5 Down and 1 in the Hole

During the past few weeks, I dove into finalizing the Young Adult series that I've been working on for the past two years. Before I go back beneath the surface once again to focus on a new YA series, I wanted to touch base by posting on the Alexa Writes Books blog.

I have truly missed blogging and will focus on making a post every few weeks as I continued to write.

Since I have seen over the past few years that readers are hesitant to invest in an incomplete book series, I banked the entire series (which means I did not publish each book as it was finished) and intend to publish the entire series at the same time in the next few weeks.

Author Hugh Howey posted about the banking technique, or The Lilian Nirvana Technique, or as Author Lilian Nirvana uses the term, 5 down and 1 in the hole.

This YA series will be my 5 down, while the first book in the next series will be considered one in the hole.

I will also be banking a trilogy for release in February, as well as focusing on the series mentioned above for the next few months. (So, technically next year's first trilogy release will be considered 3 down, with the following book of the next trilogy equating to 1 in the hole.)

Thanks to Author Dean Wesley Smith workshops and shared Writing in Public challenge my production has increased, and I am looking very much forward to the months to come.

Balance in a Topsy-Turvy Writing World

This past week, I  learned that I can edit and pace up to five (5) chapters per day. *IF* I don't take time to shower or cook and limit bathroom breaks. Never mind the shoulder muscle aches and the headache, or the throbbing wrists and blurred vision. Or that nothing else gets done. "Really, Alexa," I ask, "what kind of life is that?"

 "Nope," Alexa says. "That's no life at all."

In this busy, busy day-to-day world, I have been experimenting and learning about REALISTIC goal setting.

Sure, I can edit and pace five (5) chapters per day, but, really, if that pace causes physical effects, burn out, and exhaustion, is that any way to write?

I used to work. A LOT. Days, nights, weekends, holidays. During one holiday season, I worked 90 hours the week of Thanksgiving. I had no life. I was so exhausted that, although I tend to be positive and enthusiastic, I no longer enjoyed the life I was living. Er, not living my life, since all I did was work.


This past week was one doing and stepping back to observe as I have been doing. Now I know what I am capable of during a week, and I know what I am able to realistically produce in a day.

So, instead of barreling through, racing, and charging to the finish line, I need to spread out my goal to a more realistic time schedule.

So, instead of 5 chapters edited and paced per day, a more realistic goal would be three (3) chapters, with breaks every hour and a half or so, even if only a bathroom and stretch break. With this realistic schedule, I would have time to do other things, other than writing activities, and still accomplish grounded-in-reality writing goals.

Another thing I discovered, that even though you set unrealistic or over-reaching goals, not reaching them can be discouraging and affect short-term goals going forward.

For instance, edit/pace 5 chapters one day, but then be too exhausted to even finish two the next day. Or, set a goal of four, then due to the difficulty of the chapters or distractions, only do one or two...there's no way to play catch up if you over-schedule up front.

Realistically, by setting more reasonable, reachable goals, I will get more done in the long run, because I won't be overwhelmed, exhausted, or self-sabotaging by not being able to catch up.

So,  Schedule 5 days of reasonable tasks, then build in two days for roll-over work from the previous 5 days. Realistic. Doable. Feasible. Did I mention doable?

For the next 7 days:

• Edit & Pace 3 Chapters Per day (5 days)
• Roll-Over Editing/Pacing days (2 days)
• Work on/Enjoy Non-Writing Activities (7 days)

Then, after that, review goals, and drill down Quarterly goals (October, November, and December), then break down the goals into monthly, weekly, daily tasks.

All writing, everyday--morning, evening, and night--makes Alexa a dull girl and much less productive; therefore, it's time to set my topsy-turvy writing world right side up.

Time for Change (Process, Goal, and Schedule Review)

In the last few months, to increase my writing productivity, I have experimented with several writing schedules, such as:

1. Drafting and revision by writing first draft material in the morning and revising in the afternoon,
2. Revising in the morning and first drafting in the afternoon,
3. Setting aside three or four days for first drafting and three or four days for revision, and
4. Alternating weeks of first drafting and revision, while during revision weeks, attempting to first draft for 15 minutes each day to maintain some sort of drafting momentum.

Currently, I am approximately 60% complete with the revision of Book #1, Series #1, while the first draft of Book #2 is complete, and the first draft of Book #3 is 26% complete.

Most of what I consider my low productivity has been due to switching back and forth from drafting one book and revising another; therefore, in order to eliminate the struggle and the slowed progress, for the next six weeks, I will focus on first drafting, while the next six weeks will be dedicated entirely to revising.

If the process ain't working, it's time for change.

I've been attempting to follow the advice of a well-known writing blogger and fiction author. Write fresh first draft material every day, in addition to revising, business activities, etc. While this everything but the kitchen sink process works for this author, the attempt to write and revise at the same time is not working for me.

Should I continue on in an attempt to do both, I will undoubtedly draft several of books, while revising or editing very few of the manuscripts. In experimenting with different time-frames, I have discovered that the blogging author's way is not a path that works for me.

Although task-oriented and able to multitask, I tend to be singularly focused; therefore, either I need to draft one book at a time, then revise and edit that most recently written book before moving on to the next, or draft several books and edit several books, such as those in a series like this one.

Since I'm approximately half way through the current five-book series, I will finish the drafts, then revise and edit, in two distinct phases.

In changing the writing process, I have drilled down the scheduling into daily writing and revision goals to move toward my mid-year series completion goal. Because of my struggle in maintaining a consistent productive pace, I am behind schedule, yet have updated and increased daily writing goals in order to meet the overall goal.

Process reviewed and updated: Check. Goals reviewed and updated: Check. Schedule reviewed and updated: Check. Time for a change: Triple Check!

Hard Work Ahead

As I near the six-month mark of my full-time writing journey, I have discovered there are some writing processes that are much easier and faster than I expected or imagined, yet that "making your novel stand out from the crowd" requires quite a bit of time and effort.

Thanks to Rock Your Plot and Rock Your Revisions, plotting and revisions are no where near as demanding as I expected, yet I have realized First Drafting and working through the techniques presented in Writing the Breakout Novel Workbook is hard work.

The discipline it takes to First Draft sometimes alludes me. Over the past few months, I have experimented with different tools and techniques to increase my production and productivity. Since I'm floundering at present, it's time to review what worked best and what didn't, then re-implement the former.

The brainpower it takes to "add tension" to every page, is exhausting, yet the results are well-worth the effort; however, the time it takes to employ such techniques cannot be discounted when creating a realistic writing schedule.

According to Cathy Yardley's Rock Your Revisions, you can expect to spend three times as long with revisions as you did writing the first draft. Since I'm using her Rock Your Plot process up front, that should cut the time for revision considerably, yet adding the Writing the Breakout Novel Workbook techniques will add more time; thus, I need to consider the time involved in realistic revision efforts.

For now, I reevaluate, plan and schedule because there's Hard Work Ahead.

Scheduling Other Stuff, Fun Stuff and Rewards

Other Stuff, Fun Stuff and Rewards must be included on the calendar page and within my writing schedule, otherwise, no matter how much they need to be done or how much I enjoy them, they fall to the wayside along with most good intentions.

Other Stuff: Laundry, Household Tasks, Stretching/Breathing Exercises.  

Fun Stuff: Spending Time with Hubby, Playing with the puppy, Reading, Watching TV.

Rewards: Girl's Day, Going out to a movie or dinner.

Yesterday's schedule included the completion of the following:

• 3 Hours of First Drafting on Book #2, Series #1
• 3 Hours downloading and compiling notes & comments for editing of Book #1, Series #1
• 3 Hours First Drafting on Another Book
• Several loads of laundry
• 1 household task previously set-aside due to health issues
• Spending time with hubby and playing with the puppy

For my To Do List, what I don't accomplish from the day before, I line-through and bring to the next day. What I accomplish on the To Do List and on the time blocked off for the day, I check off with a metallic gel pen that makes the most awesome gold check marks (kind of like the gold star-theory back in grade school, I suppose).

With scheduling, for the most part, my days with be gold check mark days. This writer gal couldn't expect or ask for more.

A Writing Schedule? (What the Bleep!)

I write full-time, writing at home or wherever I can legitimately take my writing tool, NEO, thus my time is my own. So why would I, after finally reclaiming my days and after years of working excessive overtime and juggling multiple projects, suddenly feel the need to set up a writing schedule? (What the bleep!)

Book #2, Series #1 and Another Book's plots rock and the books need to be first drafted (with Another Book I'll be delving into a genre I've approached with hesitation. [Let's face it, not every author is meant to write romance.]) The Second First Draft of Book #1, Series #1, is ready for the editing phase.

Health-wise, in the last few weeks, I have thankfully improved and am pacing myself to increase my stamina and to complete household projects I had been forced to set aside. If I am to meet future self-imposed deadlines, setting a realistic writing schedule is a must.

Since I'm still struggling somewhat with focus (although my concentration is getting better), To Do lists and maintaining a written At-A-Glance Planner/Calendar for the day should keep me on track. This same Planner assisted me with the coordination of my day job, and I'm sure will prove highly beneficial in helping me to get a handle on my writing life.

The alternative would be, while I have the opportunity to write full-time, not having a writing schedule and not meeting self-imposed deadlines and goals, thus wasting and allowing the time I have to write to be squander away, forever lost, and never to be regained. Now, THAT's a what the bleep.

Chocolate, Naps and The Good Life - NOT!

"Now that you're not working and writing full-time, you must be living the easy life." Um, yeah, if you call twelve-hour days at the computer, plus writing in my head when not at the computer the easy life, then you betcha, I've got that so-called easy life covered.

Years ago, I presented school assembly programs and entertained in various venues for a living. Later on, as an independent contractor, I had the opportunity to work primarily from home. Since both situations involved self-employment, the self-discipline and effort required far exceeded any show-up-at-work, nine-to-five job I've ever worked. I worked long hours, and I worked hard.

I worked until midnight last night, getting half-way through my next chapter and working on an author website design. Once in bed, the beginning lines of a possible future book kept running through my head, with the first paragraph and book idea following me into sleep. This morning, I slept in an extra hour past my usual get-out-of-bed time and was up at seven.

This morning, I will jot down the potential book idea and the beginning paragraph, then will finish the chapter in progress and write another chapter, then repeat tomorrow, with a goal of finishing the second first draft of Book #1 of Series #1 this weekend, and finishing my Rock Your Plot effort for Book #2 of Series #1 in the first few days of next week.

Writing full-time is filled with deadlines. Self-imposed, but deadlines just the same, since I want to write for a living. For me, despite the long hours and demanding effort, writing full-time is an enjoyable worthwhile experience. Ah, the good life.

Only Street - Reverse Scheduling

No that's not a typo. I didn't intend to write "Lonely" Street, although writing tends to be a solitary task. Only Street represents where you go when, instead of scheduling out your time until you become nonproductive, you schedule only specific blocks of time to spend on a project in a given day.

This Reverse Schedule is based on limiting time spent on a task, rather than spending an extended amount of time on the task. Basically, in order to increase productivity a particular task is performed ONLY during that limited time frame.

For instance, I will set three (3) to (4) hours aside for writing a day, and will only write during those set-aside hours. When those 3 or 4 hours are up for the day, no more writing for that day.

During my Reverse Schedule, I am allowed only to write during those set-aside 3 or 4 hours a day. If all goes well, I will add additional set-aside hours later on in the day; however, for now, I'm working an a reverse schedule am cruising down Only Street.