time Archives - K.V. Fischer

PUBLISH DON’T PERISH — TIP #5: Apply APODS to Your Life

This incredible APODS Series, written by Amanda Cabot is a must read for not only writers, but EVERYONE and I recommend you apply APODS to your life. I am a writer and a practicing attorney, and I found it extremely useful in mine. This post will take you through a summary of each article and a link where you can find more. Even if you’ve been following along, I highly recommend reviewing this Series again. Thank you Amanda for sharing your invaluable expertise!

GETTING TO THE END WITH AMANDA CABOT

This article is the first in the series on time management and getting to the end. Although time management is only one part in the multifaceted solution to getting to the end, it’s an introduction to a system that goes by the acronym APODS — Analysis, Priorities, Organization, Discipline and Support. Get a quick peak at each of these five areas.

APODS — ANALYSIS: ANSWERING THE TOUGH QUESTIONS

The analysis phase is the focus of this article. Every author should answer these 3 tough questions:

Why do you write?
Why is this the book of your dreams?
What is keeping you from finishing the book?

Explore what Amanda offers and think about why writing and this book in particular are important to you.

APODS — Analysis: The Three Ps

The analysis phase of APODS includes three Ps:

Personality Type
Productive Times
Present Use of Time

This article takes a closer look at the first — personality type.

APODS – Analysis: The Three Ps, Part Two

Conclude the analysis phase by looking at time. Before you can manage time, you need to understand how you are using it.

Amanda Cabot, time, writing, books, publishing — Time Management

APODS — Priorities: Getting Started

To address priorities, you need to first establish those priorities, understand the opportunity costs of those priorities, and accept the fact that we cannot do everything.

Learn how to make writing your #1 priority.

APODS — Priorities: The Four Ps (Part One)

The Four Ps include: Purpose, Picture, Plan, and Part.

Take an in depth look at the first, purpose.

APODS — Priorities: The Four Ps (Part Two — SMART Goals)

SMART is an acronym to obtain meaningful goals:

Specific
Measurable
Attainable
Relevant
Time-Bound.

SMART goals, William Bridges, specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, time-bound, Amanda Cabot, time management, APODS — APODS – Priorities: The Four Ps (Part Two – SMART Goals)

Explore what it means, why they are important, and how they serve as guideposts. See how to reach for success!

APODS — Priorities: The Four Ps (Part Three — Plan and Part)

Create the Plan and organize it into a logical sequence. It can be done if you break everything down into small tasks. Check out these tips!

APODS — Priorities: The Opportunity Cost

Are you familiar with opportunity cost? Explore the opportunity cost of writing. Remember, “Time to write is not free.”

Amanda Cabot, APODS, time management, calendar, analysis, productive, timer, personality type, use of time, getting to the end, goal, Cimarron Creek Trilogy, priorities, successful people — Priorities

APODS — Organization: Advice from the Experts

This article focuses on ideas gleamed from Marilyn Paul’s book, It’s Hard to Make a Difference When You Can’t Find Your Keys. Amanda discusses 4 of her points she found particularly useful.

APODS — Organization: Part Two

The discussion of Organization is wrapped up with advice from two experts.

APODS — Discipline

Eight particularly useful suggestions are provided to help you get to “The End.”

APODS — Support

Support is the final step in the APODS Series. You will not want to miss this article!

This Series has been an invaluable resource for so many, especially me. What did you find most helpful?

Amanda Cabot is no stranger to getting to “The End.” She juggled a sixty-hour a week job with nonnegotiable deadlines and building a house long-distance at the same time that she wrote two books a year. Whether or not she kept her sanity during that time is debatable. Amanda is the best-selling author of over thirty novels, eight novellas, four non-fiction books, and what she describes as enough technical articles to cure insomnia in a medium-sized city.

Out of the Embers, the first of the Mesquite Springs trilogy, has an official release date of March 3, but it’s currently available for preorder at all the major online retailers. If you prefer brick and mortar stores, your local bookseller should be able to order a copy for you.

You can find Amanda at:www.AmandaCabot.com https://www.facebook.com/amanda.j.cabot
https://twitter

APODS — Discipline by Amanda Cabot

When your goal is “Getting to the End,” it doesn’t matter how much analysis, prioritization, and organization you’ve done if you’re not willing to take the next step and discipline yourself to write.

I know, I know. No one likes the word “discipline,” so let’s call this the “Just DO It!” step. It’s not necessarily easy, but this is a case of practice making perfect.

8 Suggestions

Here are eight suggestions I’ve found useful when trying to get to “The End.”

writers, authors, resources, toolbox, encouragement, fun, romantic suspense, journey, writer’s journey, adventure, tips, direction, research, joy, funny, inspiration, thyme, time — Thyme for Writers

Schedule a time to write every day and then WRITE during that time. It may seem difficult at first, but like exercise, the more you do it, the easier it becomes.
Remember that five minutes of writing is better than none. No matter how busy we are, every one of us can find five minutes each day. I challenge you to find those five minutes and use them. Chances are, you’ll write far longer than five minutes, but even if five minutes of writing is all you accomplish, you’ll have taken the first steps toward making daily writing a habit. And that’s a habit we all need.
Remind yourself that writing is your #1 priority. Now’s the time to dust off those signs that you developed during the prioritization step and post them everywhere you’re likely to be distracted. It may seem juvenile, but visual reminders are powerful.
Do whatever it takes to meet your weekly goals. Again, this sounds difficult, and it may be at first, but the more often you meet your goals, the more energized you’ll be and the closer you’ll be to reaching “The End.”
Optimize your research time. Writers tend to fall into two camps: those who love research and those who hate it. It doesn’t matter where you are on that spectrum. The key is to spend the minimum amount of time gathering the information you need. One technique I use is to avoid doing detailed research during the first draft of a book. Instead, I keep a list of the questions I have – things like “how long does it take to ride a horse from San Antonio to Austin?” When I finish the first draft, I have a better idea of whether I really, really, really need to know that. And, if I do, I can look for the answer to that question at the same time that I’m researching all the other points I listed during the first draft. That’s more efficient than stopping to investigate each point and possibly heading down the proverbial rabbit holes.
Remind friends that you are working. I doubt your friends would stop in for a visit or want to have a lengthy chat during the workday if you were at an office, but the fact that many writers work at home makes us more vulnerable to friendly distractions. Now is the time to politely but firmly tell friends and neighbors that you’re working and can’t be disturbed.
Use voice mail. This is a corollary to the previous point. I consider answering machines and caller ID among the essentials of life and answer calls during my working hours only if they’re from my publisher. Sorry, robo calls. You don’t get answered EVER, but you do get reported to the Do Not Call Registry.
Consider email, texting, and internet surfing a reward. Again, the goal is to keep your focus on the manuscript and avoid everything that prevents you from writing. A number of my writer friends have discovered the same thing I have, namely that if we check email before we begin to write, we’re much less productive. The reason is simple: whatever was in those email messages, no matter how trivial, is competing for space in your brain and lessening your focus. Don’t lose your focus on what’s important: your manuscript.

I won’t sugarcoat it. Discipline is hard, but the rewards are worth the effort. Just DO it!

Her most recent release is A Tender Hope, the third in the Cimarron Creek trilogy.

Amanda Cabot, Cimarron Creek Trilogy — A Tender Hope, by Amanda Cabot

You can find Amanda at:

www.amandacabot.com
https://www.facebook.com/amanda.j.cabot
https://twitter

APODS – Priorities: The Opportunity Cost by Amanda Cabot

This month we’re going to conclude our discussion of priorities by talking about opportunity cost. Are you familiar with the term? The basic concept is that resources, whether time, money, energy, or something else are finite and that the cost of something is not absolute. Rather than measuring dollars or minutes, opportunity cost measures what we give up when we make a choice.

Consider a child whose allowance is enough to allow him to buy either the video game he wants or the T-shirt with his favorite sports star’s picture on it. If he chooses the game, he cannot buy the T-shirt. Therefore, the opportunity cost is the T-shirt. When he buys the video game, he’s making the decision that it’s more important to him than the T-shirt.

As writers, we make the same decisions each time we set (or ignore) our priorities. In our case, the precious and finite resource is time.

If you remember one thing from this post, I hope it will be the following:

Time to write is not free.

You might want to print that out and post it everywhere you posted the picture of your goal, because it’s equally important.

In your quest to reach “The End,” you should ask yourself two questions.

(1) How important is writing to me?

(2) What sacrifices am I willing to make?

You can say that writing is important, but as the adage reminds us, actions speak more loudly than words. If you procrastinate, if going to a movie or (shudder) cleaning your house is what you choose to do rather than finish your chapter, you’re demonstrating that writing isn’t as important as you claim it is.

opportunity costs, priorities — Actions Speak Louder than Words

The second question is where opportunity cost becomes critical. I used the word “sacrifices” deliberately, because there will be not simply tradeoffs but true sacrifices if you make writing and reaching “The End” your highest priority. There will be times when you’ll have to turn down an invitation you’d like to accept, simply because you need that time to write. The cost of that invitation is finishing the chapter. Don’t mislead yourself by saying, “just this once won’t matter.” Each choice you make is significant.

As you accept the fact that time is finite and that you will have to make choices about how to spend your time, it’s important to decide what will not get done. I recommend the following three steps.

Review your current time use analysis. Remember how you tracked your time for at least a week and categorized how you were spending it? That analysis is an invaluable resource and a key to establishing priorities.

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Differentiate between urgent and important tasks. If your child has broken her arm, taking her to the doctor is urgent. Doing laundry may be important, but – unlike an urgent task – it can be delayed.

Substitute writing for the least value-added tasks. Did you discover that you spent a lot of time watching television or reading tweets and Facebook posts? While you might consider those important, are they more valuable than writing another chapter? The opportunity cost of the time you spend on them is time you didn’t spend writing.

Establishing and following priorities isn’t easy, but it’s essential if you want to reach “The End.” Each time you make a decision about how to spend your time, consider the opportunity cost. And, one final bit of advice: “No” is an acceptable response when someone asks you to do something that will interfere with your writing time.

Her most recent release is A Tender Hope, the third in the Cimarron Creek trilogy.

You can find Amanda at:

www.amandacabot.com
https://www.facebook.com/amanda.j.cabot
https://twitter.com/AmandaJoyCabot/
http://amandajoycabot.blogspot.com/

Sage Advice When There’s No Thyme to Write by Kathryn Ross

Kathryn Ross is back with Sage Advice When There’s No Thyme to Write! I’m sure you’ll enjoy this article as much as I did… . Thank you Kathryn!

Kathryn Ross, cinnamon, writers, spice, fall recipes, editors, healing, manuscript, When Cinnamon Bark, clove, peppermint, Christmas, Thanksgiving, spice, words, peppermint oil, The Gatekeeper's Key, lemon oil — The Write Spice: Writing Tips for Flavorful Words
by Kathryn Ross

I’ve just returned to the world of written words, blog posts, and editing projects from a hiatus of too-much-busy. April, May, and now seemingly June, have been a whirlwind of overwhelm. Other than my writing, my full plate involved the birth of a new grandson, settling into the new normal of Nana duty each week, opening the lakehouse ministry my husband and I manage for Christian leaders, transforming a vacant marketplace facility into a one-day history museum with over 40 exhibits and historical re-enactors for our hometown’s Founder’s Day event, and the preparation of my father’s house for the impending arrival of my sister and her husband moving back to our hometown. All this, and a sprained foot, too!

journey, inspiration, writer, author, published, career, jewelry, retired, teacher, novel, publishing, indie, contests, mistakes, mailing list, gifts, Plantation of White Treasure, Prince of Granola, Be Mine this Christmas Night, Viking Gold, Dare to Believe, Forever Yours this New Year’s Night, Believe in Me this Christmas Morn — Fur Baby

Oh—and did I mention keeping up with my husband’s routine and regular home-front duties? And the cats, of course.

Yeah. I had to cut something from the to-do list or nothing would ever be to-done.

To that end, I needed to take a break from blogging until I could dedicate serious hours to my writing, once again. In so doing, I have learned a few things to encourage the writer who just can’t find the thyme to write—let alone the words and inspiration. Here’s my sage advice in case you find yourself in your own whirlwind of overwhelm with deadlines looming:

Turn Deadlines into Lifelines.

L.A. Sartor, Christmas, Best-Selling Author, job, goal, burnout, Prince of Granola, The Chunky Method Handbook, Thyme for Writers, writers block — Stop

When we struggle with too many things requiring our attention, all at the same time, we lose the ability to focus with excellence on any one thing. We may try to make our deadline, only to turn in a poorly crafted piece that is not a true representation of our ability. What we produce will have little to no benefit on our readers. We flail about like a swimmer drowning in the ocean. STOP. Stop floundering with wasted energy and little focus. Float instead. Accept that priorities may need to be readjusted for a season. Reorder responsibilities so they are manageable when new or unexpected things step into the picture. This may mean asking for an extension on a post’s due date, or even a lengthier delay in order to turn a deadline into a lifeline, allowing room to breathe, think, and function.

Retreat to Advance.

My husband and I manage a lakehouse retreat for Christian leaders in the church, home, and arts—including writers–in need of a respite to renew and be refreshed for ministry. As I was readying the lakehouse in anticipation of its formal dedication, I became aware that I was simply going through the motions of organizing an event. I had not fully connected to the ministry concept, even though I have spent years teaching and studying on developing a sanctuary lifestyle of retreat and renewal. On the day of the dedication, I sat by the water, waiting for the guests to arrive, and realized for the first time in months that I was in need of a respite! Just those couple of hours in a quiet, sanctuary setting prior to everyone’s arrival, realigned my inner compass with the knowledge that my greatest need to restore my writing routine was not time—but REST. I have to book myself to use the lakehouse retreat before I can adequately expect to advance in my writing goals and continued ministry.

Take Time to Smell the Flowers.

In my book, Fragrant Fields: Poetic Reflections for Journaling, I share the story of driving about on a busy day of errands when I passed a huge field of flowers I’d never seen before. The sight arrested my soul—I just had to pull over and stare into it for a while. The powerful fragrance settled my stressed mind and body. My mouth opened in spontaneous prayer, thanking the Lord for such a generous gift—to RENEW! I don’t remember how long I lingered there, but I do remember the moments spent in the field being permanently etched upon my spirit. Returning home, I was inspired to write—words pouring forth from the impact of a close encounter with my Lord built into the curative glories of Creation.

sage advice, time, thyme, write, author, Kathryn Ross, literature, publish, Pageant Wagon Productions and Publishing, Christian living, women, readers, biblical worldview, Miss Kathy, life, busy, stop, rest, renew — Stop. Rest. Renew

Stop. Rest. Renew.

It’s a very similar recipe for the writer short on time to write. But also, extremely difficult to purpose into our crowded lives. Most of us are active achievers, skimping on personal time. Yet, we can achieve more when we recognize when our calendar fills to overflowing, and are brave enough to turn off the spicket. Stop. Make the effort to do nothing. Rest. Breathe in the goodness of God in our stillness—He is ever present with a bouquet of good things and beauty to give us. Renew.

So, I’m back. And better for it. I look forward to diligently applying my own sage advice to my literary life. And in so doing—make the thyme to write.

clove, lemon oil, cinnamon, garden, harvestwriters, spice, fall recipes, editors, healing, manuscript — The Write Spice: Writing Tips for Flavorful Words
By Kathryn Ross

Writer-speaker, Kathryn Ross, ignites a love of literature and learning through Pageant Wagon Productions and Publishing. She writes and publishes homeschool enrichment and Christian living books for home, church, and school. Her passion is to equip women and families in developing a Family Literacy Lifestyle, producing readers and thinkers who can engage the world from a biblical worldview. She blogs and podcasts at TheWritersReverie.com and PageantWagonPublishing.com. Connect with Miss Kathy on Facebook.

Inspiration Happens When There’s No Time to Write

Those periods in your life when there is no “thyme” to write, may just be one of those times when inspiration happens for your next season of writing. Your next season may include getting over a writer’s block, burnout, a new blog series, an article for your next blog, the next book, the next series, the next book in a series, or a short story to name just a few. We are all in a different place in our journeys.

writing, inspiration, time, events, characters, Thyme for Writers, books, articles, short stories, graduation, Washington, D.C., Georgetown School of Medicine, army, residency, neurosurgery, radiation, Radiological Health Sciences — Inspiration for Your Season of Writing

No “Thyme” to Write

My last article let you know that for the month of May, there was just no time to write, and I wasn’t the only one. Kathryn Ross, who is a monthly contributor to Thyme for Writers with her series, The Write Spice became a new grandmother and had no “thyme” for the month of May either, but she will be back in June.

Graduation

For me, the month of May included three graduations and a pinning ceremony. Wow, talk about inspiration… .

The first two graduations were local and only one day apart:

My Son graduated with a Masters of Science degree in Radiological Health Sciences, and
his very special lady graduated with her bachelors in Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences.

One week later we all traveled to our nation’s capitol, Washington, D.C. for my daughter’s graduation from Georgetown School of Medicine. My father who graduated from Georgetown School of Medicine 59 years earlier hooded her. It was a beautiful ceremony, a very special time in our lives. We also attended her pinning ceremony where she was promoted to captain and pinned by her dad (my husband). The next leg of her journey is her Neurosurgery Residency — she was one of two army selected (one of 3 military).

Talk about inspiration… . One thing I can guarantee is that these beautiful events in my life which gave me no “thyme” to write, did provide inspiration for my next season of writing — another book (yes, that story is brewing), articles, and more… .

What is your inspiration?

So Little Time to Conquer This Mountain with Candee Fick

I am so happy to have Candee Fick as my guest today on Thyme for Writers! Candee Fick is a multi-published author in both fiction and non-fiction. She is also the wife of a high school football coach and the mother of three children, including a daughter with a rare genetic syndrome. When not busy with her day job or writing, she can be found cheering on the home team at sporting events, exploring the great Colorado outdoors, indulging in dark chocolate, and savoring happily-ever-after endings through a good book.

So Little Time to Conquer This Mountain

by Candee Fick

Most writers fall into the “I wish I had more time to write” camp while those lucky few who seem to have plenty of writing time are still members of the “My To-Do list never ends” club. The pursuit of publication or a writing career can seem as daunting and exhausting as scaling Everest, but every year thousands put their fingers on a keyboard…only to discover—or rather remember—that everyone has the same limited amount of time in which to get it all done.

And by all, I mean life. Take me for example. As a wife and mother, my days get filled with cleaning, cooking, laundry, homework, carpools, and sports. Relationships with family and friends require regular interactions and if I’m not taking care of myself with enough rest, exercise, and mental growth, I can fall apart quickly. Add in a day job and my calendar is stuffed to overflowing.

Except I’m also a writer with a coaching business. I dream up adventures and arrange words on a page in order to bring characters and settings to life. Once those polished stories are in the capable hands of my publisher, I do it all again. It might be easy to squeeze in an hour or two per day before the kids get up or in lieu of television in the evenings, but crafting stories is only one side of this mountain.

time, mountain, writing, perseverence — So Little Time to Conquer This Mountain

The other side of writing’s Everest is marketing. It’s the side that beginning writers don’t see in the excitement of starting a book, but soon the rumors swirl as old-timers drop words like social media, platform, website, tax deductions, book launches, and blog tours. The faint of heart stick their fingers in their ears, yell “Lalalalala,” and revise their first chapters again or jump from idea to idea, never finishing anything. Those who are serious about writing perk up and listen for tips about how to navigate the trail ahead.

There are two main reasons that I wrote The Author Toolbox. First was to share what I’ve learned the hard way so newer authors can work smarter as they build their books, platforms, businesses, and careers. But mostly, I wrote it all down in order to give writers hope. It’s a long climb, but there is a way to get there and you are not alone in the journey.

If you know what the next steps of your personal journey involve, then you can deliberately and strategically focus your limited time on the activities that will move you closer to your goals. Your writing goal this week might be hitting a first draft word count or editing another chapter. You might even block out an hour to pre-schedule the week’s social media posts or organize office paperwork.

We have so little time available to conquer the mountains in our lives, but my hope is that you find your next steps…then take them. Because the view from the top is worth every moment of work.

You may reach Candee or obtain her works at the following links:

www.CandeeFick.com
www.TheAuthorToolbox.com (shortcuts to a page on my site with the index of blog posts)
www.Facebook.com/Author.Candee.Fick
www.Twitter.com/CandeeFick
All of my books: https://www.amazon.com/Candee-Fick/e/B0056B94VE/
The Author Toolbox: https://www.amazon.com/Author-Toolbox-Practical-Platform-Business/dp/099920100X/

The Author Toolbox is filled with over 100 practical tools to help today’s author build a book, a platform, a business, and a career. Why? So we can get it all done while freeing up both time and mental energy to do the one thing we really desire…write.

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8 Suggestions

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Turn Deadlines into Lifelines.

Retreat to Advance.

Take Time to Smell the Flowers.

Stop. Rest. Renew.

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No “Thyme” to Write

Graduation

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So Little Time to Conquer This Mountain

You may reach Candee or obtain her works at the following links:

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