(Coffee shop writer)

With every change to my routine, I feel like I’m getting closer to understanding the best way to structure my life as a writer. I’ve tried a lot of things that didn’t work but now it seems I’ve found not just a basic rhythm but a set of guidelines that will help me write no matter where I am.

This week has seen a lot of progress on my still-nameless stand alone novel. Writing flow is odd and fickle. Sometimes I feel like I’m trying to fill a bathtub with dew I’m scraping from blades of grass, one by one. Sometimes an idea appears in my brain from no where, and I look up and time has passed without my realizing and I have pages of writing done. This week has been more like the second option (thankfully).

I write all of my rough drafts by hand. I like pen and paper for several reasons, the main ones being that I greatly enjoy interacting with those tools rather than a keyboard, and because a notebook and pen are much more portable and easier to sneak into a party (I’m bad at people-ing). The progress on this rough draft is spread between the two notebooks pictured. The colored flags represent characters. I filled the top notebook and I’m now working on the blue and gold one.

The artistic side of being an indie author has never been difficult for me, however. My time is now divided three ways:
1) Creating/Writing
2) Business-minded pursuits
3) Semi-normal human experiences
It’s no secret that the business side is not my strength. Entrepreneurial work as an indie author is odd to me because it’s so important and time-consuming, but it never appears that way as a finished product.

Lately, I’ve been compiling information and making preparations for upcoming events like book signings and getting my books sold in more bookstores. There are a lot of opportunities I can take advantage as long as I’m organized enough to make them happen!

Keep an eye on my Events page for upcoming events, and of course I will continue to post updates on this blog.