The One Thing Writers Must Do Well (Besides Write)

By Guest Cynthia Herron

Hi Seekerville friends!

I’m delighted to join you today! And guess what? I recently sailed off Unpubbed Island! Today I join you as a published author. *tosses confetti* Hooray!

There are so many things I’d love to chat about—lessons learned, wisdom gleaned—that sort of thing, but in planning this blog post, something I continued circling back to was time management.

It’s a discipline we grow into. Baby writers write and chase squirrels. Savvy writers write while others chase squirrels. Veteran authors fry those squirrels and serve them to their readers—in the form of “story.” Stay with me, friends! It’s just an analogy to illustrate my point—although, fried squirrel isn’t terrible. Oops! See what I did there. 😉

via Kylli Kittus on Unsplash

Reality check.

Writing is a full-time job. For those who work outside the home and write, they have double the fun…er, responsibility. If that’s you, you have my deepest respect.

Although it wasn’t always the case, writing is now my full-time job. After my husband heads out the door for work each morning, I tuck myself away in my home office, slug back coffee, and start my own workday. 

And yet…when writers work from home, distractions abound.

We care for families and homes, chauffeur kids, tackle laundry, prepare meals, and handle the day-to-day affairs that go with the territory.

We also field infringements on our time from outside sources. Those come by way of well-intentioned friends and family who may not realize that while we’re home, we are indeed still working. We’re writing. Yes—that.

And though we are home, our time still matters.

But how do we manage our time…and still be nice?

The truth is if we don’t value our time and treat writing as our career, no one else will either.

Prioritizing our work load isn’t something that always comes naturally. We must be intentional, focused, and goal-oriented. That’s not to say there shouldn’t be some leeway involved.

Life ebbs and flows. Of course, there’s bound to be those unforeseen things that crop up and upend our schedule. We know we have a problem, though, when we begin to see a pattern—when we allow those things that could wait to hijack our day.

For people-pleasers, time management is difficult. We want to be approachable (and available), yet we also understand the rigors of working from home. We have X number of hours during the day to get our work done before our families arrive home and our evening routine begins.

Sometimes, we think we can juggle it all and we have to learn the hard way that we can’t.

Writing is our job. Maybe we don’t yet earn the income from it we’d like. Maybe we’re still pursuing career goals. Maybe we’re still wrangling a few squirrels.

via Rodion Kutsaev on Unsplash

Does that mean our work is less meaningful?

Many years ago, Sally Sue (not her real name) used to call me—usually more than once a day. I dreaded answering the phone because I knew what was coming.

“Hey, gal. Whatcha doin’? There’s a great meat sale down at the market. Of course, they tried to cheat me out of some deals, but I got everything worked out. Let me tell you about it.”

As usual, I tried the polite approach. “I’m working just now, Sally Sue. Can I call you back when I take a break later?”

“Oh, this will only take a minute. Five, tops.”

What do you think happened? Well, of course those just take a minute/five, tops phone calls morphed into thirty-minute commentaries.

And Sally Sue was always in a tizzy. Nothing ever went right. The world was against her. 

Her calls left me resentful and deflated. For this see-the-glass-half-full gal, I was thoroughly parched by the time the calls ended.

As much as I wanted to be there for Sally Sue, it became apparent I needed to distance myself from what had become a disturbing pattern.

Here’s how I handled it.

“Sally Sue, I won’t be available to talk as often,” I announced one day. Subtle hints hadn’t worked and neither had direct cues. It was time to cut to the chase. Tactfully. Truthfully. Lovingly. (Did I mention truthfully?)

“Oh, what do you mean?” The sound of an electric mixer whirred in the background.

I sighed and plunged ahead. “My time matters, Sally Sue. I work from home and when you call, that’s time away from work.”

“So, you want me to call in the evenings? I can do that.”

No.

That’s not what I wanted at all. Evenings were family time.

Long story short, I nipped this situation in the bud. I regretted not doing it sooner.

I told Sally Sue I could only take calls on Friday afternoons and I would no longer chat beyond the ten-minute mark.

And when she pushed the envelope, as I feared she would, I didn’t budge. I refused to answer her calls other than on Fridays, and when ten minutes passed, I ended the conversation. Politely, but firmly.

Her parting sentence was always: “Wow. I guess you’re serious. Your time really matters, huh?”

Yes. And yes.

I eventually lost touch with Sally Sue.

Fast-forward twenty years…

Since I’m a firm believer that God brings folks together for a reason, a season, or a lifetime, I recognize that period as a defining point in my writing career.

When I got serious about managing my time, I began to think in a new way. My craft (my work) no longer took a backseat to other “nobler” professions. I approached my job with a new mindset, having learned a valuable lesson in the process.

There will be times of sacrifice, but self-respect is non-negotiable.

For instance…

• I may not always answer the phone.
• I may not answer my door.
• Dusting may have to wait, as well as clothes-folding, toilet-scrubbing, and errand-running.

And call me a “meanie,” BUT

• I will no longer serve on every committee, join every club, or attend social functions for the sake of “putting in an appearance.”
• I can’t walk your dog.
• I don’t do laundry (other than my own).
• I won’t organize your closets, clean your kitchen, or mow your lawn.
• I know nothing about stamp-collecting, bee-keeping, or turnip-growing.

Now, I love folks. I really do. But because writing is my full-time profession, I find if I don’t value my time and my career, no one else will. 

via Simon Hattinga Verschure on Unsplash

Sometimes, I have to say this.

“No, thank you” and “I’m sorry—I’d like to, but I’ll have to pass.”

Trust me, wordsmiths—you’ll get better at this. Some folks will understand. Others won’t. That’s when we love them anyway.

And then we silence our phones. Pound keys. Craft stories. And eat chocolate. 😊 

While we work.

Rah-rah-rah!!!

***

Have you navigated a time-management issue? How did you address it?

What are your best time-saving tips? Please share!

I’m giving away a print copy of Her Hope Discovered, my debut novel! Let me know in the comments if you’d like your name tossed in the hat! (Due to mailing costs, drawing open to U.S. residents only.) 

  

Author Bio

Cynthia writes Heartfelt, Homespun Fiction from the beautiful Ozark Mountains. A hopeless romantic at heart, she enjoys penning stories about ordinary people facing extraordinary circumstances. Her Hope Discovered, her début novel and the first in a three-book series, released December 2018 with Mountain Brook Ink. 

“Cindy” has a degree in psychology and a background in social work. She is a member of ACFW, ACFW MozArks, and RWA. 

She is a 2017 ACFW Genesis Finalist, a 2016 ACFW Genesis (Double) Finalist, and a 2015 ACFW First Impressions Winner. Her work is represented by WordServe Literary.

Besides writing, Cindy enjoys spending time with family and friends. She has a fondness for gingerbread men, miniature teapots, and all things apple. She also adores a great cup of coffee and she never met a sticky note she didn’t like.

Cindy loves to connect with friends at her online home. She also hangs out onTwitter, Facebook,Pinterest, and Instagram.

For love, fun, and encouragement ~

Sign up for Cindy’s monthly e-NEWSLETTERS

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Her Hope Discovered

Welcome to Ruby, Book one

Is the sure thing worth risking for the possibility of maybe?

Charla Winthrop, a savvy business woman seeking a permanent lifestyle change in small-town Ruby, learns that things aren’t always what they appear when she takes up residence in a house steeped in charm and a hint of mystery. 

Rumor has it that Sam Packard the town carpenter is her go-to guy for home remodeling, but can Charla convince him to help her—with no strings attached, of course? Alone far too long, Sam’s prayed that God would send him a wife and a mother for his daughters. However, the new Ruby resident is hardly what he imagined. A new place to call “home,” the possibility of what might be, and the answer to someone’s prayers unite this unlikely pair with the help of the town’s residents.

Nestled in the Ozarks’ hills and hollows is Ruby, Missouri, a quaint, cozy town where “neighbor” is merely another word for “friend.” Ruby will charm and delight as will her quirky, lovable characters who will steal your heart, but hand it right back—with whipped cream and a cherry on top. Savor your new friends’ sorrows and successes in the community where offbeat is perfect and mishaps and mayhem never tasted so good!

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