As November continues to carry the burden of winter’s
promise of solitude, coffee, and long hours reading and writing, I find myself
having a difficult time nailing down which of the many projects I want to dedicate
to. I realize one of the best ways to
get things done resides in the premise of actually working piece by piece on a
project until there is a whole. But
there seems to be this nagging pulling that comes from me in terms of which
story to tell. Each of my beloved
characters are very near to my heart and each of them wants their own little
stage. They stand around me wondering and
asking, “When do I get my ten minutes of fame?” Unfortunately I do not always
have the answer. For starters, trying to
find the time for writing doesn’t seem to be one of the questions that plague
my existence. If anything it is the
exact opposite. I have nothing but time
to write. (Yes I know this sounds a bit
pompous, and I’ll admit it: horribly swaddled in ‘poor-me’ syndrome).
Time to write, however, is more often
dedicated to figuring out how to keep myself on some sort of structured
plan. Here is an example of how I
balance my waking hours between work, work, and more work.
1. Wake Early
This I have found to be crucial. Never wake up 15 minutes before you need to do something. That first hour or so in the morning (for me it is sometimes 3 hours) is some of the most important time to reflect and consider things from a refreshed state of mind. I also enjoy reading something like the New York Times or perhaps whichever poetry collection happens to be around. Either way it helps my brain begin thinking with words. For a good perspective on this check out Mary Oliver’s “Why I Wake Early.” She is also the one that brought me to the mind frame that it is best to work on my own special projects and building my spiderweb long before I dedicate time to ‘making money’ or ‘working for the weekend'.2. Proper Caffeine Levels
Yes, it’s true. Those of us that enjoy caffeine very commonly refer to needing coffee intravenously. I use to drink lots of coffee myself. Sometimes I still can. But mostly I have learned that too much caffeine can begin to react in a manner counterproductive to my focus and determination. Caffeine actually releases cortisol in the bloodstream. This I’ve learned after years of being a Sport’s Nutrition Writer (this I’ll touch on more at another post.) Long story short: Too much of this ‘stress hormone’ can lead to sluggishness, decreased motivation, and cause unnecessary weight gain. Definitely not the thing we want from a cup of coffee. My solution: One cup of coffee then switch to green tea, then switch to decaf.
3.
Ok. Now we have covered the basics for that
precious wake up time. The next
important thing, and perhaps above and beyond all else:
3. FOOD!
We need food. Even if it is something small like an apple or banana. The mind needs this fuel. I have found that a protein rich breakfast suits my needs better than carbs. Whatever works for you just don’t forget to at least eat something. Oh, I almost forgot, try to do that eating thing every few hours. Like every three hours. Remember quality exceeds quantity
4. Water
Hydrate or die! Need I say more?5. Dollar Dollar Bill Ya'll (hopefully!)
One of my favorite things to do is hunt for work. Every freelancer needs this, or an agent, or a different profession. Some of my favorite places: Odesk, Elance, and Journalism Jobs. Spend at least an hour looking through these a couple times a week. Make sure to apply as soon as you see something you find even remotely interesting. The window that these jobs are open is usually pretty small. Plus you have now entered the realms of global competition. Don’t sell yourself short. Or as I was always learned: Don’t shoot yourself in the foot
6. Roll Up Them Sleeves
Now after job hunting for a bit, I feel excited about the freelance work I do have. This is one I tear into it with ruthless abandon. These next few hours fly by
7. Brain Breather
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| Old Journal. Watercolor Apple. |
My favorite brain breather, or brain break, involves making some sort of art. This may be making a letter for somebody, creating digitally, or even decorating a journal. One way or another, this special time of the afternoon allows me to bridge the gap between writing for a job and writing for myself (or the characters in my stories, however you slice it)
8. Time for the real Work!
Depending on what stage of the process I am at, this is the time when I get to really work on all those 'other' projects. You know the ones. They are the ones that got you to quit calling them hobbies and start taking them seriously. I either write, edit, submit, or prepare for digital trade (as was the case recently when I released Oats Wild).
9. Slow 'Er Down
A light night cap of any fiction work usually does the job. It's books not booze Crockett!
10. Good Rest
It might not always be 8 hours (in fact it seldom is) but I resist trying to burn the ‘Midnight Oil’ or stay up till the sun rises. Sometimes my circadian rhythm flips the script on me and I’ll suddenly be on the night shift. For the most part though, I allow my body to get the rest it needs, whenever it needs it.
So there are my simple 10 steps. I realize some of them are no-brainers. But if you are anything like me, some of
those simple things, such as remembering to eat and sleep, just sort of fade
away when in the wonderfully delirious throws of your personal muse. The point is to stay calm and
productive. Not manic, anxious, and
stressed. I also try to alternate. Some things are Monday, Wednesday and Friday. While other things are only Tuesday and Thursday. If variety is the spice of life, structure provides all the different utensils necessary to get the job done. Happy writing....catch up with you all on the flippers!
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