When you’re in the middle of writing a book, it’s easy to get discouraged. You might not be sure what’s supposed to happen next. You certainly can’t remember what happened two chapters ago. The main characters you thought you knew so well seem wobbly, like you don’t know them at all.
This is when it gets tempting to avoid writing.
When everything inside you is screaming to do ANYTHING but write (hello, laundry! Why, yes, I need to scrub my stovetop right this minute…), extinguish those screams.
I recently went through my latest royalty statements. For those of you who aren’t in the publishing industry, royalty statements are a breakdown of the sales of your books. I always print them out, review them and add up my total sales (this includes the sales of all my previous books).
I’m thrilled to share that over half a million of my books have sold worldwide! All thanks to you!
Thank you for reading my books, reviewing them, recommending them to friends, for subscribing to my newsletter and for reading this blog. I am honored that you take the time to stop by. I know you’re busy!
My writer productivity skyrockets when I set monthly goals. At the beginning of each week I break them down into daily tasks that will work within my current schedule. Do you know how great it is to finish projects? Of course you do! For me, setting monthly goals makes it all possible.
Every month I share how I did the previous month as well as my new goals. Let’s get to it!
Last Friday I spent some time with my planner to figure out my writer priorities. I wasn’t sure what I wanted to focus on–drafting the rest of the Love Inspired book due in November, working on promo items for my release in October, or drafting more of my nonfiction book for writers. Besides these three options, I was well aware summer is on its last legs here in NW Ohio. Sure, it will be warm through mid-September, but after Labor Day, my brain switches to fall mode.
After thinking it through, I decided to draft the rest of the Love Inspired book due in November. However, I also gave myself permission to focus ONLY on that. Each day when I meet my word count goals, I can either kick off and soak up some sun or work on promo items for a bit. I’m not ready to lock into my full-time fall/winter/spring schedule again just yet.
After deciding on the big stuff, my brain buzzed with a million and one tasks I needed to get done around the house and professionally. So I started a big, ol’ brain dump on my oversized notepad. Nothing was too small to write down!
When I say nothing, I mean nothing. Here’s a sample:
Put away bags
Make hummingbird food
Clean desk
Books?? (I always have author copies stacked in the corner, on shelves, teetering in odd places…)
Find place to store immersion blender (Yeah, I bought an immersion blender! I’m really excited about it. I love making creamy soups, and this will make them extra creamy…)
As you can see, the things on my mind are REALLY important. *rolls eyes* Anyway…
Part of figuring out my writer priorities is taking into account the season I’m in. I plan on enjoying the end of summer, even if I’m simply sitting on my deck reading a good book at 4pm instead of working on marketing!
What are your writer priorities right now?
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My motivation to work is pretty low at the moment. The weather isn’t even that great, so I can’t blame it on wanting to be out in the sunshine. Maybe it’s the fact our youngest headed off to college (he commuted last year) or the fact we had another expensive home essential replaced (hello, new furnace and A/C!). I don’t know. I’m just in a funky mood. Is anyone really productive in August?
Looking back at past years, though, I have to admit August is typically a low-motivation and low-productivity month for me. After years of school registrations, sports physicals, back-to-school shopping, etc… I’ve been groomed to feel like these weeks are the last hurrah of summer.
Now that my kids are older, though, it really isn’t true. The weather tends to stay warm through September here. I could technically do all the summery stuff for another month. Will I? Probably not.
As much as my work motivation wanes in August, it goes through the roof in September. I guess it’s the schoolkid in me that never grew up. September just feels like a new beginning. And I love it!
All that being said, I actually am productive in August, mainly because I have to be. I have a deadline to meet, and, frankly, I really like this book. So, I’ll fight the urge to take a nap. I’ll press on. Tackle those word count goals. And slowly get excited for the fourth quarter of 2021.
Are you productive in late August? If yes, what is your secret? If no, I hear you!
My writer productivity skyrockets when I set monthly goals. At the beginning of each week I break them down into daily tasks that will work within my current schedule. Do you know how great it is to finish projects? Of course you do! For me, setting monthly goals makes it all possible.
Every month I share how I did the previous month as well as my new goals. Let’s get to it!
How did I do? Jill’s July Goals
Writing
Revise and polish Wyoming Ranchers book 3 CHECK!
Health
Exercise 5 days/week CHECK!
Continue eating more unprocessed food CHECK!
Track calories on weekdaysNO CHECK.
Drink minimum of 72 ounces of water every day CHECK!
Other
Continue reading fiction for a minimum of 20 minutes every weekday CHECK!
I know these are light goals, but I have to tell you I still struggled to get them completed! What can I say? We’ve been busy!
About a week into the month, I stopped tracking calories altogether. Once again I found it restrictive and annoying. Does tracking calories work? For me, yes. But was it worth being irritated daily? Not this July.
Since we’ve embraced MANY rewarding opportunities to see friends and family this summer, I’m treating myself as kindly as possible, and that means no calorie tracking until/if I can commit to it without feeling annoyed.
Jill’s August Goals
Writing
Revise and polish the sample chapters and synopsis of Wyoming Ranchers book 4
Health
Exercise 5 days/week
Continue eating more unprocessed food
Drink minimum of 72 ounces of water every day
Other
Continue reading fiction for a minimum of 20 minutes every weekday
Enjoy summer as much as possible before fall arrives!
A small part of me longs for September. It’s the month I’m most energized about my work. It always feels like a fresh beginning, and I set big goals for the final quarter of the year. Right now I’m still in summer mode (as I should be!), where everything feels a bit loosey-goosey. I guess it wouldn’t be August if I didn’t feel that way!
What were your July goals? How did you do? What would you like to accomplish (if anything) in August?
Thanks so much for joining me each month! Seeing your progress motivates me!
There’s a tug-of-war within me all summer long. You know, the one that says, “Get to work!” while the other says, “Get out there and have fun!”
It’s especially bad right now. Since it’s the middle of July, I’m hoping my reluctance to stick with my schedule has peaked. I doubt it.
Writing full time during the summer pushes my self control to the limits.
I’d simply rather be having fun. Who wouldn’t?
We’ve been blessed to spend several weekends this summer with extended family. It’s a welcome change from last year when we were isolated. But after weekends surrounded by friends and family, I always need extra time to decompress. And my writing schedule really doesn’t allow much extra time this year.
This is where creating a weekly and daily goal list keeps me on track. The downside? I’m working longer days to make up for the fun weekends. And I would much rather to be out on my deck, soaking up the sun in the afternoons, instead of inside writing!
That’s the thing, though. Just because I’m self-employed and make my own schedule doesn’t mean I can take extended time off. I have deadlines, and they aren’t just suggestions. I don’t mind, though. I’m doing what I love, and I want my career to continue to climb.
There are always tradeoffs. If I scheduled my deadlines differently to allow for more downtime, I would have fewer releases, and I would make less money. No thanks!
At this point in my life, I prefer to forego lazy summer afternoons to release more books and earn more money. In the future, that might change or it might not. But for now, I’m pushing through the middle-of-summer tug-of-war, and so far, I’m winning!
Do you write during the summer? Is it challenging for you? What helps keep you motivated?
There is still time to enter the BIG Christmas in July Reader Giveaway! Go HERE for my blog stop and directions!
Happy Christmas in July! Welcome to the 2nd blog in this Christmas in July Reader Giveaway, which runs July 12-23, 2021. At the bottom of each author’s blog post, you will find the secret words. Write them all down and provide the provide the entire answer on this Google form.
Note: You must grab all the secret words from every author in the Christmas in July Reader Giveaway to be eligible to win a $400 Amazon gift card. At the end of this blog post is a link to the next blog, and so on, to the final blog post (20 in all). At each blog stop, the author will also give away copy or copies of their featured Christmas book.
Don’t you just love Christmas? Especially when you can win a huge prize–in July! Woohoo!
To further celebrate this amazing reader giveaway, I’m giving away 5 (FIVE) copies of THE COWBOY’S CHRISTMAS BLESSINGS! US winners will receive a signed paperback, and International winners will receive an ebook! Simply LEAVE A COMMENT on this blog post to be entered to win one of the 5 copies!
All comments are moderated by me, so don’t worry if it doesn’t show up right away. I will see it and approve it the next tune I’m at my computer.
Comments can be left through July 23, 2021, 8:00pm EST. One comment per reader, please. Winner will be selected via random number generator and contacted via email. 18 years and older. Void where prohibited.
Will welcoming them for Christmas have him wishing for more?
Judd Wilson lives a solitary life…until he learns Nicole Taylor and her infant triplets need somewhere to stay. The cabin on his ranch is the perfect solution, but now his quiet Christmas alone feels a lot more crowded. Recently widowed, Nicole questions her swiftly developing feelings for Judd, even if the older man is wonderful with her babies. Is she ready to take that leap again?
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Now, it’s time to for the secret words: In Christmas
Save the secret words, and when you reach the final blog, enter all the secret words on this form for a chance to win a $400 Amazon gift card!
Thank you so much for visiting! The next author on the tour is Dennis Bailey and his Christmas book The Boy Who Cried Christmas. You can find it at THIS LINK. Remember, this Christmas in July Reader Giveaway will end on July 23 at 8 PM EST!
Leave a comment below to be entered to win one of FIVE copies of The Cowboy’s Christmas Blessings!
My writer productivity skyrockets when I set monthly goals. At the beginning of each week I break them down into daily tasks that will work within my current schedule. Do you know how great it is to finish projects? Of course you do! For me, setting monthly goals makes it all possible.
Every month I share how I did the previous month as well as my new goals. Let’s get to it!
