Mondays aren’t so horrible when you work for yourself. The challenge for me, always, is getting into and sticking with a routine that allows me to focus and be productive.
Everything distracts me. Or I let everything distract me. If I’m feeling as if things are scattered and unfinished–my marketing plan for NIGHT MOVES this August, for example–I can spend my day doing a bunch of things that amount to . . .not very much. For instance:
- Reading articles written by author marketing gurus
- Making lists of potential marketing/publicity activities
- Making my third cup of coffee and staring into the abyss of my future over the rim
- Signing up for an author writing platform on a whim–and then regretting it instantly.
- Sending an email to the author writing platform asking to have my account deleted–and then worrying that I might actually be making a mistake because what if this is today’s equivalent of the Ebook market in the 2007?
- Getting out my colored art pens to prettify my daily planner pages
- Posting on social media . . . because that’s marketing, right?
As you can see, my writing life can be a bit unfocused. I’m always coming up with grand plans for reform. And then something, usually technology glitches, foil me. But not today, sunshine!
I finally bit the bullet and bought myself a professional domain email, and today I registered myself with a new newsletter service (MailerLite) which was pretty painless AND super simple to do the whole email verification and authentication thing with GoDaddy where I host this website. Well, I’m waiting for the authentication to go through (within 24 hours), so cautiously hopeful I won’t have to make a call to the ‘Daddy tomorrow. Even if I do, they are usually helpful.
You thought the writing life was actually about, er, writing?
I mean, it is. So my other plan is to put in a solid 6-8 hours a day, every weekday, at my desk. And only one hour, max, on social media. Let’s see how long this lasts.
Finally, once I get the MailerLite set up, I’ll be sending newsletters again. Short ones. I’m thinking I’ll include a joke in each one or some kind of funny personal story because I value reader attention. I really do. I want to amuse and to inspire people to live their own creative, imperfect yet remarkable lives.
Is anyone reading this journal? Maybe not. But I think getting into the habit of writing here every work day, making it part of my routine, will help keep me on track.
I have the balcony doors open, and I think I’m hearing the parrots out there. This time of year they flock and fly and squawk into the valley before heading back to Point Loma (and maybe other places?) for nesting in the evening. I’m going to grab a little lunch and then buckle down for some revisions on ROSALIE since I’ve finally decided to keep her in close 3rd person, at least for now.