Holy Time Warps

Lately, I've had to rediscover my methods of time management.

I started a part time job outside of the home, and while the hours are great in regards to my child (I am still able to drop her off and pick her up at preschool, meaning no one else is inconvenienced to do so) - it's not great for writing. Or for the gym. Or for the other things I WANT or NEED to do. And because I get home with her in the afternoons and we've been apart all day, she wants to spend time with me and I'm staring at my growing list of obligations thinking "wow - and that's not even allowing for time on my novel" (which uh has a deadline).

What's a girl to do?

Are you in this position? Wanting to write, needing to write, wanting to make a deadline that is self imposed or otherwise, and find yourself flat OUT of time? It's tricky, because sometimes we think we have no time and we do, and other times, we really do just have too many obligations and have no time to spare.

I'm sort of in the middle right now. I DO have a lot of responsibilities (2 part time jobs from home, 1 outside the home for 4 hours a day, a critique/editing service on the side, all the housecleaning/cooking, sole care-giving for my kid, book deadlines, maintaining several blogs, book marketing, bill paying, playing taxi and keeping my little girl's schedule of Wed Night church and her once a week ballet class, etc.)

Some of those responsibilities (like house cleaning) is a personal priority and choice - but isn't necessary to top the list. Unfortunately. We CAN survive if the laundry stays piled up or the dishes tower in the sink. My OCD neat freak self just has to get over it. Other responsibilities (like deadlines for the newspaper I freelance for, or working my other from home part time job that pays me monthly) HAVE to go to the top of the list.

And try explaining any of that to the four year old who just wants to snuggle and watch cartoons with Mama.

I've been riding an endless cycle of guilt trips lately - guilt over not being enough to spread around, guilt over not feeling as if I can give anything up - and you know what I've realized?

When you make time for God, you get holy time warps.

Seriously. I don't know if this is a supernatural feat or if it's simply a matter of clearing your heart/head for priorities to shine through, for focus to shift, and for perspective to change but hey - regardless, I'll take it :)

When we make time for devotional reading, for quiet time, for worship, for prayer - we win. The clock fails. Sure, there are still days of stress and feeling overwhelmed, but when I'm consistent in this commitment, everything somehow smooths out and gets done. I feel less stressed, I do more work with a clear head, and I can focus.

Some things simply can't be written in a How To book, because they're just not that complicated. Too busy? Well, here's my How To Make More Time book, in a single sentence:

Seek Jesus.

Why don't you try it this week and see? Report back to me please! Either here or on my personal email, betsystamant@yahoo.com  I'd love to see how God blesses your time in exchange for your obedience :)

If You Build It--Will They Come?

If you don't have a blog, and you want to write non-fiction books, it's probably time to start getting your name out there so you can get noticed.

"I have a blog, but no one reads it," someone told me recently.

No. They won't. Unless you get the word out that your blog exists.

Here are a few simple ways to do just that:

1) Comment on similar blogs. Compliment people sincerely on their posts. Readers will click over to check out your site.

2) Ask to guest-blog on similar sites. Bloggers are usually looking for someone to share useful information, and again, people will click your bio to see your site.

3) Use Twitter and Facebook to promote your posts. Just don't do it every day, or people will stop clicking. (Join in relevant conversation; don't just promote yourself).

You can do all this in less than thirty minutes a day. It's also great practice with deadlines for your writing.

Do you have a blog? How often do you post?

***

Bekah Hamrick Martin is a blogger at the Bare Naked Truth: What You Missed in Sex Ed (and Other General Blogginess). 

It's the Christmas season...

...which, if you're like me, is usually the time when all of the grand, wonderful writing goals I set for myself fall somewhere by the wayside until all the decorations, stockings and pecan pie have been put away until next year.

So, how can we make sure we are still continuing toward those goals even during this magical, I-should-just-stare-at-the-Christmas-tree-beauty time of year?

1. Set a schedule and stick to it.

It sounds easy, but it's hard to do. My normal writing time is for a little over two hours every weekday during my son's nap time. But you have NO idea how easy it is to find other things to do during that time. Dinner prep, laundry, cleaning up the house, Pinterest, you name it and it's a distraction for me.

2. Set small goals and then reward yourself when you reach them.

Yes, this is also used in puppy obedience school, but it works for me so I figured I'd share it. ;) When I sit down to write, I try to set tiny "mile markers" of sorts. Every thousand words, I get up and stretch or get a snack or spend a few minutes on Facebook or Pinterest or whatever other things I need to do that day. Then I sit down and start writing again until I reach another goal.

3. Keep it reasonable.

No, you most likely are not going to be able to write a complete novel in the month of December. But maybe you can aim for a fraction of what you normally do and if (or when) you complete more, that's just another excuse to celebrate with more pecan pie, right? ;) Don't try to overdo - the idea is to enjoy the season celebrating Christ's birth, not be completely stressed out by adding unrealistic deadlines to yourself.

What are you hoping to accomplish (or not accomplish!) this Christmas season?

Happy Thanksgiving, Y'all!

Happy Thanksgiving, fellow writers!

And while we're on the subject of giving thanks, I can't help thinking of those responsible for my writing career...all my clients, editors, publishers, the authors who write the books that inspire me, the people kind enough to read my novels and articles, the lovely folks who've encouraged me along the way...

I'm eternally grateful.

And thank you, Scribble Chicks readers for joining us for the ride. We love your questions, the dialogue and having a place to talk about writing. It totally rocks and so do you! Hope you have an incredible, restful holiday with your family and friends.

So excited for turkey, stuffing and pumpkin pie,
:) Christa

Biggest pet peeve?

What is your biggest pet peeve in novels when you're just reading? What jolts you out of the story, or interrupts the flow, or makes you want to put the book down or even throw it across the room? What red flags raise in your head in regards to amateur writing?

We all have something that bothers us.

For some, it's head hopping (abrupt POV shifts that aren't separated by a chapter or page break, ala Nicholas Sparks - LOVE him, but come on!) For others, it's cliche phrases or predictable plots. For still others, it's a contrived plot, where things happen OH so conveniently (not kidding, I read a romantic suspense not too long ago by a super-famous, best selling, award winning author, and the heroine just happened to find an object she suddenly discovered she needed RIGHT then, in that moment, by chance. There was zero foreshadowing or set up. Uh uh. That's cheating!!! lol)

What is your pet peeve?

Remember, it's always so much easier to find fault in someone else's writing, whether that's a published novel off the shelf or a critique for a friend. Just be careful to search your own work as thoroughly and get trusted friends to do the same for you. He that cast the first stone, and such... ;)

How to Make it Happen

 Guys. I love this kid. I really do. But I think feeding her FROM MY OWN BODY for nine months was enough.

She disagrees.

She now wants to eat from my plate. Despite the fact she rejected the same food on her plate five minutes ago. So that by the time I’m done “eating”, I’m barely surviving on what I call the Mommy Diet. She’s had 15 bites and I’ve had two.

We’ve had to establish some boundaries. For starters, I try to trick her into eating all my vegetables. Also, if it’s chocolate—she can forget about it.

I tell you this to make a point: You only have so much food on your plate. I only have so much food on my plate. When we give too much away, we end up malnourished. Even when we give it away for a cute cause.

Time is food. If we’re called to this writing thing, we need to monitor how much we’re giving away. Are we obsessing that every closet be clean? Are we still scrubbing the bathrooms every day? Are we working out at the gym for three hours?

What’s your vice? It might be “good” on the outside… but are you feeling malnourished on the inside?

What do you need to scale back on so your writing dream can grow healthy and strong?

***

Bekah Hamrick Martin writes about What You Missed in Sex Ed on her blog, The Bare Naked Truth. She also writes about purity, God's Way, in her book, The Bare Naked Truth: Dating, Waiting & God's Purity Plan.

Thankful

 I realize that the whole world is about to collectively pass out over the retirement of the Twinkie, but I was thinking we might focus on other issues today.

Like thankfulness.

And your characters.

And where and how they do and should intersect.

Particularly this week, since it is Thanksgiving week, I'm busy thinking through the characters in my newest WIP. Are THEY thankful? How can I, without getting onto a preaching kick, show a thankful heart in my characters?

Here's a fun little Monday writing exercise for you: Take one of your main characters from your current WIP, convict them of needing to be thankful and put them in a not-so-pleasant situation.

What happens? Do they change, grow? Do they become bitter? Do they remain unchanged or stagnant? How did you allow the scene to unfold by showing and not telling? Read back through it - were you ever preaching (either as the narrator or as another character)?

I'm thankful for so many, many, MANY things this year but one of the things I'm definitely thankful for is YOU, dear reader and the wonderful privilege of writing on this blog with my beloved Scribble Chicks. May God bless you and your family this Thanksgiving!!