~~~~~
I
have a confession. To be honest I’m not sure I should admit it, but
they say honesty is the best policy so here it goes. I’m asked a lot
what advice I would give to people who want to become a writer. I
usually say, “Write every day no matter what.” It’s great advice that’s
been given to me so I want to tell others.But, you also know that phrase, “Do as I say, but not as I do.” Yep, that’s right. I don’t even follow my own advice. Before you start waggling a finger in my face, screaming, “Liar!” let me explain.
Finding time to write every day isn’t always easy. I’m going to tell you about some projects I’m currently working on. First, I’m releasing my third novel Confessions From A Coffee Shop. Promoting is time consuming. Second, I’m in the editing and cover design stage for my novella Claudia Must Die. Third, I’m preparing a manuscript for my editor, which is due this October for the first round of editing. Fourth, life. No matter how much I plan, life rears its ugly head. And it’s not always big bumps that I hit. Little tasks in life eat up precious hours each day: laundry, cooking, cleaning, walking the dog, feeding the cat a gazillion times a day—it all adds up.
Okay, how pathetic is that? I’m trying to get you to feel sorry for me. Don’t fall for it. I love staying busy and I tackle a lot of projects all of the time. I do this to myself. I set the goals and deadlines.
I’m the type that loves to stay busy. I set goals, meet them, and set more goals. But lately I’ve been having a hard time following my own advice. Last year, I sat down and wrote every Monday through Friday and I was cranking out 3000-5000 words. It was exhilarating and I was able to get projects to the editor quicker.
Now I’m struggling. I don’t think I’m suffering from writer’s block since ideas are bombarding me all of the time. It’s a focus thing. I sit down to write but my mind wanders. I check my email. Goodreads. CNN. Twitter. Blogs. Before I know it, I’m watching funny pet videos on youtube that are hilarious. And there are so many of them. Seriously you have to check them out—wait, don’t. It’s a trap for procrastinators.
I need to get my groove back. Go back to the basics of writing each morning before I start any tasks. That worked for me for months. Maybe it’s time to start a simple goal. Write for five minutes Monday through Friday. Don’t set a word count, but just write.
Have any of you experienced a lack of focus before? What helped you snap out of it?
By the way, I still think the advice of writing every day is good advice. Don’t let my inability to follow my own advice discourage you.
~~~~~
Cori Tisdale was on top of the world. A basketball star at Harvard and a promising author with a lucrative book deal.
A few years later, Cori’s life is falling apart. Her beautiful girlfriend, Kat Finn, has a shopping addiction. To make ends meet, Cori takes a part-time job at a coffee shop.
Just when Cori thinks her life can’t get any worse, an old crush appears out of the blue. Cori’s friendship with Samantha Clarke pushes Cori further into a dangerous abyss when Sam reveals two secrets to Cori and asks her not to tell a soul, including Kat.
Will this be the end of Cori’s and Kat’s relationship?
~~~~~
About the Author:T. B. Markinson is a 40-year old American writer, living in England, who pledged she would publish before she was 35. Better late than never. When she isn’t writing, she’s traveling around the world, watching sports on the telly, visiting pubs in England, or taking the dog for a walk. Not necessarily in that order. A Woman Lost, Marionette, and Confessions From A Coffee Shop.
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