And welcome back y’all! Hope you are ready for a productive day. Let’s hit it hard today and then we have the weekend to rest up. Remember that it is alright to take a break from writing; in fact, it is recommended.
Let’s talk about prioritizing today, a subject I’m pretty sure most writers can sink their teeth into. First a quote and then my ramblings.
QUOTE OF THE DAY
“The key is not to prioritize what’s on your schedule, but to schedule your priorities.”
Stephen Covey
THOUGHT OF THE DAY
We are now into the first week of February. In early writings I suggested you sit down at the first of the year and re-evaluate where you are regarding your platform and priorities. Did you do that?
Here’s the thing: those of us who write full-time, or have visions of writing full-time and making money at it, try to do everything at once. We take on a full plate and then eventually kick ourselves in the butt because we are doing a half-assed job at everything. We feel the pressure of money; we feel the pressure of time; and all that pressure makes us try to do more and more and more….and we end up doing less in terms of quality.
If you have not done so, sit down and write a list of your writing priorities. What is most important? What is next? Work down the list and schedule your time with that list in mind. You cannot do everything on that list a little bit at a time; that is watering down the attention you give to each item and that is doing a disservice to yourself.
Remember that writing is a long-term gig. You build your platform one brick at a time, no matter how long it takes to do so.
PROMPT OF THE DAY
Have fun with it; let your mind roam. Think of the five senses….and then write.
CONTEST OF THE DAY
The Nelligan Prize For Short Fiction is taking submissions now with a deadline of March 15th. Entry fee is seventeen dollars and entries must be less than fifty pages. You can find the details here.
WRITER OF THE DAY
I don’t run across too many high school kids on HubPages but I recently discovered one and I want to support her as much as possible. Yes, I am a former teacher, so my heart is with the youngsters who have a passion for writing. Her name is greeneyedblondie and you can find her here.
AND THAT’S IT FOR THIS WEEK
I will see you again next Tuesday. Remember, priorities and rest…those are your two main goals in the next couple of days.
Bill
“Helping writers to spread their wings and fly.”
Billybuc
Artistry With Words 
I still haven’t sat down and completed my list. I did begin it back in January. I don’t know why I’m having such a hard time with organization. It was never a problem when I wasn’t my own boss. Hmmm.
I think you answered your own question Sha. 🙂
Bill, try every few weeks (about once a month) to look at my goals and where I am in prioritizing. I am constantly reevaluating and do think it helps keep me on task. Not saying it is perfect and I am truly a work in progress. Hope you are enjoying your day so far as always 🙂
I love that you do it Janine; for some reason it doesn’t surprise me at all. 🙂 Cold here and some snow finally heading our way….hope you start having some nice weather for a change.
I think it would be good for me to set some goals for myself–thoughtful write Bill
Audrey, for me it is a must. I am self-motivating and goals are what keep me on track and headed in the right direction. Thank you my friend.
Today’s prompt and the idea of using all the senses got be laughing when the first sense that came to my mind was smell. I am certain you have lovely smelling feet!
I have been working on my priorities this year, that is certain. I will be finishing my liberal arts degree at the end of July and I really want to make my living writing. That really doesn’t give me much time!
Well Donna congratulations on the Liberal Arts Degree…that’s is fantastic and I’m happy for you. As for the feet, right now they are too cold to stink. 🙂
I know the feeling. My feet are the coldest they have been in a long time.
i agree bill
goals goals goals…make them and then i usually remake them cause of some hurdles…lol
LOL…love it, Ruchira…same here.
The analogy of “one brick at a time” is a good one. I like that – will remember it! Wishing you a nice evening, Bill.
Thank you Christy! It’s a big building, but it is worth constructing. I hope you have a restful evening as well.
That second paragraph. That was me. Part of why I decided to go back to school. That and I was teaching part time and figured I should just finish the damned thing, lol.
But, I was crawling the walls of my house. But I couldn’t afford to go DO anything. I was going nuts. I figured that I needed to write as an extension of everything else I do. Except grad school with these two classes this semester take ALL my time. But it’s the last semester this will happen. Ah, well…I’ll probably have some full-time teaching job and try to do National Boards next. I’m kind of ambitious like that. 😛
Cydni, I wasn’t thinking of you in particular when I wrote that paragraph but it definitely fits, doesn’t it? I know the feeling….I can get manic if I don’t watch myself carefully…and Bev watches out for it as well. She is actually worse than I am as far as trying to do everything possible at once. LOL Luckily we have each other and we are both aware.
Thanks lil’ Sis…have a great weekend.
You hit one of my biggest problems on the head Bill; I am terrible about prioritizing. Thanks for this timely post my friend.
You are very welcome, Greg…thanks for the visit and have a great weekend.
How did you Know? In time of “scheduling my priorities” you’re giving supporting evidence how to. It’s a process- longer than anticipated. This is my fairly newly acquired sphere of activity. My body is still addicted to wake up at 5:35 ,everyday, year-round for ” ages “. Reprograming is more complicated than expected, because now my body is “idle” so to say, not active enough to sweat healthily, not feeling tired enough , and not seeing construction growing by hours or finished hundreds of sq.f. hardwood floor in a day working shift. . . A couple of years ago when I entered this ” marathon race” of renewing my firs love of writing, I was millions miles behind. It’s shorter now, thanks to your “demanding ” teaching method finding in all of your articles.
Thanks for your time and a patience with this ” michael ” giving even to me hard time sometimes…
Have a great weekend my friend.
Michael my friend, you raise an interesting point about the retirement years. I simply cannot sleep late. I am up every day at six, seven days a week, fifty-two weeks a year. I love mornings; they are my most productive time for writing, so my inner alarm clock is doing me a service by waking me up on a regular basis.
It’s always a pleasure to have you visit my friend. Blessings this weekend and beyond.
bill
Fantastic tips here Bill! Only wish I’d paid more attention a year ago when I became serious about writing but was trying to split myself up into 10 different directions. Oh, well… you live and learn! Have a super day 🙂
Mel, that’s the only way many of us learn. Why change our style now, eh? LOL Thank you my friend and have a great week.
Thanks for the tip about the young writer at hubpages. I followed her. I don’t post often but I appreciate your tips and insight.
Thank you my friend. I’m sure she appreciates the following, as do I!