Madison Scott for Writers Gone Wild....
I was on the phone with one of my friends last night. She's not a writer, but is very supportive and genuinely interested in what I do. We got on the subject and she was asking what my day is like. For people who don't write, and I include myself in this group from before I started writing for publication thinks you just write a book and voila you're done. It's not as if people mean any hard by their assumption. My whole family believes I sit around the house watching soaps and eating Bon Bons all day, but its hard to understand something you don't know. Just like I know I couldn't go to work and do my hubby's job, he has a hard time understanding mine. Anyway, I digress....I was chatting with my friend and she asked what's involved in being a published or pre-published author. What do we have to do besides sit down and write a book?
So, I went through it all for her. From plotting and character sketches to writing and self editing. To sending it to betas and revising when need by. Researching not only our book but editors, agents and learning each specific submission process. Then when we sell it's a whole different set of edits...the story goes on and on. Then, you'd think it would end, right? No, because once your book comes out comes the big wide world of promoting. We have to try multiple methods and find out what works. Then we have to be consistent with it. Blogging, networking, yahoo groups, newsletters....
I realize how much time I actually spend promoting. I mean, I enjoy the networking aspect. I would go crazy without talking with other writers and readers, but it makes you wonder: how do we have time to write?
I know this can be said for any profession. We all have our job to do and no matter what goes on in our lives with family, friends, etc we have to find a way to get it all done! So, my question for you is...how do you do it? The plotter or pantster reference can be used in regards to our daily life to. How do you manage it all? Do you plot and schedule your days and jump right in and just know somehow you will find a way to get it done?
3 comments:
Right now I have no clue how I'm doing everything. I feel like I'm barely hanging on to my sanity, lol. I love your post. People have no clue how much time we spend working on character sketches and research before doing the actual writing. Research can sometimes be a full time job all by itself ;)
Thanks, Katie. I often wonder how I do everything too. It's hard and gets stressful, but I couldn't imagine not doing it :)
All I can say is it's a verifiable miracle that everything I have to get done in a day actually gets done. Well, most of it LOL. No miracle...just pure, old fashioned stubborness!
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