I'm working on a book.)

If you're a writer, do you set summer goals? What project can you push for the next two months?

Have a great day!

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Preparing for Sports Season Vlog

April is here, and with it, the crazy sports' schedules of our two kids. I shuttle them to different activities all year round, but both kids gravitate toward spring/summer sports, so it gets intense this time of year.

I am not complaining, though! Allowing our kids to be involved with things they enjoy is a privilege I'm thankful to give them.

So I have my own way of "training" for this busy season. Here is my latest webisode of the 2 Minute Resolutions series!

Preparing For Sports Season



What extra responsibilities does April bring for you?

Have a terrific weekend!!

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Sprucing Up the Office

I am blessed to have my own workspace at home, an entire room, all for me--it's my office. I have not always had my own room, but I've always managed to carve out a spot for my writing supplies. I'll be honest--I love having my own space!

When we bought our house last summer, the walls were dark purple with polka dots, and a High School Musical ceiling fan hung from the ceiling. I promptly painted the walls a nice peachy hue, and we replaced the fan (I'll miss you Troy!). Besides that, I hadn't done much in there. Although I used the office, it was getting unorganized and dusty, and I found myself spending more time on my laptop in our living room.

Last week, I decided enough was enough--we'd shoved Christmas wrapping paper and what-not in there, and it was time to claim my space. Mark my territory. Take back what was mine!

It's even a "corner office" with windows!

So I spent an hour moving the stuff that didn't belong there to where it did belong. I used plenty of Windex to make the surfaces sparkle. I even shopped in my basement for framed pictures to hang on the wall.

Mama needs lots of room to spread out when writing. Yes, Sophie is under the desk. :)

My old CD's--Usher and Rascal Flatts--kept me humming while I worked. And by the time I hung the last picture and vacuumed, I couldn't wait to start working in there again.

My new life motto, and a picture of the ocean I took on vacation years ago.

I love my office because I added all the little odds & ends that make me happy, like pictures of my kids and husband, and special cards that perk me up.

I keep my hoard of Staples office supplies in the big closet!

Candles, cute bins to organize things, and, of course, my bulletin board WITH CHOCOLATE attached all bring me pleasure.

Yes, my bulletin board has actual chocolate truffles pinned to the board. :)

My husband bought me a pretty shelf, and I organized all my books about writing on it.

Phone, modem, and writing books--all within easy reach!

Having a large, pretty, organized space is such a tremendous blessing. I'm excited to head in there each day and do my thing--with chocolate of course!

What is your writing space like? Do you love it? If not, is there any way to make it more inviting? 

Have a fabulous day!

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