3 Ways to Find Balance in The Writer's Life

by Patty Smith Hall

I have a confession to make. I am a yes-a-holic. No matter how hard I try, I just can’t seem to spit out that mean old word, no. I don’t know why. I see something that seems like a great idea, and the next thing I know, I’m signed up for it (most times, I’m even in charge!)

But that’s got to change, and what convinced me was one of those silly test on Facebook. A few weeks ago, I signed into to do one that composed a video of my life over the past year. I thought it would be fun as we’ve had an interesting twelve months with our oldest daughter getting married and the upcoming birth of our first grandchild. While watching it was nice, I was surprised that most of the frames featured one project after another rather than a healthy mixture of personal life and work.

Now don’t get me wrong. I’m tremendously blessed to be doing a ministry I love and so very thankful that this last year has been productive. I signed three contracts, wrote six-novellas, signed with a new agent and began writing devotions for Journey magazine.

Each of these opportunities have been a gift and I’ve had the chance to work with some amazing people who have taught me so much about the craft of writing. But with the first grandchild due this month, I needed to make some changes. I began praying over what those changes should be and a word that would help me focus on achieving my goal. Finally, as the old year was winding down, the word came to me.

Balance.

How does that work with a busy writing career and an active family life? How does the girl who can’t say no find balance in her life? Here are a few ways I came up with:

1) Say yes to the best.

A few years ago, I talked to a pastor friend of ours about my problem with saying no, and he gave me this piece of advice. Only say yes to God’s best. He explained that there are a lot of good things out in the world—making waterproof mats for the homeless, working at the food bank, just tons of things. What you have to do if figure out what’s best for you? That’s not easy to figure out but if you put a little thought into it, you’ll come up with a short list of things that satisfy your soul. This is your ‘best’ list that should get the majority of your attention. And remember—what may be good to you is someone else's ‘best.’

2) Make a game plan.

I’ve become a planner over the years, probably from being married to an engineer. For me, making a game plan of the year, month, week and day prepares me—I know what to expect and each day as a familiar rhythm to it. As I tick off each item, I have a sense of accomplishment of a job well done. But how does one put balance into their plans? By following a schedule. Give yourself time limits. For example, I know that from nine to two Tuesday through Saturday, I spend fifteen minutes on emails and marketing then jump into my writing for the day. I shoot for at least a thousand words a day but I always write until two o’clock so if I go over, that’s great. At two, I check emails again then do something around my house or go work out or run errands. When my husband is home in the evenings and on Sunday, I don’t write unless I’m on a very tight deadline.

3) Forgive yourself

You’re heard that old saying—Man plans and God laughs. Yeah, stuff happens and schedules get thrown out the window. At moments like that, you have to cut yourself some slack. Life happens, and sometimes, despite our best efforts, we just can’t get things done. Don’t beat yourself up over it. I’ve found, at least with me, that I’m harder on myself than anyone else would ever think to be. So be kind to yourself. As Scarlett O’Hara said, ‘Tomorrow is another day!’

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I have a confession to make. I am a yes-a-holic.~ Patty Smith Hall (Click to Tweet)

Just can’t seem to spit out that mean old word, no.~ Patty Smith Hall (Click to Tweet)

Patty Smith-Hall is a multi-published, award-winning author with Love Inspired Historical/Heartsong and currently serves as president of the ACFW-Atlanta chapter. She currently lives in North Georgia with her husband of 30+ years, Danny; two gorgeous daughters and a future son-in-love. Her next release, New Hope Sweethearts will be available in July on Amazon.

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Time Management and the Dreaded Deadline

By Normandie Fischer

Time slithers through my fingers like noodles slide off chopsticks. I try to make both work, but life gets in the way of time and those chopsticks get in the way of a full stomach.

And if time shrinks (or slides on by when we’re not looking), what happens to our dreaded deadlines? What do you do when one looms while you’re tackling life issues?

Of course, the super-organized among us will tut-tut and suggest that we ought to have taken delays into account and been ahead of the game. Once upon a time, I was that person: researching early to finish the paper before its due date or studying early to ace the test. When a task loomed, my motto was “Get up, get it done, and relax later.”

Then I took my perfectionism into the writing life, but I left my organizational skills on the floor of my editing job. It was easy—it is easy—for me to edit, pare, revise, and organize others’ tomes or even my own fully realized story. It is painstakingly difficult for me to plot my way through a first draft in a way that doesn’t require cut and paste and flip and toss during the rewrite phase.

Take the novella I started last summer while Two from Isaac’s House was in the hands of its editor. I only needed to write 100+ pages. That’s nothing, right?

It’s nothing for some, perhaps for the gifted writer of short prose.

I write poetry. Short; concise; full of meaning, sound, and fury—or delight. Shouldn’t a poet be good at short?

Obviously, this poet wasn’t. Or at least I wasn’t good at it without a lot of work over a long time. Without a kick from one of my critique partners. A rewrite. A missed deadline—happily, though, merely a self-imposed one. (If I’d been under the chopping block, my old habits would have reasserted themselves, surely, and kept me up nights or roused me at daybreak.)

Thus a story that was supposed to be released in December of last year will move into the hands of my editor soon. It is now March.

I’m going to blame time. Busyness. Life. And I do have excuses: a new grandbaby and time dedicated to him, his mother, and his sister. Travel, illness, chores. Stuff. But I could have written during the evenings or early mornings or any time at all that wasn’t offered up to the pleasure of being with my babies.

I am without excuse. The noodles fall off, life intervenes, but I had choices in each case. A fork, for instance. Or time management.

The push that propelled that novella into completion had nothing to do with a deadline and everything to do with the tug of another book. The characters of my next story whispered their worries in my thoughts and in my dreams. But I couldn’t allow myself to return to them until this one had The End typed on its final page.

What about you? What do you do with the deadlines in your life? Do you outline your day, your month, your writing? Do you use a flow chart? Are you faithful in following through with expectations, either self- or other-imposed? And what propels you to finish something that’s no longer fun?

I’d love to know how you work, and what tricks you use to keep focused.

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Normandie studied sculpture in Italy before receiving her BA, summa cum laude with special honors in English. Known for her women’s fiction—Becalmed (2013), Sailing out of Darkness (2013), and Heavy Weather(2015)—she ventured into the realm of romantic suspense with the release of Two from Isaac’s House. In early 2016, a novella, From Fire into Fire, will continue the Isaac House saga. Normandie and her husband spent a number of years on board their 50-foot ketch, Sea Venture, sailing in the Sea of Cortez, Mexico. They now live in coastal North Carolina, where she takes care of her aging mother.

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10 Tips to Clean Up Your Writing

It’s easy to let your writing go and have projects pile up. Here are 10 easy things you can do to clear some space on your desktop.  

10. Keep it simple
You have many ongoing writing projects. Prioritize and be realistic.  

9. Break it down
Do you need to brainstorm a new story? Have you left a protagonist dangling? Do you have a percolating editing project? Break your tasks into chunks. One week, brainstorm; the next, rescue your protag. Then edit. Trying to do it all at once will paralyze.  

8. Make time
Finding time to write can be tough—especially for this editor. Pick a time that works for you—and stick to it. If you use a day planner or online calendar, schedule your writing time. Treat it like work; that’s what it is.  

7. Baby steps
Key writing tasks include brainstorming, researching, spewing (first draft), polishing, editing, praying, and sending. Wherever you are, divide that step into smaller steps. Interview one character. Outline (if you do that) one chapter. Write one paragraph. Then do it again. Put one foot in front of the other until the task is done.  

6. Start somewhere
Frustration mounts when what you’re working on is not working. So write your ending instead. If you don’t know the end, skip to the next chapter and move the story forward from there. Or polish what you have written. Just start. (Need an impartial review?)  

5. Clear the clutter
Maybe this means clearing your desktop (real world or computer). But, it could also mean going through your idea file and deleting ones that no longer flip your switch. The upside? It might remind you of an idea you’ve wanted to pursue.  

4. Recycle
Remember that character you spent so much time developing for Book 3 only to find he didn’t really fit the revised premise? Rename him and bring him back in Book 5. Maybe he didn’t fit Book 3 because you wanted him to be a second fiddle when he’s clearly a leading man.

3. Finish
Do you have a novel going, a couple magazine articles, a speaking engagement, and—what was that fourth thing? Oh, right, your spouse’s birthday! Forget multi-tasking—it doesn’t work! Instead, prioritize and finish one project at a time. When other projects intrude, whip out a sticky-note—write the idea down—then get back on task.

2. Keep track
Listing what you have accomplished in your writing is a great morale booster. You may not have finished Chapter 8, but you did resolve that hole in your plot in Chapter 6. Keep track, then when you get to the end of the day and feel you’ve accomplished nothing, you’ll know better.

1. Give yourself credit
Congratulate—and reward—yourself for what you do accomplish. M&Ms aren’t just for toilet training, you know.

Writing consists of many related tasks. Consistently and conscientiously cleaning out your writing life can be exciting, invigorating, and ultimately, rewarding.

Michael Ehret loves to play with words and as editor of the ACFW Journal, he is enjoying a new playground. He also plays with words as a freelance editor/writer at WritingOnTheFineLine.com and as a contributor here on Novel Rocket. He has edited several nonfiction books, played with words as a corporate communicator, and reported for The Indianapolis Star.

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Spring Cleaning For Writers

I searched online for Spring Cleaning Tips and found a post by Karen Rowe you can read here. Karen’s tips could easily be adapted for writers. So, here are 10 to help you:

10. Keep it Simple You have many ongoing writing projects. Prioritize and be realistic.

9. Break it Down Do you need to brainstorm a new story? Have you left a protagonist dangling? Do you have a percolating editing project? Break your tasks into chunks. One week, brainstorm. The next week, rescue your protag. Then edit.

8. Make Time Finding time to write can be tough. Pick a time that works for you —and stick to it. If you use a day planner or online calendar, schedule your writing time. Treat it like work; that’s what it is. (This writer’s clock may keep you on track.)

7. Start Somewhere Frustration mounts when what you’re working on is not working. So write your ending instead. If you don’t know the end, skip to the next chapter and move the story forward from there. Or polish what you have written. Just start. (Need an impartial review?)

6. Baby Steps Key writing tasks include brainstorming, researching, spewing (first draft), polishing, editing, praying, and sending. Wherever you are, divide that step into smaller steps. Interview one character. Outline (if you do that) one chapter. Write one paragraph. Then do it again. Put one foot in front of the other until the task is done. (A critique group could help.)

5. Clear the Clutter Maybe this means clearing your desktop (real world or computer). But, it could also mean going through your idea file and deleting ones that no longer flip your switch. The upside? It might remind you of an idea you’ve wanted to pursue.

4. Recycle Remember that character you spent so much time developing for Book 3, only to find he didn’t really fit the revised premise? Bring him back in Book 5. Maybe he didn’t fit Book 3 because you wanted him to be a second fiddle when he’s clearly a leading man.

3. Finish Do you have a novel going, a couple magazine articles, a speaking engagement, and—what was that fourth thing? Oh, right, your spouse’s birthday! Forget multi-tasking. Instead, prioritize and finish one project at a time. When other projects intrude, whip out a sticky-note—write the idea down—and get back on task.

2. Keep Track Listing what you have accomplished in your writing is a great morale booster. You may not have finished Chapter 8, but you did resolve that hole in your plot in Chapter 6. Keep track, then when you get to the end of the day and feel you’ve accomplished nothing, you’ll know better.

1. Give Yourself Credit Congratulate—and reward—yourself for what you do accomplish. M&Ms aren’t just for toilet training, you know. Writing, like spring cleaning, consists of many related tasks. Consistently and conscientiously cleaning out your writing life can be exciting, invigorating, and ultimately, rewarding.

Michael Ehret is the Editor-in-Chief for the Jerry B. Jenkins Christian Writers Guild. He has written for newspapers and other print and online outlets. He edited several nonfiction books, was the senior editor for a faith-based financial services and insurance organization, and is the ezine editor for American Christian Fiction Writers.

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Confessions of a Wannabe Perfectionist ~ Lisa Harris

Lisa Harris is an award-winning author who has sold twenty-one novels and novellas. She lives with her husband and their three children in Mozambique, Africa, where they work as missionaries. When she’s not busy writing or home schooling, she loves traveling, cooking different ethnic foods, and going on game drives through the African bush.

She is currently writing a series set in Africa for Zondervan. Book one, Blood Ransom, releases this month and is a powerful thriller about the modern-day slave trade and those who dare to challenge. It’s been described as emotive, enthralling, and spectacular. You can visit her website and her blog at to find out more about her and her books.

Confessions of a Wannabe Perfectionist


I have to admit, I’m not the most organized person in the world. Details like dusting the top of refrigerator or catching all the dust bunnies beneath my bed are easily forgotten due to the day-to-day demands of life. But while these details tend to easily slip by me, I learned early on that in writing a novel, organization in essential.


This was further brought home for me last year when I co-authored a medical thriller with a friend of mine. I realized that in order to stay on track with the fast-paced storyline, it was essential to find a quick way to keep our tight timeframe and chapter scenes in order.


I know there are dozens of ways to organize your story, but Excel has made it simple for me, and hopefully I can pass some new ideas of staying organized.


When you open up Excel, you’re able to make as many columns as you want. I typically make five columns, but these can be changed and rearranged as needed. Next, I give each column a header. This allows me to keep a running total of my word count, mark with an X when the chapter is finished and placed into my final manuscript, show the timeline, the POV, description of each chapter, and any additional notes.


EXAMPLE OF COLUMN HEADERS:


Chapters / Finished / World Count / Time / Chapter Descriptions and Notes


Below the headers, on horizontal rows, I keep a running list of each chapter that includes the information from the header. I add additional rows to show the date and help me keep track of the timeline. This is especially important if you book takes place over a short period of time and includes several POVs. The highlighting feature can also be used to mark a problem you need to fix later, to leave additional notes, or to spotlight something. If you’d like to see a sample spreadsheet of how I’ve done this, check out the Writing Tips on my website.


This same system can also be used for character descriptions and storyline details. In writing a series containing overlapping characters, it is often necessary to need to know the color of John Doe’s eyes, that he has a black belt in karate, or that his favorite pizza is anchovies and onions (and he has bad breath!). All this information can be kept in an organized reference sheet allowing you quick access in one place.


This quick overview became particularly helpful for me when my editor asked me to take out a character and replace it with another. When I turned in the revised manuscript, I was able to show her, in one glance, the story before and after with all the changes, something she loved.


How do you stay organized? I’d love to hear your thoughts on what works for you!

Blood Ransom


Deep in the heart of Africa, two American lives are about to change forever.

Natalie Sinclair is working to eradicate the diseases decimating whole villages in the Republic of Dhambizao, when she meets Dr. Chad Talcott, a surgeon on sabbatical from a lucrative medical practice now volunteering at a small clinic.


Meanwhile, things are unraveling in Dhambizao. Joseph Komboli returns to his village to discover rebel soldiers abducting his family and friends. Those that were too old or weak to work lay motionless in the African soil. When Chad and Natalie decide to help Joseph expose this modern-day slave trade—and a high-ranking political figure involved in it—disaster nips at their heels.


Where is God in the chaos? Will Chad, Natalie and Joseph win their race against time?

Romance and adventure drive this powerful thriller about the modern-day slave trade and those who dare challenge it.

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