Writer Wednesday: Getting Things Done #writerwednesday #amwriting #amediting #motivation #giveaway

It's no secret that I have a packed schedule for 2017. With five novels releasing, two big events, and a slew of smaller appearances, it's a wonder I'm not running around like a chicken with my head cut off. My secret for getting things done is perhaps the most low-tech trick out there: an old-fashioned to-do list.

I typically work off of several to-do lists. I have the main one, with the big goals, and several little ones. For instance, here is my current main list:

• Review/approve Gallowglass ebooks
• Golem cover info to designer
• Golem draft complete by 4/30
• Gallowglass #2 complete by 5/31
• Gallowglass #3 outline by 4/15
• Finish outline for YA
• Research: Scandinavian folklore, County Clare local legends, Crail/Perthshire folklore

If that looks like a lot, it's because it is. The easiest way to tackle such a lost is to break it into smaller parts. Therefore, here's today's list:

• Finish Scandinavian folklore book
• Golem to 80k
• Write blog post (yep, this one)
• Laundry (because real life happens too)
• Review swag/stock for upcoming events

Now, that I can handle in a day. Not only do these lists keep me organized, as I tick off completed tasks I feel accomplished. It's like I'm giving myself a few little mini-awards while I'm working toward my overall goal, and who doesn't like rewards? Come to think of it, I think I deserve some chocolate.

Do you have any tips or tricks for tackling your to-do list? Share them in the comments!

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Writer Wednesday: Finding Time To Write In Three Easy Steps #WriterWednesday #amwriting #goals #inspiration #findingtime

“Don’t judge each day by the harvest you reap but by the seeds that you plant.” -- Robert Louis Stevenson

 And that's exactly what you're doing when you write, whether it's a grocery list or participating in NaNoWriMo, planting seeds. Unless you're going for instant gratification via social media or blogging, when you write something it takes time for it to pay off. But no matter what or why you're writing, you need to get the writing done first.

Which leads me to the following list, my release schedule for next year:

Rise of the Deva'shi (Parthalan #3) - February 2017
Changing Fates (Changes #3) - April 2017
Gallowglass - June 2017
Golem (Parthalan #4) - September 2017
Bride of the Gallowglass (Gallowglass #2) - November 2017

Well, that's certainly ambitious.

There are lots of reasons why 2017 will go down in history as Release Madness, the main one being that three of the above titles are extremely close to completion (they don't need more than a final edit/proofread and finalized covers), and the other two are very close to final draft status. Still, that's a helluva schedule, and I'm not even mentioning my DDJ (Dreaded Day Job), wrangling the Wonder Twins and Wonder Dog (the parrot is above our shenanigans), or grad school. So how the heck will I find time to write?

Simple: I will make time.

Honestly, that's really all it comes down to. Whenever we have something we're passionate about, be it writing or woodworking or running marathons, we find the time to do it. We all get the same 24 hours each day; some of us choose to use them wisely, others binge on Netflix (says the girl who watched 2 seasons of Daredevil in four days. What? It was, um, research.)

Here's how I find time to write:

I write at the same time every day. For me, that means after the Wonder Twins get on the bus, and my husband goes back to bed. This gives me about an hour of peace and quiet per weekday. Of course, I can write at other times, but having a set schedule is very helpful.

I strive to meet my word count. usually my word count is 2000 per day. I don't hold myself to that if I'm in deep edit mode, since I'm often deleting while writing, and keeping track of all that is maddening.

I take days off. Forcing yourself to write is not the way to create compelling stories. I get much more quality work done when I take breaks from writing, and 500 good words beats 2000 filler words (that will likely get deleted) any day.

That's how I do it! How do you find time to write? Tell us in the comments!

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What Kind Of Pencils do You Use? #WriterWednesday #amwriting #inspiration

In my never-ending quest for blog post topics, I asked my husband what I should write about today... and I got the title you see above you. And while I initially dismissed his idea, the more I thought about it, the more I liked it. Artist need tools to create, right?

 But I don't want to talk about traditional writing tools, like pencils and notebooks and word processing programs. I want to talk about the tools that make writing possible, tools that you can use to smash through writers block or jump start your inspiration. one of the tools I use for this--and I have many--are newsletters.

 Newsletters?

I subscribe to a wide variety of newsletter, some because they're writing related, some for inspiration, and some just for fun. Below are a few of my favorites.

 Travel + Leisure: This is a list based newsletter, which features things like "25 Waterfalls To See Before You Die" and "Top Ten Towns For Foodies". It's a great way to get inspiration for a scene, or research a location without leaving home.

 Tasting Table: Features a wide variety of world cuisine, and has restaurant and chef profiles. It's fun learning what's eaten for breakfast in Sweden, and how chefs create those amazing meals.

 Atlas Obscura: As the name implies, this newsletter features some of the strangest and most out of the way stuff on earth. I've read articles on Spring Heeled Jack , a church decorated with dragon bones, and a unicorn skeleton. Now that's some inspiration.

 What tools do you use for inspiration? Tell us in the comments!

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