I’ve been doing project management as part of my day job for several years now and one thing that is often touted (although rarely done, in my experience) is celebrate.  Celebrate the beginning of a project and party harder when it is successfully completed (or simply completed without casualties). Is a writing project so much different?  Should you, the writer, be excited to start and excited to finish?  Should you be willing to treat yourself?  In my mind, the answer to both questions should be a resounding YES!  But do you do it?  If I had to be honest with myself, I would have to say that I don’t generally.  I did go out for dinner when my first book was […]

I used to think that I was pretty good with multitasking.  I was regularly able to both chew gum AND walk at the same time.  Often out of rhythm with each other. That’s why I get so frustrated with my writing.  There are lots of things I can be doing to improve my craft and increase my chances at getting published.  I could be: sending queries/submissions to agents and publishers; researching markets; making new contacts; working on my podcast (Get Published); plotting my next story; writing a new blog entry; doing a critique (for Critters.org); editing one of my stories; and/or I could actually be writing. Lots to chose from, right?  If I get bored with one thing I can […]

One of my unfortunate work habits is that when I’m focused on something, everything else seems to take a back seat.  Case in point is the recent launch of my new podcast.  When I was writing, recording and mixing the podcast, my novel writing (and editing) came to a screeching halt. I suppose I could be forgiven that minor sin considering I had never done a podcast before.  Everything was (and still is) new.  That being said, if I were to prioritize everything a little more evenly, I could probably get more done. It got me thinking about how many self-imposed obstacles have slowed my writing and eventual publication.  Self-imposed because I am obviously an overachiever; simply overcoming the odds […]