Finding Time to Write (#IWSG) & #BOTB winner

   Are you feeling a bit insecure?  Want to talk about it?


Join us on the first Wednesday of each month in Alex J. Cavanaugh's Insecure Writer's Support Group--a forum of writers who gather to talk about writing and the writer's life. For a complete list of participants visit Alex's Blog. 







How do you find the time to write in your busy day?

      I've got to admit that I've grown pretty lax about writing over the past couple of years. When it comes to writing I haven't been finding the time to do it.  It's not that the time isn't available, but I've been using my time to do other things.  Still, I have some advice on finding more time to write.

• Keep the television off
• Forget household chores
• Don't get caught up in conversations and activities with other people
• Stay home and focus on the writing
• Stop blogging!
• Avoid surfing the internet
• Skip naps and don't sleep much at night
• If it's not writing then don't do it

     Okay, so maybe that's going overboard, but it might work.  Or it might not.  In fact, probably not in the end.  If I had to give all these things up then I guess I'd give up writing.   As with all things, moderation is the secret of successful living.

Battle of the Bands Results

      My most recent Battle of the Bands contest featured the song "El Listón de Tu Pelo" with versions by Julieta Venegas and Denise Gutiérrez (with backing by Los Angeles Azules).   My concern that the hip-hop style intro of the Venegas version might be a turn-off to voters proved to be unfounded with that version turning out to be the runaway favorite.  

      While I did like the Julieta Venegas version a great deal, my preference was the eclectic mash-up of orchestra, cumbia band, and alt rock vocals from Denise Gutiérrez.  There are a number of these collaborative videos available on YouTube so it's likely that I be using more of them in the future.  Maybe next time the collaboration will pull off a win.  This time not so much.

Final Vote Tally

Julieta Venegas        20 votes 

Denise Gutiérrez      10 votes


Next Battle of the Bands on Thursday September 15th

         My next Battle of the Bands post will be a bit ironic considering my thoughts about this last one.  You'll see what I mean when that battle comes, but I'll also explain myself then.  The songs I'll be using--there will be two different songs--will tell stories relating to similar concepts.   In a way this upcoming battle will be kind of a writer's battle to make up for my own lack of writing of late.  Maybe I'll get inspired to write something between then and now.

          To close out this post I leave you with an English language song by Denise Gutiérrez with her alt rock group Hello Seahorse!.  The first 12 seconds are silent so hang in there.   I guess they're dealing with some irony in the beginning of the video.  Hope you enjoy it.

       How's your own writing been going?   Have you ever gotten mired down in distracted ennui that keeps you from doing what you probably should be doing?   If you listened to the Hello Seahorse! video, what did you think?

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Ask Arlee & Battle of the Bands Winner

 Needed for inforbox User:Titodutta/userboxes/Busy Wikipedia Editor
(Photo credit: Wikipedia)

         I'm still taking questions for my occasional "Ask Arlee" feature here on Tossing It Out.   If you have a question you'd like to pose to me then leave it in the comment section.   I still have plenty of questions from previous calls, but it's nice to get some interesting new ones.

         The question I'm addressing in this post comes from Buck at Buck Inspire.
     

bucksaver said... ...Arlee, "How do you keep blogging when your schedule gets busier than normal?" Thanks!
February 25, 2013 

           That's a question that many of us struggle with and something I touched on in my previous post.   Many of us have busy enough lives without adding social media into the mix.  Blogging is often just a part of a social media regimen that can suck up hours if we don't keep things in check.  If you're like me you probably go beyond the time you intend to spend on activities such as blogging and other social interactions.

            It all has to come down to priorities.  To me family matters have to come first--these are the people who mean a great deal to me and the ones I deal with directly on a regular basis.   Blogging has its place in my life and there are a few approaches I use to make blogging fit more easily into my regular schedule even if busier than normal.

             Here are some of my suggestions:

• Write posts in advance as much as you are able.  
• Keep a few non-time-sensitive posts in reserve in case you have to throw something up quickly.
• Maintain a list of blog post ideas that will help you compose posts more quickly.   A brief outline or list of discussion points for each topic can help greatly.
• If you are overwhelmed in your schedule, write short posts.   Avoid trivialities as much as you can so your readers can still feel rewarded or have something they can relate to.
• Avoid posts that require a lot of research and searching for links to add.
• Write about personal topics that can be composed quickly, but still be of interest to many readers.
• Sometimes you might have to cut back on visiting other blogs.  This may cut down on the comments on your own blog, but there's only so much time in each day.  You can't spend what you don't have without having to pay for it later and time cannot be recouped.

       Yeah, I might be stating the obvious here, but if this helps someone then it's worth my time to put it up in this post.

We Have a BOTB Winner!

          My last Battle of the Bands installment pitted the original version of "It's My Life" by Talk Talk against the remake by Gwen Stefani and No Doubt.  Both versions are quite good and the voting outcome bears this out.

           It was another close one.

           I think the remake is excellent.   I had heard Stefani's version recently as part of the piped in music line-up in some business establishment I was visiting.   Not knowing who it was, but recognizing the song, I researched it on Google and decided this might be a pretty good Battle match-up.

            There's nothing wrong with Stefani's version of "It's My Life"--it rocks--however I still prefer the original sound of Talk Talk's version of the song.  That's where my vote goes--Talk Talk.   Still it was not enough to bring them a win.   No Doubt nudged ahead for the victory.

Final Outcome:

 Talk Talk             15

Gwen Stefani and No Doubt   16

Stay Tuned for the Next Battle

        On Wednesday October 15th I'll have another one of those Battles that may provoke some controversy.   It's a weird one, but Halloween is coming soon and it's a time to be weird.

        How do you find time to social network without interfering with the other aspects of your life?   Have you cut back on blogging activities?   Do you have any suggestions for finding more time for blogging?

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#IWSG: How Can I Find the Time to Do Everything I Want to Do?

        Another A to Z accomplished and now to jump right into our insecurities as writers as we join Alex J. Cavanaugh's Insecure Writer's Support Group.   I'm not too keen about focusing on my writing insecurities after successfully completing my 26 A to Z posts on all four of my blogs with a few additional posts on the A to Z Blog.  But I'll be reflecting more on the A to Z Challenge this coming Friday May 3rd right here on Tossing It Out.  For more information about the annual Blogging from A to Z Challenge Reflections Post please visit the A to Z Blog.

         So what insecurities to bring up today?  Let me delve back to my post from February 25th of this year.    At that time I announced my intent to start a Wednesday series called "Ask Arlee" and requested that readers submit questions to which I might offer my solutions.   Now that April is done and we are back to normal in a sense, I will resume this feature.  And today being Wednesday we'll start with a question that I get a bit insecure about myself.

         This dilemma comes from Julie Anne Nelson, Young Adult Author:

All right, here's my question:

How do I find time to do the business/marketing side of writing when I am already working two full-time jobs with the job that supports me and the writing that creates the books?

(I am also starting a garden this year and getting a new puppy... neither of which is negotiable... although I do see some comical dichotomies in those two events. Mental note: must put fences around the garden... or the puppy... or both.) :) 

        

       Oh boy, this hits straight home on one of the problems that seems to continually vex me. There's never enough time in the day to do everything I need to do and would like to get done and still have time to watch a movie now and then or take a really adequate afternoon nap. I don't know how anyone with a full time job (let alone two jobs!) can take on writing and life in general. You add in the business/marketing side and you've got more than seems feasible.

Prioritize

      It almost seems trivial to mention prioritizing things, but I know that's what I need to do in my life. I'm sure you're probably prioritizing already. The regular job is a must unless you can find some other kind of income flow or the writing really breaks loose in a big way. Gardens and puppies are probably good to maintain your sanity and keep balance in your life.

Schedule

       If you haven't tried making a list or schedule to see where your time is going then that might be an approach to take. Maybe you're losing some time or even wasting it somewhere. I keep intending to do this list thing, but procrastination is one of my big enemies along with the issue of available time. You can't add any hours to your day, but maybe you can juggle things around to create more efficient time use.

Delegate

      Another good solution is delegating work to others. Recruit whoever you can to help with the garden, the puppy, household duties, or whatever. I don't know your circumstances, but you might be able to take some of the burden off yourself and let some kind souls in your life circle to help you out. Especially if it might mean that you may become rich and famous one day, they might be more than willing to share in your success.

Organize

     The business/marketing end is where the social networking comes into play so nicely. Initially you may have to invest a bit of time getting this aspect organized and honed to a greater precision. You already have your start with the blog and Facebook. If you get these tools along with Twitter, Goodreads, and an array of other networking media coordinated and automated wherever possible, then those should keep you in the web radar on a regular basis.

Network

      Don't forget your network of friends and fellow authors. It takes some time investment to build the platform, but it's time well spent. Once you've got a solid base of support out there, your friends can help with the marketing through tours, mentions, and whatever support they are willing to muster. Be sure to give back what you can in return, but don't just try to do it all on your own.

Fan Base

     Perhaps most importantly let your fans do a good part of your marketing for you. If you are turning out good product that readers like, they will be anxious to pick up on your next offering and to tell others about it. Maybe put out a newsletter for the fans and supporters to provide monthly updates of what's happening.

The Pay Off

     Sure, it all takes some time to do this. But it takes time to make time. What you invest now should pay off in the end if you've done it right. Maybe you know all of this already. If not I hope my suggestions help you. And since this post is for all of the readers, I hope it helps a number of you to consider your options. This applies to more things than just writing. Time is the nemesis we all face, but if we are able to manage it better, time can be our friend. Well, kind of a friend.

        Are you challenged by keeping your time managed well? Do you live by a strict schedule? What are some time saving tricks that you use in order to get more things done in your life?

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Time Management

Edison time clock (Photo credit: Anita363)

                In the comments for one of my earlier posts in this A to Z marketing series, Shelly from Second Hand Shoes requested, "I'm really liking your posts on marketing.  I'd like to see one on managing your time with marketing if you're a writer.   But you've probably already planned your posts for A to Z."

            Well, guess what--I'm not so good with time managementsometimes.   With four blogs entered in this year's Challenge in addition to my role as an A to Z co-host, I got a bit behind my intended schedule.  Two of of my blogs I finished ahead of time.  On Wrote By Rote I planned out all of my posts and finished about two-thirds of them.  On Tossing It Out I planned most of my topics ahead of time, but I've been writing as the Challenge progresses. 

            That being said, I think that I have an understanding of some good approaches to time management as do probably most of you.  Sometimes time management is easier said than done.  We all have things to do and other things that arise in our lives to hinder us from doing what we need to do.  Jobs, families, household responsibilities, friends, recreational opportunities...whew!--the list never seems to end.  How do we find the time for everything that must be done and still include writing or whatever the passion is that we truly want to pursue and the marketing that accompanies that pursuit?

           There will always be those things that throw us off schedule, but that doesn't mean we can't still maintain some kind of time management plan.   Time management may sound like an ordeal, but it doesn't have to be.  Here are some approaches you can try:

The Trip Schedule--  Treat your day like a journey.   Figure out your departure time and your arrival time and factor in all stops in between.   You can create accomplishment maps with stops along the way that represent the things you have to do.  Draw up a time table that outlines your stops in order to see where you have time to fill in.      
        
The Event Planner---Treat your book or special project like an event.  After all that's what it is.  Aim for a planned finish date and work backwards from that.  Be realistic and give yourself adequate time.  Make a list of everything that needs to be done and create a series of deadlines that you can check off as you go. 

The Daily Grind---  This is not so much of an analogy as it is a fact of life.  Our lives mostly run on some sort of schedule.  If you have a book to write, a quilt to sew, or something else that is your special life ambition on the side, then you have to figure out where in your schedule you are going to squeeze it.  Maybe you'll have to give up something else that you like to do.  Decide what your priorities are and make as much room as you need to attend to these priorities after the duties of the daily grind have been taken care of. 

             Let's face it.  Time is limited and there is not much you can do to change that.  However, you can make trade-offs to accommodate your dreams.  If you're spending too much time doing housework can you get help with it somehow?   If you're driving a two hour commute every day, can you car pool or take public transportation so you can follow some of your own pursuits in that time. 

              When you have something that you want to do that is outside of your normal daily life, you may have to make some sacrifices in order to do it.  What are you willing to give up?  Television shows, club-hopping, bridge night, or some other recreational activities?  How badly do you want to achieve your dreams and are your loved ones going to back you up on doing it? 

               There are always things in life that we want to do and other things that we must do.  The question we must always be ready to ask ourselves is what are we willing to give up in order to do what we must do?  After that we have to find the proper balance to make our dreams be fulfilled to the utmost without turning those dreams into nightmares.   In the end it's all about balance.

Speaking about Time:

One blog that sounds pretty involved with time is Living 2012: Every Minute--Every Hour--Every Day.  Actually Kathleen Medina is all about family and making the best of time with family.   She was also one of our A to Z Video Contest entrants and you can see her clever video here.

Ruby can be found at Blabbin' Grammy.   She could be listed under T for Texas, T for Tennessee since she was originally from the latter before moving to the Lone Star State.   But I can guarantee you that Ruby knows a thing or two about time--she sure knows how to fill up her days.  And she's been telling a great tale for her A to Z entries.  The 2012 A to Z is her third year participating in the April Challenge.

Another blog about time--as in having a good time--is Al's Penwasser Place.  I dare you to read one of Al's posts and keep a straight face.  You might think I should have featured Al's blog on P day--no, I'm not going to go there.  Let's stick with time--good time.

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