Work-Life Balance

The best bosses I've had at the day job understand and practice a work-life Balance. Even when pursuing a dream, that work-life balance is necessary. As writers, it's easy to forget that we need to balance work - our writing and life - time with friends, family, pets. There is also the underlying guilt that accompanies that time - I should be writing or a good writer is always writing or thinking about writing.

This past weekend has been sort of a forced re-balancing. Because if you don't re-balance willingly, your mind and body will make you. One way or the other. I had every intention of writing Saturday - because I really do like seeing all of the boxes filled in. But I didn't. I stitched. I crocheted. Then I babied my arm and shoulder for the rest of the weekend. I may have partially torn something - muscle/tendon/ligament deal - in my arm. Which means repetitive motion hurts. A Lot. Sunday was spent being nice to my arm and pouting because I couldn't do any of the things I find relaxing. I did write for about 15 minutes before I went to bed last night.

I'm hopeful that this means good things ahead for me.

Blessings,
Simone.

Re-establishing My Writing Habit

It's not a routine. Not yet. Routines have set schedules and steps that are followed. But I'm firmly on the path of re-establishing my writing habit. And that is a huge deal!  I've been writing stories since I was 10.  I even wrote a letter to an editor of a publishing company, who actually wrote me back. I didn't intentionally stop writing, but I let it go by the wayside. It became less important, the thing I was willing to give up to do this or that. Because it was such a part of me, I didn't realize that I would have a difficult time writing habitually again.


I use my Bullet Journal to track my writing. After several weeks of inconsistency, I think it's starting to pay off, because now I DON'T WANT to write a 0 under minutes or miss coloring in a box. I may only write 15 minutes still, but I'm writing every day. That is important. It establishes or re-establishes a habit. That habit is what will help me attain my goal!



This is part of my monthly habit tracker. I like seeing all of the boxes colored in.It shows me that I'm doing what I feel I need to be doing.

This is part of my daily spread. Simple. Easy. Works for me.  I set up the week ahead of time. I go in daily and update my tasks and goals. At the end of the day, when I plan for the next day and fill in my logs and trackers, I fill in the number of minutes I wrote.

Yes, we went to see Black Panther yesterday. It was as good as everyone is saying it is.  I can't wait until it comes out on DVD so I can see the words I missed.

Blessings,
Simone.

From the Writer's Desk - March Wrap-up

March was an...interesting month. We'll go with interesting. I got a promotion at the day job. That brings more money in, which should lighten the financial stress enough to free my brain to do what it needs to do, which is write. But with the new job and a new boss (at the same time) means I'm doing double the work. I'm also working more hours. Which negates the whole extra money less stress part. For now.

At the end of March, technically, the middle. My birthday is on the 17th - St. Patrick's Day. That was the deadline I set to get Behind the Masque done, at least the first draft. It didn't happen. I knew at the beginning of the month it probably wasn't going to happen because of everything happening at work. But, on my birthday I decided I was going to write on my lunch period. Instead of cross-stitch. Which is relaxing, but not helping me get my book written.

My goal is always to write 15-minutes a day. I'm trying to re-establish my writing routine. Which is very hard when you've been away from it for any length of time. Writing at lunch gives 15-30 minutes to write. I write long-hand. Scribbling notes in the side and in my writing journal for things I need to take of or deal with when I go back to do revisions.

This weekend I finally transcribed my hand-written pages into typed pages. Doing some revising as I went, including adding an entire scene. It works for me. For now. Writing processes evolve over time and with need.

By The Numbers:

Goal --

15 minutes a day for 31 days (average should be 250 words per 15 minutes)
* 31 writing days
* 465 minutes or 7.75 hours
* 7,750 words

Actual:

* 7 writing days
* 285 minutes or 4.75 hours
* 3,702 words
 
I would really like to be at 1,000 words a day, which would put me at about 90,000 words for the first quarter. But, I didn't make it.

Quarterly Numbers:

Goals:
 
* 90 Writing days
* 1,350 minutes or 22.5 hours
* 22,500 words (ideally, 90,000)

Actual:

* 19 writing days
* 17 hours
* 12,065


It works. Not where I want to be, but I'm getting there.

Blessings,
Simone.