Once I turned in my latest manuscript, I realized something—I was between deadlines, meaning I don’t have any contracted novels to jump right into. While that’s good to allow myself time to relax after back-to-back deadlines, it doesn’t help the bank account. However, I needed the downtime. I needed to refresh my spirit and refuel my writing energies. Here are five suggestions for others who may find themselves between deadlines or without contracts yet: Breathe. Maybe you’ve put in long hours finishing up your manuscript before your deadline. Or perhaps, you’re still waiting for that offer to come through. Either way, take time to simply breathe…relax. I submitted my last manuscript during a family crisis, which tripled the stress level. But, once I turned it in, I was able to […]
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Finding Balance in Writing & Life: When Your Cup is Empty
I knocked over my cup. Tea flowed out of the mug, onto the floor, and raced toward any crack or crevice it could find. I picked up the cup to find it empty, and my shoulders sagged.
I felt like that cup.
Empty. With nothing left to offer.
You see, I spent a week in June at my youngest son’s hospital bedside praying fervently for God to spare his life. A seemingly simple diagnosis of bronchitis led into pneumonia only to have his body attacked by an unknown virus that wrecked havoc on his organs, spiraling him near death.
Oh, and by the way, I had a book deadline that week.
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Finding Balance with Writing & Life: Regaining Balance After a Deadline
I rang in the New Year with three major deadlines on my plate–one contracted book deadline, one day job deadline, and taxes for two businesses.
After many late nights and early mornings, two out of three of my deadlines have been met.
I’m so thankful for these deadlines because they represent pieces of a dream—business owner and published author.
Regaining balance after a deadline is essential for stability in the other areas of my life. For the past 12 weeks, I’ve been running on adrenaline, doing what was necessary to get by. Now that I’ve submitted my novel, I have a bit more breathing room. I have time to do those things I’ve been putting off like cleaning my bedroom, refinishing a dresser, painting my dining room.
Whether you’re completing a writing deadline or another type, here are three tips to help you regain balance:
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Finding Balance with Writing & Life: Writing Efficiently
I shop for groceries at a market that offers discount prices. Most of the food items aren’t brand name. Patrons bring their own bags or buy them at checkout. In order to use a shopping cart, you need to pay a quarter, but you receive your quarter back once you return the cart. The cashiers are efficient in scanning groceries because they are timed per transaction. This lessens gossiping with customers and co-workers that slow down lines. As I was packing my own groceries into my cloth bags, I thought about the efficiency of the store that allows me to get in and out with a month’s worth of groceries (yes, a month) in less than an hour. Carts aren’t left in the parking lot. Shelves are stocked daily by […]
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