Here I am, reporting from two weeks into the grand experiment! I’m happy to report that writing continues apace, and I’m hitting or exceeding my 3,000 word/day weekday goal. Also, my plan to cook and eat at home is going really well. We should have done this years ago! I cook (if you want to call the random flailings I do in the kitchen “cooking”) and Dan does the dishes. Our food budget has plummeted (it’ll do that when you used to eat out, and not all that cheaply, nearly every night) and I think even though we’re not exactly going out of our way to eat super-healthy, we’re definitely eating a lot healthier than fast food or pizza or other stuff like that. Also, it’s easier to control the portions (if I have a big serving of food in front of me, I don’t take half of it home in a doggy bag. I eat the whole damn thing. But if I have a smaller serving, I don’t tend to go back for seconds, either). And we’re catching up on some cool TV series, one dinner hour at a time.
So those are the good things. The not-so-good thing (at least temporarily) is that I’m finding it a lot harder to get organized than I’d hoped. I’m hitting the writing goals, and I’m always doing something useful during the time I’d normally have been working at the day job (cleaning, organizing, various writing-related tasks) but my huge list of things I want to finish isn’t getting a whole lot smaller. I have so many things I want to do, most of them related to marketing and promotion, and I really need to do them. I think the thing that’s discouraging me is that I want to get them all done at once, and I have a hard time picking one to focus on. I’m like a two-year-old at a buffet table: SO. MANY. THINGS! And then my eyes get all big and i start to shake and eventually I just say “aw, screw it” and go back to writing. That’s great for the word count, but not so great for the long-term plan.
So my challenge for this week is to knock at least three things off my master list. I know – it’s not much. But baby organizers need baby steps.
As an aside, my blog posts aren’t going to all be weekly status reports. I’m just doing this for now to keep myself honest. But I’ve got some other fun plans for upcoming posts in the next few weeks.
I was looking for a new author when I saw your books on Facebook. I love the characters and the stories. I am currently on book 8, Flesh of Stone. Of coarse, from my view point, I am glad you are meeting your goal of 3,000 words a day. I don’t have any real knowledge in advertising or marketing but I would think Facebook is a great way to get your books out there. Thank you for your wonderful talent. anxiously waiting, Linda
Thank you! I’m glad you’re enjoying the stories. Book 9 will be out next month. 🙂
I’ve gotten all of your Dr Stone books from Barnes and Noble for my Nook. I don’t see anything on their website yet. Will it be available in that format this month also?
The new one? Yep, it will be available in mid-March for Amazon, Nook, Kobo, and iBooks.
Too bad you don’t have a relative who could set it all out for you. Then all you would have to do is follow the steps and fill in the blanks. (Can you tell I’m not a writer? Lol.) My daughter and I are trying to eat in more and cook from scratch. It’s certainly been interesting. Wishing you lots of good luck with both projects. Eating in, and, getting down and organized.
Don’t sweat the organizing. One thing at a time, on your list, and your list becomes smaller by one item. As for the books, they are excellent. I have read them all, up to 9, which I am anxiously awaiting. Love the characters and the story line. Can’t wait to see what happens to Stone and his new powers. Just keep up the great work with the books and take the other stuff one day at a time.
Thanks, Richard! (BTW, 9 is already out – 10 is coming in a couple of weeks. 🙂 )