IT NEVER GETS DONE (HOLLY SCHINDLER)
I've got two books releasing this year:
THE JUNCTION OF SUNSHINE AND LUCKY (MG, February),
and FERAL (YA, August).
...Which means I'm reinventing my author site, organizing two blog tours, sending copies for review, participating in online chats and discussions, designing giveaways...and writing my next books. Large jobs to be sure--and a short month (February) can only add to the pressure to GET IT ALL DONE.
If you look at writerly jobs in big chunks (promote THE JUNCTION, write my next YA), you go nuts. Which is why I love my planner. It forces me to look at small, daily jobs (send out two JUNCTION giveaways, update tour dates, read 50 pages of first-pass pages for FERAL, type edits for first two chapters of next MG).
I miss the deep-breath feeling of ending a semester. It was such a great feeling driving away from a college campus after the last final had been taken knowing EVERYTHING was finished. There is no real "finished" feeling in your professional life--just one task that winds up bleeding into the next, the next.
But that's another reason why I love my planner--when I go to bed each night, I can see what I've accomplished each day, and can rest assured that I'm on track. And I love knowing that the next day will be equally full...
...Which means I'm reinventing my author site, organizing two blog tours, sending copies for review, participating in online chats and discussions, designing giveaways...and writing my next books. Large jobs to be sure--and a short month (February) can only add to the pressure to GET IT ALL DONE.
If you look at writerly jobs in big chunks (promote THE JUNCTION, write my next YA), you go nuts. Which is why I love my planner. It forces me to look at small, daily jobs (send out two JUNCTION giveaways, update tour dates, read 50 pages of first-pass pages for FERAL, type edits for first two chapters of next MG).
I miss the deep-breath feeling of ending a semester. It was such a great feeling driving away from a college campus after the last final had been taken knowing EVERYTHING was finished. There is no real "finished" feeling in your professional life--just one task that winds up bleeding into the next, the next.
But that's another reason why I love my planner--when I go to bed each night, I can see what I've accomplished each day, and can rest assured that I'm on track. And I love knowing that the next day will be equally full...
Yay for your busy year! I am enjoying JUNCTION very much... about halfway in. :)
ReplyDeleteYay back 'atcha! THRILLED you're enjoying THE JUNCTION...Thanks, Irene...
DeleteCongratulations on so much success. Breaking down big jobs into doable chunks is a great idea. One thing that works for me is to make small to-do lists for the next day. I review it before going to bed; then as soon as I get up. It's amazing how that works...as long as I do it. Also amazing how easy it is to NOT do this. Doable chunks reminds me of Anne Lamott's one-inch-picture frame, too.
ReplyDeleteI love the to-do lists...Really helps diminish the overwhelmed feeling!
DeleteDo you keep a physical planner or online? And is it like a calendar or to-do lists? My to do lists are overwhelming me these days, and I would love some guidance!
ReplyDeleteI do physical planners rather than online (there's something about physically crossing an item off a list with thick black ink that's sooo satisfying)! And I have both a calendar and to-do lists...I always try to be realistic about my daily to-dos, and if something has to be moved to the top of the next day's to-do list, I don't punish myself--I just look through my calendar to see how it'll all play out. (So my calendar actually helps my to-do lists, if that makes sense...)
Delete