Guard Your Writing Time!

24 Hours - 1,440 Minutes - 86,400 Seconds - That’s what we have each day. Life is busy and hectic, and there are lots of obligations and distractions. Writers, you need to guard your writing time. It is so easy to fill up time with other things. If you’re going to be a productive writer, you need to write. Here are some ideas that help me.

1. Schedule your writing time. If it’s on my calendar, I am more likely to do it. This also keeps me from filling the space with other tasks.

2. Being a published author requires writing, editing, revising, book marketing, book promotions, blogs, websites, and events. The list goes on and on. It is easy to get lost in all the tasks. Your job is to write your next book. Make sure you balance all your writing work with life.

3. When I’m working on my first draft, I track my daily word count (on a Post-it). This helps me hit my daily goals. For me, the daily number is enough to keep me motivated.

4. I now schedule time in the mornings to do other writing tasks likes blogs, emails, website updates, and social media posts. I was blending this with my writing time, and I was doing more “other stuff” than writing.

5. When you get off track, don’t beat yourself up. Life happens, and it’s often messy. Just figure out how to get back on track.

6. Set goals for each day. They don’t have to be lofty. I attended a workshop recently by Dana Kaye and Sisters in Crime. She recommended that you have daily goals to keep you organized and focused.

7. When you don’t feel like writing, try to write something. When I hit a brick wall, sometimes, it’s easier to schedule social media posts or write a blog. If not, I do something else. Usually physical activity helps me clear my head and my roadblock.

How to Keep Your Writing Life Moving during the Pandemic

We are experiencing a unique and scary time. It’s hard on everyone. There’s isolation, loneliness, and disappointment, not to mention fear, stress, and anxiety.

I’m hearing from a lot of writers that they’re having a hard time getting motivated.

I think it’s important during this crisis to keep to a schedule or a routine if you can. Last week, I put makeup and shoes on for two video conferences and a trip for groceries. (Who knew going to the grocery store would be a dress-up occasion!)

Here are some ideas of helping with routines and schedules. I do better when I have a deadline.

1. Write when you feel like it. Try to do some writing every day.

2. Research and revisions count as writing work.

3. Work on blog posts or marketing ideas.

4. Reading in your genre counts as research.

5. Find ways to catch up with others. Video conferencing, phone calls, group chats, and social media are great ways to stay in contact. My two critique groups and my marketing group have moved to Google Hangouts or Zoom. My critique groups give me a monthly deadline, so that helps keep me on schedule.

6. Look for volunteer opportunities and ways to help others. There are many things that you can do from home. My neighborhood Facebook group puts out daily calls for neighbors in need. My church also has a network for people to request assistance. You can use your social media platforms to connect with people and to share information. My alumni association put out a call last week for members to submit thoughts and wishes for the Class of 2020 who had their senior year and celebrations cut short. There are lots of ways you can help.

Let me know what other ideas you have. Best wishes for you and your family! Be safe!

The Stuff I Research

Recently, I’ve done a lot of interviews for blogs and promotions for my latest Delanie Fitzgerald mystery, Glitter, Glam, and Contraband. One question that I’m asked a lot is how much research do you do for fiction Surprisingly, it’s a lot. (And I love the research quest part of the writing journey.)

For this book, I did a lot of research on the care and feeding of poisonous reptiles (enough to give myself the heebie jeebies — And now snakes keep appearing in pop-up ads on my social media sites.) I also did a lot of research of banned species in Virginia. Many thanks to the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries. They have a wealth of information on their site. I interviewed several people who raise snakes or exotic fish.

I had never been to a drag show, so I went with my writer pals, Rosemary Shomaker, Fiona Quinn, and Tina Glasneck. We went to Godfrey’s in Richmond, VA for a fabulous brunch. The entertainers were very helpful when they found out we were mystery writers.

There is also a time capsule/corner stone in the story, and I did a lot of research on what goes into these and what happens to them. So what happens if someone puts something in one that shouldn’t be there?

Right now, I’m working on a short story set around the Church Hill neighborhood in Richmond. In the 1920s, the railroad was repairing and expanding a tunnel in the neighborhood when there was a cave-in. It killed several workers. They and the train were trapped inside. After several days of failed rescue/recovery attempts, the railroad sealed the tunnel. And to this day, it’s still sealed as the final resting place of the workers and the train. There are lots of local legends and stories about the tragedy. Some are even tied to the Richmond Vampire. I’ve driven past the site hundreds of times, and I didn’t realize it was there. I’m fascinated with the lore around the history of the event. Reporter Mark Holmberg has done many stories on the site through the years, and I spent hours reading articles and posts and watching videos.

My story in the newest Mutt Mystery, “The Fast and Furious” (March 2020) takes place at a fictional racetrack. I had to do some research on cars, car parts, and NASCAR short track races. My husband rebuilds classic cars, and I got the idea for the murder weapon when he dragged me to the auto parts store. The newest story, “Strut Your Mutt,” is a dog show caper. I had to do a lot of research on the dog show world, pet chipping, and social media influencers.

So even though the stories and characters are fictional, a lot of research goes into making the story believable and real. I want to get the details correct and make the mystery/murder plausible. If you’re a writer, check out Fiona Quinn’s blog, Thrill Writing. She helps writers get it right.

Whew! I Didn't Realize How Much Marketing Authors Do

My debut novel launched this month. Whoo hooo! I planned a launch celebration and did interviews, author spotlights, and guest blog posts for 27 sites. I did a Facebook hop, a Goodreads give-away, a radio interview, and a podcast interview. And I'm just getting started. I have book signings and presentations scheduled through October. Whew! I also work a full-time job, so I've learned to balance it all.

When I started writing, I didn't realize how much marketing was required of authors. It has been a rush of activity (especially with all the other things going on at the same time), but it has been fun.

Here's what I did and how I attempted to stay organized...

1. I have a calendar for book events and marketing deadlines. I carry it with me and update it faithfully.

2. I track my marketing efforts to give me data to see what types of activities increased social media followers, blog/website traffic, and book sales. It will help me when I plan other marketing campaigns.

3. I also make a conscious effort not to devote all of my time to marketing. I have to make sure that I carve out writing time because ultimately, my job is to write the next book.

4. Since I work during the week, I block social media time to keep up with the comments, tweets, and other interactions. I do about thirty minutes in the mornings and about ninety minutes in the evenings. I make lists in Facebook and Twitter, so it helps me keep up customized newsfeeds.

5. I did a lot of guest blog posts for this launch, and I wanted each one to be different. Before I started, I made a list of themes and unique items in my book. That gave me a good list of blog topics. I did one on the Sears and Roebuck catalog house that my sleuth lives in, a day in the life of my character, a tribute to the 80s, a list of every-day spy gadgets, and an homage to Nancy Drew.

While it has been a whirlwind of activity over the last few months, it has been tremendous fun. And I look forward to this summer and fall's events!