Author Life - Under an Avalanche of Stuff

I have a confession...I'm a Virgo. Yes, it's true and there's no changing it. I also admit I'm one of those Virgo's who's true to the descriptions you read therefore, I don't function at my optimum when people, things, and everything else I think I should be able to control is disorganized or messy. After a writing week where I struggled to make sense of what to put on the page and where to go from here I'd had enough.  

Even my characters, Mercedes, Zane and Ash seemed to be affected by our surroundings and I ended up saying things to them like... I know you told me that before and I wrote it down but I just can't seem to find where I put it. 

Frustration was the word of the week and something had to give. 

Eventually it was me and I took a break to clean up the mess that had become my work area. It was a slow accumulation over a period of months and I kept telling my self I'd sort everything out later, later never came. 

Now I know some of you may look at the pictures and say, that's not messy. I'll keep my response to that simple...VIRGO.

I knew under the reams of papers that I had a printer, a diary, my plot, research and scene ideas for the book. I also have to admit my mail from the last three weeks or so lurked in and around the chaos. As did my new personal recorder that friends had given to me so I could record plot ideas or a scene on if I was out or woke up in bed in the middle of the night and didn't want to turn on the computer. I can speak the story and then type it up later. It's brilliant. I definitely needed to find that. I could see the empty box, even the instructions for it were visible in the mess, the slimline device wasn't. At some stage over the weekend, I'd also managed to bury my mobile somewhere in the clutter. 

So I began. My methodical Virgo brain knowing exactly where to start. Put the purple bra away. That, of course, led to me sorting out all my clothes and repacking my drawers and wardrobe. I now have a nice bag of clothes for the thrift store. Avoidance behavior I hear you say. Au contraire, mon ami, the bra HAD been put away, along with the jeans and a couple of tops strewn over furniture. I was an hour into it and I'd effectively moved three items, I was on a roll...lol.

After about 4 hours of putting things away, opening and dealing with mail (oops), filing and completing a few other unfinished tasks, I looked at my new well organized space and smiled with contentment. Order restored. I found the voice recorder, mobile phone and external hard drive that I knew had to be somewhere, along with four coasters that I thought had been lost forever. I also confirmed that under the mess I did indeed have a printer. 

With life now back in order, I'm ready for my new work week. I just have one final thing to do today and I bet you can't guess what it is... the picture below might give you a little hint at what it is. 

The Author Life for Me

I often am amazed that what people assume I do as an author and what I actually do are two completely different things. I know I've blogged about it before but I need to do it again since it's on my mind once more. When I tell people that I'm an author words like wow, exciting, cool and amazing get thrown around. Of course then there is usually a statement about how whoever I'm talking to has always wanted to write a book. The fact is my life isn't really exciting or that amazing, it sometimes has a few wow moments but generally it's not what you think it is.

Today for example I'm sitting in front of the computer typing, just like many people do in their everyday jobs. That will be my day, a solitary typist sitting at her desk and talking to herself (or the characters in my head) as she tries to work out what words go together to form a coherent story that people may like. I've been awake since 5.30 a.m. I've been working since I woke and I'll continue to work until I decide my day is over (usually around 6 p.m. or the likes). I'll take a break from the screen and tapping away at the keyboard for lunch or cuppas, but not from thinking about my work. You see whether I'm in front of the computer or going out for groceries or cooking a meal, the characters are always there, the current book is always on my mind. It's all consuming.

Now I'm not saying there aren't advantages to working as I do, one of them being I'm at home. So again today, for example, I'm sitting in my PJ's, rugged up in a blanket with my fluffy slippers on as I construct this blog. I didn't have to brave the cold (yes it's winter in Australia) or get dressed, put on makeup, do my hair and arrive at an office by a designated time. Sometimes I'll sit in my jammies all day and work because it doesn't matter how I look, I won't see another soul. 

Being an author is a solitary business, which for the most part suits me. Even promoting your book is a solitary activity. In the modern ebook era if I do an interview or a book tour as a way of promotion it's done from home, mostly over the internet. I get the interview questions or design a blog post and email it away to whomever and then wait for the information to go live in cyber town. When Finding Angel was released I did a blog tour. It amused me that I could actually 'appear' all around the world all from the comfort of my then office in the Southern Highlands of N.S.W, Australia. As part of the promotional activities, there may, or may not, be discussion on the blog or website the information appears on, so I keep an eye on that in order to respond if necessary, but the activity is still void of human contact. We're all cyber identities conversing via electronic means from our own little worlds. 

The other misconception people seem to have about being an author is that I'm rich, or at least make an income that supports me in the lifestyle they believe I lead. The opposite is true. I'll need a lot more publications before I can even claim to make a modest living from writing. Most authors, including me, have alternate sources of income that pays the bills. Whether that be a partners income, a regular day job or other money to keep them housed, clothed, fed and pay the bills. I'm not saying that I don't make any money from writing but it certainly doesn't provide for my needs. The money from writing comes in, usually, on a quarterly basis, and it often goes back out on items like swag, competition prizes and other promotion like advertising to further sales in the next quarter. It doesn't take me on an overseas trip around the world, although I hope it will one day. 

The other thing I try to inform my friends about my work is this. Just because I'm home doesn't mean I can go out or talk on the phone for hours on end, I'm home because I'm working. Sometimes I almost feel rude about ignoring the phone or sending a text saying 'not can't go out I'm writing'. I realize many of my friends will understand but that doesn't mean I haven't lost some friends because of saying no or ending a phone call before they are ready for it to finish. Sometimes even plans I've made change. Recently I'd set the day aside to go out with a girlfriend to the movies. I'd been working flat out and the words had been flowing at a great rate. When Friday morning arrived the words were still pouring out of me and I didn't want to stop the flow, so I rang her and said I'm not going out I'm staying home to write. She understood and agreed if I was on a roll then I should stick to it, but unfortunately that isn't the case with everyone.  The plain and simple truth is, if I don't write I don't make any money, so I need to prioritize the time to get the next book out. 

One of my favorite things (not) that friends have said is, 'but I saw you on Facebook so I know you aren't working'. Well, actually, yes I am. Authors do their own promotion and networking via the world of social media. I don't use it for fun, although some of the thing that happen and conversations I have when I'm on there can be fun, but it's not the reason I log in. I'm updating my author page, I'm talking with readers, authors and publisher...I'm making a living (well except when I play Candy Crush, then I'm just frustrating myself...grr).  

I should just clarify that I'm not writing this blog to complain or bitch about being an author. I wouldn't change what I do for the world, it's the love of my life at the moment (yep, no love interest on the horizon) and I'm thankful I have the opportunity to do it. I'm mainly blogging about this so that people have a better idea of what my job is actually like. 

If you're thinking of being an author then great, do it, but don't go into it thinking it's the be all and end all to happiness and an exciting life. It's a job, just like any other. Sometimes there's the wow moments but mostly it's a quiet, solitary lifestyle that brings more personal fulfillment and joy than monetary gain or notoriety. 

So, author friends, have you been faced with misconceptions about what you actually do that frustrates you? And, readers friends (I know sometimes we are both) do you have anything you've ever wondered about a authors life that you'd like to ask but never been game? I'll try to answer anything as honestly as I can. 

Have a great day everyone. 

   

Balancing on the Right Track.

I have to admit I've been a bit slack with my blogging lately. Well, actually that's an understatement, I haven't posted something here for a long, long time. I could make all sorts of excuses but the fact is I've just been slack. I'm sure you'll understand that happens from time to time.The other day though I read a quote on a site somewhere that made me think about my life. I designed a little picture for your viewing pleasure, quote included on the image. *points to the inserted picture and smiles like a TV shopping network model*

The fact is I know I'm on the right track with writing but it's the balance that's out of whack for me. I tend to struggle with all the things that accompany being an author. I'm currently working on Switching Mercedes, the third book in my Wylde Shore Series with Siren Publishing. The first third has already been sent to my beta readers and they are asking for more, but it's not written, well not coherently that is, hopefully I'll have the rest to them soon. Now if all I needed to do was write the book I'd be getting it done at an alarming rate but there are other things that weigh on me as necessities of being an author.

Social media, this blog and other blogs I contribute to as a way of self promotion all take time. I understand the need for them and limit my daily promotional activities but they remain non the less. Then there's also what I call the sanity activities. These include staying in touch with my real life friends, having some sort of social life and making sure I do relaxing, soul building 'for me' activities, like reading or taking time out to watch a favorite movie, going for a walk to gather and consolidate my thoughts. In theory I should be able to fit them all into my life in a nice concise way. In reality what's happened is I stare at my to do list and throw my hands in the air feeling overwhelmed so nothing, or very little, gets done. The result...I'm actually sitting on the right track waiting for the train to hit.

At the Aussie Romance Readers conference this year, Nalini Singh was asked about publicity, her response - the best publicity for an author is your next book. Totally true, I couldn't agree more and it did change my focus on the importance of the 'other' stuff. The difficulty is, it changed my focus so much that over the last little while I've barely done the other and that plays on my mind. Sure I'll have the next book out but who will now about it? Social media and publicity is actually cumulative, if you do it consistently you build momentum and stay in the forefront of people's minds. If the momentum drops it often reflects in less sales and for a author that could leave you out on the streets with a laptop in your hand and nowhere to plug it in.

I know this is an issue for other authors as well, a author friend recently asked in a Facebook group what she should concentrate on? Getting her next book written had taken a back seat to the dreaded 'other' and she was finding it difficult to juggle writing, promotion and life. The result of the discussion appeared to be no answer, just lots of talk about prioritizing, doing what suits her best. It did accomplish one thing, however. It reaffirmed that I'm not alone in the boat I'm trying to row upstream against the tide.

So what have I decided to do about it? I've asked for help from other authors who want to appear on the blog, do an interview, post anything really. It helps me provide you with interesting content and limits the amount of time I need to post. I'll be here more regularly sharing ideas and filling you in on what's happening for me with my writing, but I won't feel like my followers are sitting staring at a blank screen anymore if I happen to miss posting for a few days. I turn off all social media for at least six hours a day and write. That's the only way I'm going to finish my WIP (work in progress) and then get onto writing the other dozen or so plots I have lined up. I'm taking two days a week off to do whatever with whoever I want to. After all, when I worked in the real world I didn't work seven days a week. I also finish working now at a reasonable time and just do something away from the computer. Don't laugh, I've started knitting, I'm also working my way through my TBR list, which is massive. I'm also being flexible, if my muse keeps me writing for 10 or twelve hours then I'll do it, and for the time the words are flowing I'll have a break from the other. Realistically the words don't always flow for that many hours with me but when they do I won't say 'no, it's time for me to log onto Facebook and promote'.

The final thing vow to do is not put pressure on myself. I reject should's, have-to's and must's. I accept that sometimes you get the hiccups and plans go pear-shaped, I won't beat myself up if I fall off the wagon for a day or so but I will push myself back onto that wagon asap and keep on keeping on.

Anyway, they are my attempts at balance, time will tell whether they work or not. So from the woman who's been sitting on the tracks waiting for the train to hit, being slack with the other, and everything else in my life - what do you do to find balance in the work/life game that we play. Whether your an author or not, what solutions have you found to get all the jobs done and keep moving along the right track?