Did you participate in Jackee's Great May Scramble Challenge? I'm pleased to announce that I was the winner (random.org is my friend)! Jackee's challenge involved setting a word count goal and a blogging goal. I decided that I would visit three new-to-me blogs a day. I felt that if I set the number too high, I wouldn't be able to spend time reading the blogs I visit on a regular basis. I discovered there are all kinds of blogs out there. If you look at my side bar you'll see I have some non-writer blogs listed. (Check them out...they'll make you smile too!) I didn't meet my word count goal, but I did work on my writing in some way every day, so that was a big accomplishment.
I don't know about you, but I realized I need to write down my writing goals on a weekly basis. Thanks to Lenny, I remembered what SMART goals were and how to set them. Lenny made a comment about being careful not to set too many goals...Well, I forgot that I took Monday off to ride the Harley, so I did no writing related work and gave myself too many goals...The good thing is I've accomplished part of what I wanted to do (and I still have Friday). I finished a query letter and sent it to an editor that an agent, I queried in February, suggested and to a publisher in the UK. (I'd love having it published in the UK, then I could visit family and call it work. *smile*)
I realized that I'm more productive after I have a nap. I get the kiddo off to school, go to the gym, check my email, take a nap and then start my writing day...
When are you most productive? Do you have a routine?
I 'had' a routine, but then school let out last week and that is out the window. I'm struggling with it all right now, but I know it will smooth out shortly.
ReplyDeleteLove he Harley picture ... vroom!
I write at night, when my family is sleeping. I can't write with things going on around me, I must have peace and quiet... no kids running around and phones going off. That’s just me.
ReplyDeleteAnd I AM so proud of you!! Congrats (again).
ReplyDeleteI'm best in the early morning hours, when all the rest of the world is asleep. I love that time to type away.
Tess--K is so tired of school. She goes until next Thursday. I hope you get your writing time in over the summer.
ReplyDeleteDo I look like a biker chick? :) I really love riding on the back of the Harley...
Jeff--I blog in the evenings and write during the day when no one is around. I have to have quite too. :)
Jackee--Thank you, you are such a sweetie! You ans Susan up at the crack of dawn, while I sleep until the last possible momment...LOL
I am most productive when I have little snippets of time. (However, I am most creative when I have larger chunks with nuttin' to do.)
ReplyDeleteShelley
Look at you all Wild One and Biker Woman extraordinaire!!! I love that pic!! :-)
ReplyDeleteAnd CONGRATULATIONS winning Jackee's May Scramble!! Yay and good for you for sticking to all these goals!
GOOD LUCK with your querying!! Fingers crossed that the UK one succeeds!! How exciting for you. (I really must stop ending all my sentences with a !!!!!)LOL!
Anyway, when am I most productive? Never in the daytime. Always at night!
Take care
x
Love the cool photo!...Congratulations on winning the Scramble Challenge...Goals are a great way to be proactive in your life, it's fun to feel inspired!...Happy Friday!
ReplyDeleteLove the biker chick look! (Smiles) I think it would be different if I didn't work outside the home. But since I do, most of my writing happens at night and on weekends. But it can be a challenge because I'm involved in tons of stuff (church, school, etc.). Have a super weekend, Sharon.
ReplyDeleteI am a BIG fan of routine. I need that to stay focused, otherwise my mind wanders all over the place. Each night, I write down a schedule for the next day to make sure I can focus on one task at a time instead of flitting back and forth.
ReplyDeleteCongrats on winning Jackee's contest and your writing/blogging progress! I like to write first thing in the morning (as you know). I have to be wide awake to write, so I also try to get back to the writing after a nap, but I'm not usually feeling all that creative later in the day and get distracted into doing other things easily.
ReplyDeleteI'm most productive in the early AM, before everybody else gets up. Boy...can I churn out the words then. :)
ReplyDeleteI definitely work with a routine, AND a weekly itinerary. I keep a journal for the itineraries, and write one for each and every week with the small steps I need to take to move along this writing journey. It really helps keep me on track.
ReplyDeleteI write best in the mornings. Other than that I have no routine. I suck at structure.
ReplyDeleteI don't have a routine, although I am trying to establish one. I write best in the early morning, but normally do not start writing until late at night.
ReplyDeleteI don't have a routine for writing. In fact, I'm not writing now at all. Taking a little break. Maybe I'll work on goals and routines once I decide to jump back into things. Have a good weekend!
ReplyDeleteI'm most productive in the morning. I don't have a routine, but I have a schedule that's different each day.
ReplyDeletewow! you on that big bike is soooo cool. mostly i write just when i get time. i write stuff on a paper and one of my brothers gets it on the computer for me. im getting better at typing so some day maybe i could get it on the computer by my self. ...hugs from lenny
ReplyDeleteCongratulations on winning the Scramble Challenge! Hey, I scramble around the house, that should count too!
ReplyDeleteShelley--That's really interesting! I hadn't thought about there being a difference between productivity time and creativity time.
ReplyDeleteJennifer--Thanks! I've got my fingers crossed too...I'd love to have an excuse to come and visit more often. I must be one odd duck...Everyone seems to be early morning or late night writers.
Jacqueline--Thanks...You are right having goals is inspiring. :)
Buffy--hanks for stopping by. I know you are one seriously busy writer and Mom. I hope you have a good one too. :)
Talli--Great point! I think having a schedule really does help.
Susan--Thanks. I'm so excited about winning Jackee's contest. I'm wondering when you write your query letters. Do you do it in your normal writing time?
DL--I don't know how anyone can write early in the morning...I'm struggling to get down some coffee, eat and get the kiddo off to school.
Joanne--Somehow I knew you kept a schedule. I really like your journaling goals idea yesterday. :)
Karen--Another morning writer...I should be keeping a tally sheet!
Sandy--LOL, I have every intention of writing as soon as I get home from the gym, but I'm so exhausted by then I have to nap first.
Amy--Not writing at all...I'm sure you'll get your groove back soon. :) You are too good to give it up for very long.
PJ--I guess I'm productive in areas other than writing in the morning. I get up feed the animals, check my email, tidy the kitchen, make my daughters breakfast and pack her lunch, eat my breakfast, take her to school, go to the gym, run errands if necessary...then I nap and wake up to write. :) Okay, I'm feeling a bit better about myself.
Lenny--My daughter was writing a novel on paper and told me I could type it for her when she was done. I looked at the tiny handwriting and the pages and pages she had already written and decided to get her a laptop...It sounds like you have a great brother. Hugs to you too!
Brian--Thanks! Do you chase a laser light when you scramble around the house? My daughter's cat loves to chase it.
Bravo, Sharon! I admire people who can set writing goals and actually achieve them! I can never seem to write when I have a goal in mind, let alone on paper -- it's like my creativity is petrified from pressure. I go with the flow (especially for fiction), which means that on some days I write incessantly, while on some I just stare at the keyboard :).
ReplyDeleteMy routine is all changed now that summer is here, and I'm learning to adjust!
ReplyDeletehave fun!
Hema--I expect internal goal setting is enough for you. You post some amazing articles on your blog...I'm always in awe of the conversations you have going on...
ReplyDeletePJ--Summer definately changes a lot of things! Kids are home, vacations are planned...sadly, writing often gets put on the back burner.
Thanks for stopping in everyone. I hope you'll come back and meet my women's fiction writing friend, Judy Larsen. :)
Just discovered your wonderful blog! I'll be back! My most productive time is first thing in the morning. If I'm very lucky,it's a day when I don't have to go to work and hubby is out golfing and I can stay at it for hours!
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