The Writer’s Life: So What Do You *Do* With All That Time?

Whenever I talk to my mother, invariably the topic comes around to the fact that I’m currently not working full time and (with my husband’s blessing and generous financial support) am dedicating myself fully to this writing thing. And her main response is always, “So what do you do with all that time?”
If she only knew.
Writing full time sounds great, and it is (holy crap, but it really, really is), but especially once things start happening with publishing, there are all these little things that need to get done. I am so, so blessed to have four pieces under contract right now (3 shorts and 1 novella), but man. There’s just all this stuff.
For example, yesterday I didn’t manage to write a single word on my manuscript, but I sure did manage to kill some time. Things I crossed off on my to-do list include:
  • Proofing the galley and blurb for Bug Boy (my short story for Dreamspinner’s upcoming Higher Learning anthology)
  • Writing long and short blurbs for A Gift of Trust (a Christmas story that will be releasing in December)
  • Cold-emailing blogs asking to guest blog in support of Unacceptable Risk
  • Keeping up with all the author blogs, book review sites, and writer discussion lists I stalk
  • Editing a short for a critique partner
  • Editing my own short story so I could send it to a critique partner
  • Scouring the internet for calls for submission so I can hopefully keep getting my work out there.
It may not look like a ton, but especially since I’m new to all of this (and terrified of people) all the blurb-writing and editing and cold-emailing seem to take forever, and it’s super easy to have a day just fly by.
All that said, I’m really not complaining. I love this life. But seriously, Mom. There is never any lack of things to do.

4 Comments:

  1. I get panicky just raiding that. As you know, I really look up to you and all that you've accomplished. I am in the early stages of OF and hope yo venture into publication in time. I read your to-do's and think. "Gah! I don't know how to do any of that." But I remind myself I'm years behind you and all in due time. Please keep writing and blogging. You're such an inspiration.

  2. PS- sorry about the typos. My iPhone really has it in for me :-/

  3. Hope you balance it all and good luck. I know savvy authors has list of blog where you can see about guest posting. Good luck.

  4. Abby – Believe me, I have no idea what I'm doing. It's just a lot faking it in the hopes of making it, I think.

    Mageela – Thanks for the tip! I'll check them out.

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