How to Handle Competing Priorities

Like most women, I have about a dozen "to do's" on my list every day.  Heck, every hour.  Work, family, writing, friends, volunteer work, they all pile up every day and every day I must attack the pile.

Lately, we've heard that multitasking doesn't work, but we still do it, don't we?  Right now, I've got my smartphone beside me as I type this out and I have several windows open on my browser, all touching on different topics and all waiting for my attention.

In my writing life, I have second edits due back to my publisher next week, I have an entire novel I'm trying to write by mid-month, I have a submission I have to send off to my writing group which meets this weekend, and I want to read entries for the So You Think You Can Write contest.  Oh, and this blog post.  Does that sound like enough yet?

I can't do everything at once -- nor do I want to -- so how do I handle it?

Set Time Frames

Most of the writing tasks I have to accomplish will take an extended period of time.  Some have concrete deadlines (like my edits), while others don't.

Make a list -- mentally is okay -- of the tasks and how long you estimate they will take to complete, or, if they have a deadline, when it is due.

The Snowflake Method

The snowflake method is a debt reduction strategy I recently read about where you pay the minimum balances on all of your outstanding debts, but you pay off your smallest debt first by putting all of your available funds into that payment, then when that's paid off, you roll the extra payments into your next smallest debt and so on until you've paid them all off.  The idea is to promote a sense of accomplishment as you see your number of debts be reduced.  Another version has you paying off your highest interest rate debts first.

If any of your tasks can be completed in a short time, say less than fifteen minutes, do it first.  Do it now.  So, I would finish this blog first then I would send off my chapters to my writing group.

Set Mini Deadlines

After I've tackled the tasks that can be completed quickly, I move on to my larger ones.  These are high priority tasks that need to be completed by certain deadlines.

The edits will take a few days and I have about a week on hand.  I set out a block of time in my schedule -- the weekend should be okay -- to complete them.  That's my deadline before the deadline, which gives me time to catch up in case I fall behind.

Writing the novel is another larger task and I know I have to dedicate more time to it, but at this point I'm not sure how much time I will have on hand.  So I set a different kind of goal.  Every day from now until I decide that I need to have my first draft completed, I will write X number of pages a day.

In between all of these other tasks, I will be reading entries to the contest...such as when I need a mental break from writing or editing.

This may not be the best way to balance all of the millions of things that come up every day but it is a guideline and I always feel better with a plan in hand.  Try it and see if it works for you.

Image: FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Major Editing: Read As A Reader

I recently received major edits back for my upcoming romance release with Crimson Romance.  Although I have published erotic romance stories before, I have never edited a full length manuscript.  It was an experience.

Give It Time

Usually, my first and best piece of advice for editing is to give your work some time to breathe.  Like a fine wine, you need to let it rest, undisturbed, for a period of time to allow the full flavours to develop.  And to try to ensure that you no longer are 'in love' with every single letter you've written.

Of course, in this instance, I'm assuming that you haven't seen or heard from your manuscript in weeks, even months -- that's the time in takes to hear back from the publisher, to sign the contract, and to wait for the first edits to come to you.

So, step one -- done.

Read As A Reader

My first tip, and the method I used for this edit as well as for unpublished manuscripts, is to read over the entire piece once.

The way I do this is to print out the entire manuscript.  Yes, onto real paper.

Sure, maybe you read faster off of the computer screen and you really hate killing trees, but the point of this part of the process is to experience your book as a reader would.  An old-fashioned, Kindle-free, reader.  Trust me, if you've written your book on computer (which we all do nowadays), having a physical copy in your hand will immediately distance yourself from the writing process, giving you a precious bit of objectivity.  Hint: this will come in very handy during major edits.

Don't Pick Up That Pen!

While you're reading your work, don't make a single mark on those pages.  You are trying to recreate the reading experience, how an eventual purchaser of your book will see it.  And, in another sense, you're trying to see your work through the eyes of the editor.  You've already seen their comments and, chances are, they will be on the pages you have printed as well.

Read the comments.  Keep the tips in mind.  But don't make any changes yet.  Not even correcting the typos.

The point of this exercise is, one, to see your book from different eyes, and also, two, to put into your subconscious what needs to be changed.

Now that you have your editor's feedback, it will be lodged in your brain as you read through your book this time.  You will likely see why they made the comments and suggestions they did.  Or, if you don't quite see their point, you can at least look at your work as objectively as possible and see their argument, as well as formulate your own -- if you need it later.

Now that your work is back at the forefront of your mind, along with the comments from your editor, it is time to go to work.

Performing Major Edits

Over the last few weeks, I've been editing my forthcoming romance manuscript for Crimson Romance.

It has been a challenging experience.

I've edited several short stories for publication in the recent past, namely my erotic romances for Total-E-Bound: Captive Angel and Country Hearts.

Perhaps because they were for far shorter works, those edits were relatively easy.  Yes, I had to change fairly major aspects of the pieces, such as tweaking the death of a character or changing a sex scene, but these were discrete scenes that required specific thought, not a major overhaul.

These latest edits were major overhauls.  I was tasked with revisiting the pasts of the characters, questioning the heroine's characterization, and changing an overly sweet ending.  I struggled with the edits for the entire two weeks I had to rework the manuscript.

Eventually, I got the edits done -- early too! -- but it was pretty much the only focus of my life during that time.  I didn't work.  I didn't write.  I barely spoke to my family.  It felt like all I did for two weeks was think about this book and make changes to it.

From out of my experience, I have put together a few tips to help anyone who might be facing their first novel length editing process, which I will be posting shortly.  The key, I think, is patience and planning.  Procrastination in editing is definitely your worst enemy.  This time, I dove right in and I think I did a fairly good job.  But we'll see when I get my next round of edits back.

Image: FreeDigitalPhotos.net

The Editing Process: Give It Time

Over the past few weeks, I've been editing a manuscript that has been sitting idle for the past year.  Yes, you heard that right.  One whole year...that's how long I've been procrastinating on this process.

Why?  Well, let's say that editing takes a lot out of me.  It's a different story when I get back notes and suggestions from the editor at a publisher, as I have done with my first two erotic romances.  Then, I've been able to step back and neutrally assess the suggestions and I have generally found them to be right on the dot.

But editing myself is a whole different endeavour.  Let's face it, we think what we write is pretty darn good.  Not stellar, perhaps, but usually passable.  Right after I've written something, I might indeed think it is stellar.

What's the solution to being unable to see your own flaws and mistakes?  Like good wine, a story needs time to mature.

After some time (many experts suggest a month or so but I don't think anyone has ever suggested a whole year), you gain perspective on your writing.  The key first step to editing a manuscript is being able to read the piece again as a reader.  Very difficult, if you've written the thing!

After a year languishing in my computer, my manuscript has seemed like a new novel.  I don't remember most of what I wrote and I certainly didn't remember the plot details, which I am now scrutinizing very closely (and finding holes!).  Reading my manuscript after that gap of time has allowed me to gain precious objectivity which I would not have possessed had I started editing it immediately, or perhaps even the usual month later.

Most writers don't have the leisure of a year to park a story.  Deadlines and other pressing matters force them to pick it back up quickly.  I suggest giving yourself as much time as you can to be away from your writing.  Take a break.  Start on your next piece.  Let your story breathe a little.