I guess it’s no secret that the publishing industry is evolving at lightening speed, making authors jump like panicked frogs from stones to lily pads in a fast-moving brook. Learning curves on new technologies have to be absorbed to stay leading edge… knowledge about which publishing house is collapsing under its own weight and where the next place to be is are now ever-present realities one must cope with in “the business,” all amid the bookstore chain fallout of Borders–our jobs as authors ain’t what they used to be. Meanwhile, with ever increasing demands that a writer stay abreast of social media (also imposed by shrinking marketing department resources within the publishing houses), by regularly blogging and FBing, and tweeting… maaaan… where does one carve out time to write any more?
It is the age old and quintessential question we all struggle with, whether we so-called write full-time for a living or write after our stable 9-5 occupation… time is always a fleeting resource because one’s Muse can be so fickle. Yet, at the expense of fighting “her,” and thereby alienating her from us–a writer’s worst nightmare–I say if you give her a regular schedule and forum to express herself, most times she’ll cooperate and give you a little something in return during the time you’ve carved out for her. But woe be unto you if you regularly fail her 
BIG SMILE! Social media can be an exotic, sexy, and very seductive lover… just like the telephone and TV can be. (Just say no! LOL) Cheat on your Muse all the time, and sooner or later she’ll leave you high and dry. That said, this is why you see me in bursts on the various media, and then I hide… all so I can be true to my Muse and get that next book out that you want–so forgive the blog gaps, inability to answer all messages on FB, et al. Just keeping it real.
BIG HUG, Leslie!
Write On!
PS: And, yes, I got hooked up into yet another web venue, LOL… VYOU.com and posted a video response to a question I got about how one finds time to write! OMG!
Tags: finding time to write, Vyou, writing
I hear you. I admire how much you do keep in touch with your public. I have to write professionally and it is a muse. Sometimes he is not there at all. Or he is waiting for me to stop playing on the internet, researching yet one or two more articles or making yet another cup of tea. But the worse is TV. TV is my enemy is my mantra. Such a waste of time and thinking capacity. Once I turn it on, I’m stuck. The afternoon flies by, the evening eclipses and there I am with another lost day. I keep wishing for time to reflect and write and then I blow it on some mindless show that will be rerunning again in a few days, anyway. Thanks so much for keeping it real. At least I know I am not the only one who is challenged by such temptations. Good luck to you.
I hear you. I admire how much you do keep in touch with your public. I have to write professionally and it is a muse. Sometimes he is not there at all. Or he is waiting for me to stop playing on the internet, researching yet one or two more articles or making yet another cup of tea. But the worse is TV. TV is my enemy is my mantra. Such a waste of time and thinking capacity. Once I turn it on, I’m stuck. The afternoon flies by, the evening eclipses and there I am with another lost day. I keep wishing for time to reflect and write and then I blow it on some mindless show that will be rerunning again in a few days, anyway. Thanks so much for keeping it real. At least I know I am not the only one who is challenged by such temptations. Good luck to you. Make your AWOL a productive one.
I thank you for your post. I have been trying to contact you regarding your publishing house, and any advice you can give me as a first time author. I have written a novel dealing with child abuse, incest, and child neglect. I truly believe this is a story that NEEDS to be told.Please contact me. It would be an honor for you to read my work. Thank you very much.
Sharrone D. Collins
Talk2sharronecollins@yahoo.com
Great post! I am a big believer in doing the best in your power to promote but you can’t just promote. You have to write too and find time. The writing is more important and I think writers get lost and seduced by social networks. At one while, social networking sucked up my time and I got to where I wasn’t writing as much. I put a stop to that quickly. I’m like this, if you promote and don’t write, you soon won’t have anything to promote. One of the best forms of promotion is an author’s back list because it fuels the fire for their recent and future work. So the more books you get out there, the more successful you can be. But it starts with writing and you gotta be disciplined and put in the time. I limit my time on social networks and even when I get on, I am writing between visits. So people gotta learn to make their time productive. I know many authors who say they spend their days on FB but then complain that they haven’t been writing. Hmm.
Best Wishes!
No worries, beautiful one. As an ardent fan I perfectly understand. As much as we will like to chat with you, we very much prefer if you are knocking out the next greatest story since Damali met Carlos. Never mind how long it takes, we love you still
i have to say I understand about dropping out and getting into my muse.
To help myself, I have had to buy an AlphaSmart so I can just gleen with my muse all day and all night.
Leslie,
Well said. In teaching others social media strategies and just how to plain work and keep up with it, I find myself on it a lot and because if it, my writing HAS suffered. Thanks for the reality check. Instead of trying to work writing into my schedule, I will vow to work social media into my schedule. Keep writing!
I’m thankful that you strive for that balance because I am craving a new series. I am super-excited about the Angels and Demons series and so are my circle of friends who read you. Welcome back!