I'm not buried, not in the dire physical sense, anyway.
All authors are different. Some make their writing their full time job. For me, not so lucky. I work a full-time job and haven't mastered the art of saying "NO," to many other obligations.
I bury myself under too many obligations and wonder where all my time goes. Precious time that I want to save for writing. But, as I scurry around, a blessing comes out of nowhere and saves the day.
I'd been struggling for awhile with a current work-in-progress. I couldn't relate to the direction the story was taking. In fact, I'd repeatedly deleted chapters and re-written scene after scene, to the point I had pondered scrapping it and starting from scratch. At the advice of a writing friend, I walked away from it for the last couple of weeks and focused on other things for awhile.
The timing was perfect because I had been so busy with other obligations, that I needed to free my mind. Can an author actually free their mind, I ask? With so many story ideas filtering through at a moment's notice, MY MIND is a cluttered closet that needs serious recycling!
Last night, I had dinner with friends in Uptown, a neat place north of Downtown Dallas. A really cool area of town with great urban feel... And the backdrop for the first two books of my Running Series.
On my way home from dinner, I made a wrong turn and ended up on a long journey of one-way side streets trying to get back to the major highway towards home. The one-way streets seemed reflective of my BURIED LIFE lately. All the side streets of my life were keeping me from staying focused and getting on track.
It was an epiphany!
The rest of my journey home, I made mental notes of all the things that were getting in my way of achieving success in the areas most important to me, and things that were burying me as an author. When I got home, I grabbed a blank piece of paper, wrote out my notes of my immediate to-do list and what my new goals and aspirations were. I suppose it was my New Year's resolution a bit early.
Today, as I start to UNBURY myself, I am going to LEARN to say NO more. I am going to prioritize my obligations and free myself of the invisible chains that are holding me hostage.
If you are buried, I can suggest a great detour in Dallas! ~ LOL
Thanks for reading my ramblings today. I hope your day is blessed,
DeLaine
DeLaine Roberts
www.delaineroberts.com
@delaineroberts
Chasing Air ~ Running To You ~ Two Sides of a Heartbeat
What an inspirational post! Not only as an author, but a wife, mother, and woman. We could all take note! Thanks for sharing your heart, DeLaine! <3
ReplyDeleteKimmie,
DeleteYou are a sweetheart! As a busy mom, wife, home school teacher and writer, YOU get it! There is never enough time in the day for any of us. What I discovered last night was PRIORITIES. I'm refocused and will regain time that I was giving up for less important things.
Hugs,
D
Great post, DeLaine. Prioritizing is difficult, but necessary if we want time to write.
ReplyDeleteCaroline,
DeleteYou are so very right. I learned the hard way, but I'm certain I'm not alone.
Thanks for stopping by and leaving a comment.
Hugs,
D
DeLaine, this post came at a perfect time for me. I've been buried for so long, I don't remember what the sun looks like anymore. :-)
ReplyDeleteI'm going to take your advice: Make a list and start crossing off non-essentials, learn to say "no" with conviction instead of pussyfooting around the word, and hope for the best.
HUGS!!!!
Hugs back to you, Kathleen! Let's join a "NO" movement!
DeleteAh, just kidding.
Seriously, I do think that I've been trying to be the Master of all and have become the Jack of none. It will take some time to weed through the process, but I can certainly see the potential.
I wish you the best in your "clean-up"!
DeLaine
Great post DeLaine! You so eloquently stated what many of us go through! Good luck with your resolutions! I hope you put some "me time" at the top of your list.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Karren!
DeleteActually, I did, but "Me Time" includes doing things that I love or want to be a part of, but haven't been able to because I wasn't focused on time management.
Now, with new focus, I see light at the end of the tunnel. Thanks for stopping by!
Have a great weekend,
D