I was talking to my husband yesterday about my book, which is to be released soon (how soon, I don't have a clue). I was lamenting about the need to do so much marketing and promotion if I wanted to see my book succeed.
Right now, I follow several blogs, I'm on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Jacketflap, and Cafe Mom. I'm sure I've missed others in that list.
I told him, "This is too much like work, and I don't like it." Like it or not, an author's role in marketing and promotion is necessary. So, I know that, but that doesn't mean I have to like it. What it does mean is that I need to change the focus of my day.
My routine has been to get up, turn on the computer (and coffee :)) and begin to clear out emails and make appropriate responses to them and all the Facebook emails that come my way. It usually takes me a couple hours to do all that. By then, I'm tired of doing those things, but more is yet to come. I have a blog, which I need to post to several days a week, interviews to conduct for said blog. I handle the household budget, and my husband gets paid every week, so there are those bills to handle, too. Then, I've been helping my daughter with her paperwork for college.
Too much busy work!
Writing is supposed to be fun...well, it is work, too, but of a different kind. I've lost my energy and focus about my writing because I'm spending so much time doing other stuff.
I've come to a conclusion.
The only way I see to get out of this mess, and quit having my necessary writing related activities bog me down is to change the order in which I do things during the day. After all, no one is going to be upset if I visit their post until later in the day, as opposed to the first blush of the new day.
So, write first. Duh. I don't know why I didn't come to this conclusion earlier! And you, my dear reader, knew all along that this is where I should have ended up in the first place. But sometimes it is easy to lose sight of the bigger picture when bogged down with the details.
So revitalize yourself. Tap into that muse earlier in the day, before the emails and blogs, before the social networking. That's what I'm going to be doing, and I'm looking forward to a change in my mood, and my muse is going to be a lot happier, too.
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13 comments:
Hi Katie,
I think you've got the exact right idea about changing the order of doing things in your day, so that high-priority comes first. Good luck doing it! That's the hard part. I too like to spend the first hours of my day drinking my two cups of coffee and answering email, etc, just like you. By the time I get down to business ... well, what I need to do is work first, play later, not the other way around.
-Kate
Excellent advice, Katie. I hope your change of schedule works as well as it should.
OH...we're supposed to write, too? I've gotten so caught up in all the silly things like Farkle and Farmsville on Facebook, along with all the other things I do...I literally was at my computer for 14 hours yesterday. Of course, a great deal of that time was spent editing someone else's book and judging EPIC entries. I just wish people would stop sending me sheep, cows, chickens, trees, and horses for my Facebook farm. And...those darn 100 coins for Farkle are the death of me. I hate that game, but it's become so addicting. Did I mention Word Drop? I just got my highest score ever... Someone...anyone...help!!!! My problem isn't my schedule, it my bad habits.
Oh man...I'm SO with you. I've been trying to make an advertisement for my book (and who knows when it's coming out) and it's sucked up ALL my time.
Writing first. I like that. Great idea, actually, because without writing, you've got nothing.
Oh, and Ginger...my kids play Farmville, too. They've been picking tons of vegetables...but don't want to pick REAL vegetables out of our garden. Go figure!
Thank you, Katie!!!
Katie, had to chuckle as I read this. I think so many of us can relate to being pulled in so many different directions -- and Ginger, you really do need to get a policeman to get you back on the writing track. :-)
I'm glad you made the decision to put the writing first. I recently did that and it has made a difference in my whole attitude about all this other business of promoting.
Yes, indeed write first. Everything else can wait, but not your writing. And once you follow this to a "T" you will find marketing and networking is not so bad.
Regards,
Donna
Children’s Author
Write What Inspires You Blog
Donna M. McDine’s Website
I'm in a similar boat. I've gotten to the point where I focus on writing first--otherwise I find that I slip into lazy writing habits.
Hi Katie,
I think you have hit the nail right on the head, in fact slap bang in the middle of the head.
I''ll have to try it, because I too am in a real tangle trying to promot and write.
Cheers
Margaret
Doesn't work for me, unfortunately. I'm an exaggerated version of the Owl. I can barely function until 11 a.m. no matter how early I go to bed. I do most of my productive work after 9 pm!
Great advice, Katie. They say the best marketing is to write another book!!
Oh, Katie. Why come up with an idea so simple, so no-brainer that I just gave myself a concussion with a head slap? Here all along I thought I HAD to get those things out of the way first - those nasty things - so I could reward myself and begin writing. (Er- excuse me I have mail) Okay back. So all I need to do is reverse my schedule? How easy is that? (Um, the dog needs to go out.) Back again. Thanks for this enlightenment. (Oh, I just got Farkle chips.) Got to go. Keep writing. Wow 10,150 points. Going to be a good day.
Dave
Good advice, Katie! I happen to start with facebook and then get lost for a long time, that's true...so work first and then play! It has to be like that for my time is very limited too. Family chores never end and can take up all the precious time if we don't set priorities!
"So, write first. Duh."
Gah this is so true, but it's still so hard sometimes, even for artists who illustrate instead of write. Keeping those priorities straight while other things are clamoring for attention is something I still struggle with!
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