My Writing Time Budget

I tend to spread myself too thin, later to find I have left a layer of spent brain cells covering a series of unfinished projects. The time has come for this to stop.

Of course, being on vacation from work, regular loves, and responsibilities clears my mind and makes all look simple to fix. I don't expect that to be true, but I do need to figure out what I need to do most and focus.

In the writing area of my life, I need to 1)post regularly on my Internet safety blog, 2)market my middle grade novel, 3)write and submit freelance articles, and 4)work on my young adult novel. If I can manage to do those four things and have writing time left over, I would like to revise a middle grade manuscript that hasn't found a home and keep it submitted, plus resurrect my first novel manuscript and see what I can work with there.

What will help me be organized in the writing time allowed is my newly renovated home office and the Northern Colorado Writers Studio.

My son painted my office in colors and style of our own design. Since I had everything hauled out for painting, I carefully and thoroughly went through all items, eliminating and organizing as I went. The result is a heavenly haven, inspiring me by its mere functional beauty. I have areas for each project with needed resources near by. I will have no choice but to be productive on projects 1-3.

The NCW Studio is a perfect place to write away. Homey but office-like, I have no other responsibilities there. When I go there to write, I write. Of course, writing in the backyard on a lovely warm day is pretty ideal, too.

Sounds like a good plan to me.

The promise of spring

I went to a pre conference workshop this morning for the Northern Colorado Writers Conference April 3rd and 4th. I am so excited for this date to arrive, I could just burst! Between the information I will gain from the NCWC and the marketing workshop I have been attending, I have become much less scattered.

I have narrowed down my current writing focus to 3 areas instead of grasping at writing opportunities everywhere I turn. I will concentrate on my young adult novel in progress, market my novel, IN REAL LIFE, in conjunction with my new blog InternetSafetyCentral.com, and submit articles to magazines for adults. I am in constant search for Internet safety information and will be able to come up with some articles there. I will investigate several magazines, starting with the local ones.

Attempts at finding a job kinder to my mind and body have been unsuccessful so far. I haven't given up. Instead I have broadened my search to areas outside of my current hospital system. I'm pretty open to a variety of things to do for work, even though I will certainly make less money and maybe provide my own health insurance. I'm looking into my insurance options, as well.

On a beautiful, almost spring day like this one, I am full of hope and an unspoken promise that all will soon change to be as it should. When the time is right.

My New Blog

I have set up my new blog and am posting and starting to add content. I will keep this one for posts about writing and personal reflection. My new one will be about keeping children safe, with a focus on Internet safety.

Stop by and check it out at:

www.InternetSafetyCentral.com