Marvelous Middle Grade Monday and Finding Balance in Your Writing Life

Now I know I am on a break, but this is one of the posts I mentioned that I had a pre-commitment to. Danika Dinsmore's sequel to Brigitta of the White Forest is out. It is The Ruins of Noe! This is a fantasy I recommend {highly!} to middle grade and young adult. Not one to be missed in my almost humble opinion. Here is more from Faerie Tales from the White Forest:

Brigitta’s adventures continue when the balance of the White Forest is disturbed and the Elders lose contact with the Ethereals. Against their advice, High Priestess Ondelle asks Brigitta to accompany her to the old faerie ruins of Noe to find a way to reconnect with the Ancients.

What they discover when they arrive is something they never learned from any faerie tale. Why had this dark secret been kept from them? Why in the name of Faweh had the Ancients left some faeries behind?

Brigitta and Ondelle are caught in a dangerous feud between two factions of feral faeries whose leaders will stop at nothing to access what little sorcery Noe has left.

As it happens this is an extra special Marvelous Middle Grade Monday Post. Danika kindly agreed to do a guest post for us on finding balance in your writing life. And let me tell you, it's a gooder. I so appreciate her doing this. Without further ado--take it away Danika!

Writing / Life Balance

Sometimes I wake up and have no idea what day it is. The only reason I do at any given point is because other people are pretty good at keeping regular schedules. My husband is home right now, puttering around in the front yard (yes, we’re old enough to putter now). It must be the weekend.

I think any writer will tell you that keeping life balanced is a challenge. I’ve gotten better at it, over the years. I don’t stay up until 2 am writing any longer, I get out of my pyjamas by 8:30 am on most days, I get food on the dinner table, and I don’t spend 2 hours socializing on facebook.

Not saying this ALWAYS works, but as much as I can, I work 8:30 – 5:30 like a job. I am my boss. So that when my husband comes home, I’m done with work, dinner is at least a plan if not in process, and he and I can have some together time.

Sure, I have unfocused days when I count walking by two of my favourite clothing stores and NOT going in as productive. Then there are deadline days where I can’t snuggle up with my husband and watch 30 Rock or Dr. Who.

But baring these, I do my best to stick to a schedule. Writing first thing in the morning, and then writer admin and biz after my traditionally late breakfast. Stretching exercises or yoga every hour because I have first hand experience of what it’s like to throw out one’s neck from (the clinical diagnosis) chronic computer use.

I tend to schedule errands and appointments on the same days so I don’t lose as much work time. Trust me, if I didn’t have to leave the house for a week, I probably wouldn’t. Outside World Activities = GOOD.

To me, a balanced life means being physically, mentally, and emotionally healthy. It means feeling productive, excited, and in the flow rather than overwhelmed and exhausted.

(Click HERE to find out why a TIMER is Your Friend)

Here are a few more life balance tips:

1)   STEP AWAY FROM THE INTERNET!

I write first thing in the morning, which I highly recommend for fiction writing. Poetry writing, at least for me, is better later in the day or at night because I need the moments and interactions to inspire me throughout the day. But fiction writing is best without any interference. As soon as the day invades my mind, it’s more challenging to settle into writing.

The most important rule around this is DO NOT log into your email or facebook or any other virtual space before you write. I get up, have coffee, perhaps journal a bit or read some inspirational material, then I write. When I’m in writing mode I must be at my desk no later than 8:30 am.

Here’s what happens if I check my email:  Hey, a Google Alert about a new review for Ruins of Noe, click link and read review. It’s a nice review, I wonder if she posted it on Amazon. Click. There’s the review on Amazon. While here, I might as well update my author bio, it’s old. I should fix that. I wonder if my author bio is current on GoodReads, too? Click. Hey, look Angelica posted a really great review for that new book I was thinking about. Read review. Read subsequent reviews. Send link to book review to friend. While back in email notice note from Deb about my guest blog post. Write a draft of guest post. Wow, it’s 11 AM, where did the time go?

Does this sound familiar?

2)   Study/learn about marketing, organizing, and other important bizniz

All the things that aren’t writing that go into writing can be overwhelming. First you have to figure out what all those things are. Then you have to organize and prioritize them. Not all artists and writers are organized in this way or know anything about marketing. Being overwhelmed is not fun.

Six years ago I went to Guerrilla Business School in Los Angeles (a 4 day seminar) and not only had a blast, I learned a lot about marketing, business skills, and keeping focus. It was inspiring and I made an “accountabilibuddy” who I still check in with to this day. (BTW – having an accountabilibuddy is a great thing, as long as your check-ins are productive, not whiny dumps)

Later, when I was trying to find an organizational system that worked for me, I learned about David Allen’s Getting Things Done program. I listened to his live seminar CD’s 3 times. It was the most natural organizational process I had come across. I combined this program with some things I learned from Christine Comaford-Lynch and created my own organizational system.

You don’t have to go to that particular marketing seminar or use Allen’s organizational system. I’m just saying if the business side of things is making you panic, you can learn to handle it by knowing more. Invest in that side of things and you’ll get more done and feel more in charge.

One of the simple tricks I’ve learned is emailing myself. I kid you not. If there is something I need to get done or an idea that I have, but I don’t want to get distracted from what I’m doing, I email a message to myself. Sometimes I email the next day’s To Do list to myself. Whatever works, right?

3)   Separate your Writer Work from Life and Move Your Body

I am really lucky to have been able to turn an old single detached garage into a “writing cottage.” If you don’t have this, perhaps you have an office, or at least a corner. Someplace you can use to officially step in and out of your writing mode.

Step out once in a while during the day. Go for a walk, move your body, do some stretching and yoga. All this sounds obvious, but even I have to remind myself. I set a timer if I have to.

When I threw my neck out I was incapacitated for about 3 days. When I met with a physical therapist, she said she sees more people with computer injuries than sports injuries these days. Pain also = no fun.

So, when you’re IN writer mode, it’s all about focus. It is a job (a dream job!) and I think you should treat it as such. What would You The Boss say if you caught your employee in her PJ’s eating M&M’s and cruising FaceBook?

When you step away, it’s about enjoying everything else and appreciating your productive day.

(And BTW, on days when you are less productive, be kind to yourself. Adding guilt, shame, stress on top of not having a productive day is a double punishment).

***

If you are looking for more MMGM fabulousness check out the following links:

Shannon Whitney Messenger (a.k.a. Fearless Leader)-Ramblings of a Wannabe Scribe
Jennifer Rumberger-Children's Author
Joanne Fritz-My Brain on Books
Danika Dinsmore-The Accidental Novelist 
Shannon O'Donnell-Book Dreaming
Myrna Foster-The Night Writer
Natalie Aguirre-Literary Rambles
Brooke Favero-Somewhere in the Middle
Ally Beecher- Kid Lit Frenzy
Barbara Watson-Novel and Nouveau
Anita Laydon Miller-her middle grade blog
Michael G-G-Middle Grade Mafioso
Jessica Lei-her blog  
Pam Torres-So I'm Fifty
Akoss-Nye Louwon – My Spirit | a search for the writer in me
Gabrielle Prendergast-Angelhorn
Gina Carey
T.L. Conway

Enjoy the day all!