How to Write a Gazillion Books and Do a Gazillion Things While Listening to God and Keeping Your Sanity

Busy schedule? I understand.

I have book deadlines April 1 and May 1 (with another project of devotions due April 15). We’re moving to a new house on April 1, and I have a 2-day trip this week and a 3-day trip next week. And that’s just the beginning of my to-do list! I have a grandma to care for, a wonderful husband, and three kids still at home: one in college, one in his last year of high school (who I homeschool), and a toddler! We also have another family living with us for a few more weeks. Five more people including kids ages 10, 7 and 5!

In addition to that there is the daily stuff of being a writer: emails, phone calls, my weekly radio show and social media (Twitter, Facebook and Pinterest), which I insist IS work. Okay, to me social media is super fun and doesn’t seem like work, but I do have some marketing stuff too because By the Light of the Silvery Moonreleased March 1 and Beyond Hope’s Valley is releasing April 1.

How do I manage a schedule like that?

The thing that helps me handle a schedule like that is to put everything (as I think of it) into slots on my schedule (on my computer). I use iCal and when I put everything into my computer it looks sort of like this:

I include EVERYTHING in my calendar:


Morning quiet time
Time with my husband and kids
Meetings
Phone interviews
Bible Study
Blogs I need to write
Grocery shopping
Daily writing goals
Phone calls I need to make
Emails I need to answer
Date nights
Small group
Church events
Housecleaning and laundry

Putting everything into my calendar gets it off my brain. I don’t have to think about it because I know I’ll get to it–each thing will get it’s turn and each thing has to learn to be patient.

Then in the morning I prayerfully hold my schedule up to God and ask what He thinks of it. Sometimes I feel the need to just scoot those to-dos off to another day and take my grandma to Wal-mart. Sometimes the list gets done quicker than I thought and I have “space” for a nap. And I take that nap, too, because all those other things I have to do are still in their space and are still waiting patiently!

Sometimes my heart is moved in a different direction during morning devotions, or my mind is moved in a different direction by a book idea that won’t leave me. That’s important, too. I’ve learned NOT to let my daily to-do list take control of the creative part. If there is a new idea that I feel the Holy Spirit is directing me to I stop and listen to that. God knows my to-do list, too. I figure if He wants me to pause and redirect my creative energy then He has the rest of the items on my to-do list figured out, too.

God has also provided me with wise advisers. I’ll often adjust my daily calendar after talking with my husband. John’s great about helping me pick out what’s really important. I also heed the advice of my agent Janet Grant who is great about telling me what idea can wait and what idea needs to be acted on NOW. I trust Janet and her advice has been right 99 percent of the time. (I personally can’t remember the 1 percent when she wasn’t right, but maybe there was a time?) Janet acts as a wise counselor to me, and it’s important to have someone who can “see” the bigger picture when I tend to get focused on the daily little stuff.

I also keep my heart tender to the needs of my kids. There are some days Alyssa (2) needs more interaction and direction. There are days she’s not content playing with play dough, sitting next to me, as I answer emails. There are times when she doesn’t want a nap and I’ve had to reschedule phone meetings that I set up to be during her nap time. There are times she’s sick and I’ve had to ask for a few extra days on a writing deadline. There are some days (nearer to book deadlines), when I find a babysitter so I can go to Panera to write.

My older kids need attention too. When my daughter wants to sit down and talk or my son asks if we can go to lunch–just the two of us–I know I need to make time. Sometimes I’m able to adjust my schedule that day, but if that’s not possible then I move other stuff aside and “write them into my schedule” as soon as possible. For example a few weeks ago Nathan wanted to go to lunch. I had a few phone meetings and some important errands that day, but we set a time for two days later. Knowing we were going to spend quality time together in a few days made us both happy.

As you know, “life” isn’t always great about sticking to a schedule BUT it’s worth an effort to try to give everything a spot. Life happens, things change, and that’s okay. It’s just easier for me to have everything written down where I can see it. Because iCal manages my to-dos, I do a better job of loving and caring for the people and tasks in the moment.

So, what about you? Any tips or advice on how you manage your schedule?

{Reposted Blog Written by Tricia Goyer}

###

Tricia Goyer is the author of thirty plus books including Songbird Under a German Moon, The Swiss Courier, and the mommy memoir, Blue Like Play Dough. She won Historical Novel of the Year in 2005 and 2006 from ACFW, and was honored with the Writer of the Year award from Mt. Hermon Writer’s Conference in 2003. Tricia’s book Life Interrupted was a finalist for the Gold Medallion in 2005. In addition to her novels, Tricia writes non-fiction books and magazine articles for publications like MomSense and Thriving Family. Tricia is a regular speaker at conventions and conferences, and has been a workshop presenter at the MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers) International Conventions. She and her family make their home in Little Rock, Arkansas where they are part of the ministry of FamilyLife. Find her on her blog http://triciagoyer.blogspot.com  

Writing a book: Where do I begin?

One of the reasons I have started this consulting firm was so I could share as much information as I could with other writers interested in self-publishing. The truth is, it’s a crazy world out there filled with lots of options. And honestly, if you’re not careful, you’ll find yourself becoming so overwhelmed that you don’t get anything done. Trust me, I know that feeling.

I’m often approached by other zealous writers with questions about how to self-publish. And sometimes, they want to know where to go first. “What is step one,” they ask.

Well, I’ll break it down to you in a few simple answers that might help you get started right now:

#1 Write.

When I first started writing my first book, I had no idea how to write fiction. I started writing my first novel (Awakened) before I published my devotional (Simply Wisdom). And trust me, I did not know a THING about fiction writing. I didn’t know much about how to properly write dialogue, the art of “showing vs. telling”… I had no clue. But all I did know was that I had a story in my brain that I wanted to write on paper. So, I pulled out my laptop and started from chapter one.

The truth is, all writers are growing. The more you write, the better you become at it. So, write what it is in your heart to share. Start there first.

#2 Connect with other writers/authors.

I didn’t know a thing about book writing until I stared blogging. I remember Googling “Writing Mentors” because I knew I was going to need some help with this. Well, little did I know that I could connect with one of the sweetest and one of my favorite Christian authors, Tricia Goyer, that way. She had a blog titled “My Writing Mentor” at the time and I logged on there consistently every day to see what wisdom she had to share. From there, I learned about the Yahoo writing group “The Writers View“. Suddenly, the world of writing started to open up to me in such a colorful way. I had no idea this world existed. From there, I met Mary DeMuth and learned of a writers group she’s a part of here in Dallas. I have met so many more sweet writers who have a heart to share the messages God placed in their heart to share.

Connecting with other writers helps you grow. And, don’t be afraid to ask questions from the experts. The more you know, the more you’ll grow.

#3 Read.

One of the greatest pieces of advice I’ve heard when I started was “Read!” The books you have in your library right now are from people who have been right where you are right now. It just makes sense for writers to read to learn from them. I joined Writers Digest where I was able to get writing books at a great discount. I wanted to learn more and more about how I can become a better writer. And there are many great books out there.

So, if you’re writing a devotional, read devotionals. Pay attention to how they are structured. Are they too preachy? Are they filled with compassion and share a message of hope? If you’re writing fiction, pay attention to dialogue. Is it believable? Does it sound like something you would hear in a regular conversation? Did the author paint a great picture for you? Whatever type of book you’re writing, it’s a good idea to read that type of book to learn from them.

There are many more writing tips that I’ll share on this blog. But for now, I wanted to highlight the three more important ones for writers who are hoping to finish their book and get published.

Question for you:

Do you have any other tips for writers who want to get published? What helped you the most?