Don't forget to follow the Facebook IWSG. We are beginning a new feature this Saturday.
I haven’t been writing in the past few weeks, but I have been doing other writerly things to get myself organized. Sometimes you have to step back and clean things up first. So far:
I have outlines for all four stories for Four in Darkness. No idea which one to tackle first. One story will be a rewrite of a much older one, so that will likely be first. Another one has multiple reasons why something happens, I just need to pick the best one.
I redesigned the front page of my website, and adjusted the description of my book formatting services. Also did some price adjustments, as I have a new program that rocks the epub.
I cleaned up my blogroll. The first listing with authors and more are now those with whom I interact the most. I added bloggers who visit often and removed those who don’t. Really, when was the last time you looked at your blogroll? How many of those bloggers don’t visit very often anymore?
I’m compiling a mailing address that involves time on the Internet looking for zip codes. That I would love to outsource to a virtual assistant! (Any takers?)
I set several guest spots for the coming months, which was one of my goals for January. Done!
What have you been doing besides writing that just “needs to be done?”
Diane, this is a nice reminder that even when we're not adding to our word count, there are plenty of very necessary writing-related tasks that still need to be done...and that's writing, too!
ReplyDeleteI agree with Elizabeth! I've been playing catch up since the year began and am just now getting to my edits. This time of year I also try to get my tax stuff in order so I don't get to April and wonder what happened! Being indy published does add to those other "writerly" things that have to be done!
ReplyDeleteOrganizing is a good thing! Congrats on getting your website, outlines and taking time out to see where to begin your projects. Hope this is a very productive year for your writing.
ReplyDeleteI like all the changes you're making. Happy New Year, Diane! :)
ReplyDeleteHappy reading and writing! from Laura Marcella @ Wavy Lines
This is the reminder I needed to get my stuff into gear. Well played! :)
ReplyDeleteTaking care of my newborn and toddler. Must be done, lol.
ReplyDeleteI have to schedule time for those details or I forget.
ReplyDeleteWriting as a career really is a job-- and that means there are tasks that compliment writing without actually being writing. It does feel good to get a few things cleaned up and organized doesn't it? I am getting caught up on blog writing, lists of projects I want to pursue and now, I need to get busy and do them! All the best to you in the coming year.
ReplyDeleteA virtual assistant is on my list of to do things. I should have hired one last year, but. . . I didn't have time. :-)
ReplyDeleteCan I hire a virtual assistant too? I hope they're cheap...
ReplyDeleteSounds like you've got things worked out, Diane!
Wow! You are organized. Happy 2014! I'm keeping my blog roll though.
ReplyDeleteHugs and chocolate!
I have been trying to catch up with my reading and writing my new book.
ReplyDeletesounds like you are organized and ready for 2014! way to go! hope business is good!
ReplyDeletehere's to a prosperous new year!
Lisa, I've been organizing tax stuff, too.
ReplyDeleteJulie, I am an organizer by nature, so it does feel good.
Setting your house in order is a necessary thing and in the end will make you much more effective, so good work!
ReplyDeleteI'm the same, an organiser. I also have some free time. What is it you are hunting? Zip codes. Sounds easy if not time consuming.
ReplyDeleteYou are the second person I've come across this week who spoke about cleaning out their blogroll. I'll take a look at mine. Thanks.
ReplyDeleteThis is going to sound really strange, but I have kept a few bloggers on my Blogroll who haven't blogged in a long time. I guess taking them off feels permanent to me... like they won't ever blog again if I remove them. I know that is crazy, but... I do try to go through and update a couple of times a year. I should do it more...
ReplyDeleteI hear you, Diane! Last year I spent most of my time jumping between project because I couldn't focus on one thing. Now in 2014, a little creative space clearing later, I've got my ducks lined up and ready to go. As for a VA - oh, yes, it is heaven. I've got one who does my techie work. AWESOME!
ReplyDeleteSounds like you were really busy. I do need to check my blog roll. I have lots on there who never visit.
ReplyDeleteIt's so true, there are tons of ways we need to clean up. I have to clean up my email list, it's been something I've been meaning to do for months.
ReplyDeleteYour four outlines sound like you've been very productive though. That's always the hard part for me. After the outline, the writing is pure pleasure. Have fun with it!
Jai
I have scheduled out my blog post for the year. It was a task, but a huge relief to not have to guess at what I am going to do anymore.
ReplyDeleteIf only the business was only writing. haha.
You did a lot of great work! One thing I wish is that I could schedule posts more than a day in advance. Maybe in 2016.
ReplyDeleteI really need to clean out my blogroll! Thanks for the inspiration. :)
ReplyDeleteGood for you, Diane! Sounds like you have some great goals and many accomplishments already!
ReplyDeleteNice!! Always feels so good to get those "other" things done. Thank you for the reminder too that it is important to step back sometimes. Cheers to 2014!
ReplyDeleteJo, I will email you!
ReplyDeleteRobin, it is sad to remove them.
Nancy, I need to get one.
Maurice, I imagine that's hard to do with your posts since they are news.
There's so much more to being a writer than just writing! I need to do a few of those too! :)
ReplyDeleteYou've sure been busy. Good for you :) I'm glad somebody around their blogroll. I try to jump down to the comment section and it stretches over half the internet.
ReplyDeleteIf you want someone to look up boring stuff on the internet, I don't mind. I've certainly had too much free time lately.
As long as you're doing something. Good luck.
ReplyDeleteSuch a great point, LD. Like other jobs/tasks, sometimes writing duties aren't very much like writing. But they aren't wasted time, either.
ReplyDeleteOutlining, character sketches, getting a wrangle on your social media obligations so you can find time to write, etc. are all part of the gig. :)
Awesome on all your outlines. I like the idea of cleaning up the blog roll. I need to add some to one of mine for blogs I don't want to miss - those blog rolls can be humongous (did I spell that right) :) and hard to keep up with and find the ones you do want to visit frequently.
ReplyDeleteWow! Sounds like you are on the ball! Nice work. It has to feel good to cross things off your list.
ReplyDeleteHeather
AHAHAHAH!!! I made your list! Thank you so much! :)
ReplyDeleteLove the new site look! It sounds like you've gotten a lot of work done lately. Way to Go!!!
ReplyDeleteI haven't done much writing lately because of my upcoming book launch and other distractions. I never thought it would get to the point where I wouldn't be able to write that much. I thought it was a myth or something. lol You sound way more productive than me, Diane.
ReplyDeleteDiane and Capt. Alex, glad to be sharing in January with your insecure writers. Don't we all love honesty. Aren't we all insecure about something? (-:
ReplyDeleteHugs,
Carolyn
Looks like you have been busy! Isn't it fun getting organized for the new year? I recently went through my blogroll and checked out the blogs there. I haven't made my updates yet, but I did take the first step. Some blogs don't even exist anymore- or they haven't been updated in a long time.
ReplyDeleteWishing you a Happy New Year! Best of luck with your writing. :)
~Jess
Eek, I need to look at my blogroll... it's been a looooong while ;)
ReplyDeleteSounds like you've hit the ground running this new year! And it reminds me I need to organize my follow list that is ridiculously long. There are many bloggers that have stopped blogging and I really need to update the whole thing...this is going to take a while.... Oh, and I like the look of your website! Very well done.
ReplyDeleteI took off my blog roll in the end, because it ended up slowing my blog down a lot.
ReplyDeleteNo one seems to miss it, if I'm honest.
Good luck with deciding which project you should work on. :-)
Getting organized is way mucho good. I wish I was brave enough to take a break and do that. Actually, I did in December--after blog tour burn out. (Shhh!!! People don't know.) I spent an evening going through my blogroll and chopping anyone who hasn't posted in at least the last year. It was sad--all those bloggy friends who are no longer among us being cut loose... Excuse me, I need to go find a tissue.
ReplyDeleteI think there will be major blog roll de-cluttering going on - everyone's off to clean up their blogs...
ReplyDeleteFour story outlines? Wow!
A great start to the new year, Diane!
I like the organizing. I've been trying to make some changes, but lately blogger isn't cooperating with that. It seems to like freezing rather than accepting and saving.
ReplyDeleteJE, thank you.
ReplyDeleteEJ, yes it is.
Heather, I couldn't leave you off the blogroll.
Stina, it is no myth!
Elise, it will take a while but worth it in the end.
Crystal, after nine years, I've seen a lot come and go.
Michelle, now to write them.
My beginning-of-the-year clean up was more hands on than virtual. I unburied my desk and took care of a year's worth of filing (or throwing out).
ReplyDeleteHi, L. Diane.
ReplyDeleteYay for you! Organizing is SOOO important. I spent most of the day organizing my kitchen after the INSANE amount of baking I have done the past few weeks. I can actually see my gorgeous granite counters again!
I'm also happy to say that my rewrites are going VERY well. My new editor is pleased and I hope to finish the complete rewrite by the end of this month. That is if my editor can keep up. She has three other projects she's working on at the moment.
ALL the best this year! I know it will all fall into place!
Oh, I forgot to tell you... I finally created the badge for the COFFEE HOP. So please drop by when you get a chance.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteSounds like you've been busy! Well, I hope that I made it on the list of the bloggers that you visit once in awhile!
ReplyDeleteWith two kids, I'm always busy with something outside my writing life. =)
It takes me so many hours to clean up my blogroll, I rarely do it. Most followers aren't actively following. And I have so many to get rid of who never returned my follow, much less visit.
ReplyDeleteGood for you on being so productive.
Be well, Spunk.
xoRobyn
It's been well over a year since I went through my blog roll. Been working on it over the last week.
ReplyDeletePsych; had to look to see if I'm still there as I know I haven't blogged or visited much over the last year. I'm getting some warm fuzzies here Deary :)
ReplyDeleteYou are an inspiration Diane, even though I'm not inde-published. It is good for me to keep informed of trends in the writing world, and you are my resource even when I don't visit every day. I catch up when I'm here!
The series looks interesting.
.......dhole
You've been busy. I haven't done as much writing as I wanted to, but I'm doing a lot of writing-related things that can't be ignored.
ReplyDeleteWow! You have done a lot, way to go! I'm just getting back into the swing of things so I think my goals for now are going to be baby steps.
ReplyDeleteYou've been busy -- all good things. I've procrastinated instead of edited my MS. The usual: tweaking the look of my blog, updating cover art on my republished stories. Time to crack the whip (after I get caught up on blog visits, of course).
ReplyDeleteSounds like you've been getting a lot done!
ReplyDeleteI TOTALLY need to clean out my blog roll... some people I don't even recognize...
ReplyDeleteAnd I've loved the New Year so far... it's such a great feeling to feel like I'm moving forward! :)
I've been reading your blog posts about doing a blog tour. In fact, your site is just an amazing resource. So THANK YOU!
ReplyDeleteI have just been working at my day job...plus my goal of hitting all the posts on the IWSG this month is almost finished (I started at the back end and have been working my way forward).
ReplyDeleteGood luck in keeping that momentum rolling.
Leanne ( http://readfaced.wordpress.com )
this book sounds really good. Happy Blitz Day!
ReplyDeleteI keep seeing those who are part of the IWSG, but I know very little about it beyond that. Can you tell me something? Also, I like the items that you have stepped away from writing to do. I need to do that myself.
ReplyDeleteGood point about the blog roll--I am no longer writing on blogger but my former blogs still hang out on some folks blog rolls, even though I left the topics behind long ago! It's hard to make time for housekeeping but it is a good idea. Enjoy your Blitz day! faith@pentozen.com
ReplyDeleteHi Dobson! You can read about the IWSG here at the website - http://www.insecurewriterssupportgroup.com/p/iwsg-sign-up.html
ReplyDeleteIt began 2 & 1/2 years ago as a monthly posting, started by author Alex J Cavanaugh. Now he's expanded it to a website and a Facebook group. (I'm one of the admins for the site.) You should join us with one of your blogs!