"Side" Long Glances by Patty Blount
This month, we're talking about side hustles and yeah, my author career has always been something I've had to do on the side and that really bugs me.
I'd hoped I'd be able to make it my full-time gig, but the truth is, most authors don't get rich from their writing unless their work becomes a runaway bestseller, followed up with movie deals, Netflix series, or maybe a theme park.
I work as a technical writer and instructional designer. That means I design and develop training courses for my employer. It's a fulltime (and then some!) job with a good salary and benefits so until my writing takes off, writing will always be the side hustle.
The challenge is that books have deadlines and editorial schedules to keep. In fact, this time of year, I'm usually double-timing my efforts to deliver revisions on one book and draft another while also doing the 9-5 dance.
*yawns* I get tired just typing all that. So the question is... how do I recharge my creative cells? How do I make time for all the things I want to write?
The answer is PLANNING.
If you'd have told me this ten or twenty years ago, I'd have rolled my eyes. The last thing I wanted to do after finally finishing school was more homework, but once I started, I realized the power in planning and never stopped.
I have a terrible memory so I plan what I need to write. Each day, I jot down a note for a scene that reminds me what emotional motivations are in play, what goals I need to hit, what decisions the characters need to face. I don't have time to re-read previous scenes so my notes help me make the most of my writing time. I write and re-write my to-do lists because that helps me remember the tasks on them.
When I feel like I'm in control, I feel charged and energized and ready to tackle anything.
I do all of this in a bullet journal. I used to have 4 or 5 journals that tracked separate things like my diet, my autoimmune disease, my writing, etc. Now I use the BuJo for all of this. I'm not artistic; I like my bullet journal minimalistic. It works for me.
In my BuJo is a plan for earning more money from my writing efforts. Ask me next year if it's working. Meanwhile, hit me up in the Comments if you want to hear more about my Bullet Journal!
Happy holidays, everyone.
Peace.
I'd hoped I'd be able to make it my full-time gig, but the truth is, most authors don't get rich from their writing unless their work becomes a runaway bestseller, followed up with movie deals, Netflix series, or maybe a theme park.
I work as a technical writer and instructional designer. That means I design and develop training courses for my employer. It's a fulltime (and then some!) job with a good salary and benefits so until my writing takes off, writing will always be the side hustle.
The challenge is that books have deadlines and editorial schedules to keep. In fact, this time of year, I'm usually double-timing my efforts to deliver revisions on one book and draft another while also doing the 9-5 dance.
*yawns* I get tired just typing all that. So the question is... how do I recharge my creative cells? How do I make time for all the things I want to write?
The answer is PLANNING.
If you'd have told me this ten or twenty years ago, I'd have rolled my eyes. The last thing I wanted to do after finally finishing school was more homework, but once I started, I realized the power in planning and never stopped.
I have a terrible memory so I plan what I need to write. Each day, I jot down a note for a scene that reminds me what emotional motivations are in play, what goals I need to hit, what decisions the characters need to face. I don't have time to re-read previous scenes so my notes help me make the most of my writing time. I write and re-write my to-do lists because that helps me remember the tasks on them.
When I feel like I'm in control, I feel charged and energized and ready to tackle anything.
I do all of this in a bullet journal. I used to have 4 or 5 journals that tracked separate things like my diet, my autoimmune disease, my writing, etc. Now I use the BuJo for all of this. I'm not artistic; I like my bullet journal minimalistic. It works for me.
In my BuJo is a plan for earning more money from my writing efforts. Ask me next year if it's working. Meanwhile, hit me up in the Comments if you want to hear more about my Bullet Journal!
Happy holidays, everyone.
Peace.
Great post, Patty! Love to hear more about your BuJo AND your plan for making more money from writing. Inspiring!
ReplyDeleteI got your back, Mary! I'll write something up ;) Thanks for commenting.
ReplyDelete