Not Your Usual Suspects: Time and Other Problems

NOT YOUR USUAL SUSPECTS

A group blog featuring an international array of killer mystery, suspense, and romantic suspense writers. With premises and story lines different from your run-of-the-mill whodunits, we tend to write outside the box. We blog several times a week on all topics relating to romantic suspense and mystery, our writing, and our readers. We welcome all comments and often have guest bloggers. All our authors can be contacted separately, too, using their own social media links.

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Monday, April 23, 2012

Time and Other Problems

by Janis Patterson

Okay, I messed up. Big time. Again.

Just a few minutes ago I got an email asking me if this were not my day to blog. Well, first I panicked, then I check the spreadsheet where I keep all my blog commitments. It wasn’t there, but as it is my responsibility to put it there I am still probably the one who goofed up. Ooops.

Obviously, the world will not end, my career will not implode, tornadoes will not strike simply because I missed a blog date. I am sorry to let down those who depended on me, but let’s get a grip on priorities.

On the other hand, this is a perfect object lesson. I, like just about every other writer on the planet, have a life, a career, perhaps health issues and a dozen other things going on. Some of us have day jobs. Some of us have families. Some of us have other obligations that pull at us, usually in half a dozen different directions.

On top of that, we are expected to edit, to revise, to play in the fields of social media, to blog, to maintain our websites and keep them current, arrange and go to booksignings, chat up booksellers, do every kind of promotion to keep our name out there that we can think of. to self-publish and do audio books and… – oh, I almost forgot – to write. And write well. And write prolifically. Every year it seems that more of the responsibility of getting the book out there falls on the poor author’s shoulders.

Hold it! Where is this going to stop? There are things we can’t give up – family, job, etc – and things we have to do – like write good books. We all want to do what we can to get fans and sales. But where does it end? There are just a set number of hours in the day and only so much can be crammed into them.

I don’t have an answer. I wish I did – maybe then I wouldn’t find that I have left off a blogging date and appear a careless fool for having done so. Those of you who have mastered the art of doing everything, I wish you’d tell me how you did it. Until then, I’m just going to keep stumbling on, and somehow I know I won’t be alone.

10 comments:

Toni Anderson said...: It isn't even time management. It is simply running out of time. Some days I shake my head remembering my social studies teacher promising 4 day weeks and more leisure time. We've been robbed :); April 23, 2012 at 11:56 AM
Wendy Soliman said...: I so know where you're coming from. I've learned to prioritise. It's simply not possible to do everything, but am I doing the right things? Have I dropped something vital to my sales?

There's always something to worry about so I've decided to stop worrying and simply do the best I can. Even I'm not Superwoman!; April 23, 2012 at 12:00 PM
Dee J. said...: I hear that! Too much to do and not enough time to do it all.; April 23, 2012 at 12:02 PM
Elise Warner said...: Why do all the priorities come at the same time?; April 23, 2012 at 12:09 PM
Rita said...: Boy do I feel the same pain. I problem is that once I get started in the social media in any of the other stuff that I'm distracted from my writing it's almost possible for me to keep my head in the game. I know some people have aptly no problem doing it. I guess I'm just too old.; April 23, 2012 at 12:46 PM
Janis Patterson said...: Bless y'all - I don't feel so lonely or so incompetent any more. Wish someone would make a time machine - not to travel in time, just one that would make more of it!; April 23, 2012 at 1:23 PM
Marcelle Dubé said...: Once or twice a year, I oversleep because I forgot to set my alarm the night before. I never worry about it because I figure it's my body's attempt to get me the sleep I need.

We need to fill up our time with the stuff that really matters. The rest will take care of itself.; April 23, 2012 at 1:50 PM
Elise Warner said...: Great idea, Marcelle. I do need to buy a new alarm clock. Mine has begun to sound off automatically.; April 24, 2012 at 7:38 AM
Clare London said...: OMG yes, that's all very heartfelt and totally recognisable! I've also learned to prioritise, and also to adapt Hubby's common phrase when something doesn't get done - "well, nobody dies" :)

Ans YES that's exactly what I need - not a time travel machine but a time freezer LOL; April 25, 2012 at 3:36 AM
Unknown said...: Oh, I so know where you're coming from. I'm still trying to learn how to prioritise. It's hard. I tend to get so overwhelmed by what I need to do that nothing actually gets done. :); April 25, 2012 at 6:40 AM

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