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Presence"},{"term":"Getting Feedback"},{"term":"Growing in Writing Skill"},{"term":"Critique Services"},{"term":"Self-Publishing"},{"term":"Writing Contests"},{"term":"Accountability"},{"term":"Conferences"},{"term":"Family Life"},{"term":"Query Letters"},{"term":"Reading"},{"term":"Self-Editing"},{"term":"About Me"},{"term":"Book Release"},{"term":"Critique Partners\/Groups"},{"term":"Encouragement"},{"term":"Mama Writer"},{"term":"Marketing Books"},{"term":"What I Learned Series"},{"term":"Book Reviewers"},{"term":"Twitter"},{"term":"Book Covers"},{"term":"Character Development"},{"term":"Facebook"},{"term":"Perseverance"},{"term":"Book Signings\/Parties"},{"term":"Helpful Writing Books"},{"term":"Websites"},{"term":"E-Publishing"},{"term":"Life With An Agent"},{"term":"Pinterest"},{"term":"Uniquenesses of Writers"},{"term":"Contracts"},{"term":"Perfection"},{"term":"Research"},{"term":"Romance"},{"term":"Supporting Authors"},{"term":"Blogging Blunders"},{"term":"Book Proposals"},{"term":"Branding"},{"term":"Ebooks"},{"term":"Friendships"},{"term":"Giveaway"},{"term":"How I Do It"},{"term":"Interacting With Readers"},{"term":"Interviews"},{"term":"Rejection"},{"term":"Discouragement"},{"term":"Finding Ideas"},{"term":"First Drafts"},{"term":"Free books"},{"term":"Multi-Published"},{"term":"My Writing Journey"},{"term":"Negative Reviews"},{"term":"Publication Process"},{"term":"Traditional Publishing"},{"term":"Trailers"},{"term":"Waiting"},{"term":"Writing Output"},{"term":"Allegiant"},{"term":"Audio Books"},{"term":"Best Seller List"},{"term":"Blog Tours"},{"term":"Book Series"},{"term":"Book Titles"},{"term":"Books Into Movies"},{"term":"Bookstores"},{"term":"Courtship and Dating"},{"term":"Debut Authors"},{"term":"Failure"},{"term":"Genre Differences"},{"term":"Historical Romance"},{"term":"Historicals"},{"term":"Influencers"},{"term":"Insider Insights"},{"term":"JK Rowling"},{"term":"John and Abigail Adams"},{"term":"Launch Team"},{"term":"Lessons Learned"},{"term":"NaNoWriMo"},{"term":"Novellas"},{"term":"Plot"},{"term":"Scavenger Hunt"},{"term":"Self-Discipline"},{"term":"Slush Pile"},{"term":"Social Network Sharing Contests"},{"term":"Thankfulness"},{"term":"The Cuckoo's Calling"},{"term":"Virtual Assistants"},{"term":"Voice"},{"term":"Writer's Block"},{"term":"Writing Blunders"},{"term":"Young Adult"}],"title":{"type":"text","$t":"Author, Jody Hedlund"},"subtitle":{"type":"html","$t":""},"link":[{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#feed","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/jodyhedlund.blogspot.com\/feeds\/posts\/default"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/8539581256374625880\/posts\/default\/-\/Time+Management?alt=json-in-script\u0026max-results=3"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"http:\/\/jodyhedlund.blogspot.com\/search\/label\/Time%20Management"},{"rel":"hub","href":"http://pubsubhubbub.appspot.com/"},{"rel":"next","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/8539581256374625880\/posts\/default\/-\/Time+Management\/-\/Time+Management?alt=json-in-script\u0026start-index=4\u0026max-results=3"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Jody Hedlund"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/12424307540530719614"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"16","height":"16","src":"https:\/\/img1.blogblog.com\/img\/b16-rounded.gif"}}],"generator":{"version":"7.00","uri":"http://www.blogger.com","$t":"Blogger"},"openSearch$totalResults":{"$t":"41"},"openSearch$startIndex":{"$t":"1"},"openSearch$itemsPerPage":{"$t":"3"},"entry":[{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8539581256374625880.post-6968014372940163874"},"published":{"$t":"2015-06-09T06:00:00.000-04:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2015-06-09T07:29:23.986-04:00"},"category":[{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Family Life"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Time Management"}],"title":{"type":"text","$t":"10 Ways Writer-Moms Can Gain More Writing Time"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/3.bp.blogspot.com\/-P8eugPHEQr0\/VXYOiL6kqhI\/AAAAAAAAE1M\/SA_utlPcpYs\/s1600\/10%2BWays%2Bto%2BGain%2BMore%2BWriting%2BTime.jpg\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" height=\"400\" src=\"http:\/\/3.bp.blogspot.com\/-P8eugPHEQr0\/VXYOiL6kqhI\/AAAAAAAAE1M\/SA_utlPcpYs\/s400\/10%2BWays%2Bto%2BGain%2BMore%2BWriting%2BTime.jpg\" width=\"378\" \/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Ci\u003E\u003Cb\u003EBy Jody Hedlund,\u0026nbsp;@JodyHedlund \u003C\/b\u003E\u003C\/i\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EAs a homeschooling mom of five children, the most common question I'm asked is: How do you do it all? How do you manage your large family and have the time to write?\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003ENo I'm not super woman (although there are times when my kids expect me to be!). Yes, I do get plenty of sleep (most nights!). And no, I haven't hired the TV to babysit my kids (at least not often!).\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EOver the years, I tried many different tricks and techniques in order to gain (or maintain) writing time in my schedule. Here are 10:\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cb\u003E1. Take advantage of kids' downtime.\u003C\/b\u003E When my younger children were taking naps, I used every minute they were asleep for writing. As tempting as it was to clean, pickup, or even take a nap myself, I knew I had to make the most of that quiet hour to write uninterrupted. When my kids got a little older and didn't need naps, I still required afternoon rest\/reading time for an hour. It helped give them a needed break, but also gave me a block of uninterrupted writing time.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cb\u003E2. Pay older kids to \"babysit\" younger children. \u003C\/b\u003EAs my writing career began to swing into full gear and I needed more writing time, I discovered that I could pay my older children (who were in elementary school) to \"babysit\" my little ones. I would assign them each a child to play with, give them a time limit (like an hour), and then pay them a couple of dollars when they were done. It not only gave me more writing time, but it helped teach my older children the value of working hard to earn money.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cb\u003E3. Involve the whole family in household chores.\u003C\/b\u003E As Moms we often think the entirety of the housework falls on our shoulders. But I'm of the belief that whoever lives in a house needs to help in the upkeep of that house. Therefore, over the years I've gotten my kids involved in doing laundry, cooking meals, handling yard work, etc. When everyone pitches in, we all have more free time for the things we love (including writing).\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cb\u003E4. Bring the laptop along to activities and write while waiting in the van\u003C\/b\u003E. Since my kids have so many activities that I drive them to, I often sit in the van and write while I wait for them. Without the distraction of the internet, the van is actually a great place to get concentrated writing done.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cb\u003E5. Schedule larger blocks of writing time when husband is home.\u003C\/b\u003E This has probably been one of the biggest ways I've been able to add more writing time into my schedule. Even in the days before publication, my husband realized the benefit of supporting my mental health by giving me extended time away from the kids which I used for writing. Those larger blocks are sacred writing time. No browsing blogs or Facebook. Writing only!\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cb\u003E6. Hire a college-age student to take the kids out a couple of times a week.\u003C\/b\u003E I did this one summer when my kids were younger. I paid an hourly wage to an older girl who could drive and had a car for the purpose of getting my kids out of the house. She took them to parks, the pool, the library, to get ice cream, and basically anywhere to allow them to do things while I worked. \u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cb\u003E7. Rise and shine before the rest of the family.\u003C\/b\u003E (Or be the night owl.) When I'm particularly crunched on time during the day, I schedule writing time in the wee hours of the morning before the household awakes. Again, that writing time is sacred. I don't dilly-dally responding to emails or anything else. During the uninterrupted time I simply write.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cb\u003E8. Set work hours and teach children to respect that time \u003C\/b\u003E(works more for older children). As my children have grown older and can occupy themselves without constant supervision, I've had to teach them to respect my work boundaries. I usually explain my \"writing hours\" and expect them to respect that time. For example, I won't drive them to a friend's house or take them to the store until I'm done with my work time.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cb\u003E9. Involve grandparents (or other relatives) when possible.\u003C\/b\u003E I'm blessed to have my mom live in town nearby. She often offers to assist when she knows of specific needs. But I've also had to learn to ask for help, and that's not something that comes easily to me. Over the past couple of years, we've worked out a system where she comes to my house once a week (and helps homsechool) which frees me to write.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cb\u003E10. Outsource work that can be done by others.\u003C\/b\u003E I had a hard time letting go of work I thought I should be doing. But in the end, I've found that it's more profitable for me to pay someone else to do their \"specialty\" so that I can focus on mine–my writing. Obviously, I didn't come to this point in my career until I had a steady income. But moving in this direction has helped free up even more of my time.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cb\u003EWhat other advice do YOU have for finding more writing time?\u003C\/b\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/jodyhedlund.blogspot.com\/feeds\/6968014372940163874\/comments\/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"http:\/\/jodyhedlund.blogspot.com\/2015\/06\/10-ways-writer-moms-can-gain-more.html#comment-form","title":"7 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/8539581256374625880\/posts\/default\/6968014372940163874"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/8539581256374625880\/posts\/default\/6968014372940163874"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"http:\/\/jodyhedlund.blogspot.com\/2015\/06\/10-ways-writer-moms-can-gain-more.html","title":"10 Ways Writer-Moms Can Gain More Writing Time"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Jody Hedlund"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/12424307540530719614"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"16","height":"16","src":"https:\/\/img1.blogblog.com\/img\/b16-rounded.gif"}}],"media$thumbnail":{"xmlns$media":"http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/","url":"http:\/\/3.bp.blogspot.com\/-P8eugPHEQr0\/VXYOiL6kqhI\/AAAAAAAAE1M\/SA_utlPcpYs\/s72-c\/10%2BWays%2Bto%2BGain%2BMore%2BWriting%2BTime.jpg","height":"72","width":"72"},"thr$total":{"$t":"7"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8539581256374625880.post-3962816812860421310"},"published":{"$t":"2014-05-27T06:00:00.000-04:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2014-05-27T06:00:07.066-04:00"},"category":[{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Multi-Published"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Time Management"}],"title":{"type":"text","$t":"The Hectic Life of a Multi-Published Author"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/2.bp.blogspot.com\/-nmtzAis0fIc\/U4H40I_G72I\/AAAAAAAAENo\/0U7OUmB7vBQ\/s1600\/MP900399350.jpg\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" src=\"http:\/\/2.bp.blogspot.com\/-nmtzAis0fIc\/U4H40I_G72I\/AAAAAAAAENo\/0U7OUmB7vBQ\/s1600\/MP900399350.jpg\" height=\"400\" width=\"242\" \/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Ci\u003E\u003Cb\u003E\u0026nbsp; \u003C\/b\u003E\u003C\/i\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Ci\u003E\u003Cb\u003EBy Jody Hedlund, @JodyHedlund\u003C\/b\u003E\u003C\/i\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EI thought about titling my post, \"\u003Ci\u003EThe Hectic DAY of a Multi-Published Author\u003C\/i\u003E.\" But then I realized that I don't have normal, typical patterns to my days. In fact, the only unchanging aspect about my days is that they're \u003Ci\u003Ecrazy\u003C\/i\u003E and \u003Ci\u003Ebusy\u003C\/i\u003E.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EFor those who don't know me well, I'll start by saying I have five kids (three of whom are teens). Ah, yes, I can hear your sighs of sympathy and you telling me to stop there and say no more. You can already see the piles of dirty dishes in the sink and clothes on the floor, and you can hear the unending questions about going here and doing this or going there and doing that.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EAll that to say, \u003Cb\u003EI don't have a typical writer's day.\u003C\/b\u003E So instead of sharing about a \u003Ci\u003Eday\u003C\/i\u003E, I thought I'd share what life is like in a typical \u003Ci\u003Eweek\u003C\/i\u003E.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EThe truth is, the idyllic days of writing for hours on end (if there really ever were such days in the first place), are over. I can't \u003Ci\u003Ejust \u003C\/i\u003Ewrite anymore. As a professional, multi-published author, I have a multitude of other responsibilities that need my attention every day in addition to the writing.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cb\u003ESo what kinds of things do multi-published authors have to juggle?\u003C\/b\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cb\u003EHere's what I'm working on this week:\u003C\/b\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E•\u003Cb\u003E My WIP (work-in-progress).\u003C\/b\u003E I recently started writing a book that's due to my publisher at the beginning of November. After spending a number of weeks researching and plotting, I'm now about one-quarter into the actual writing of the book. \u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E• \u003Cb\u003EGalleys Edits\u003C\/b\u003E. Last week I talked about working on \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/jodyhedlund.blogspot.com\/2014\/05\/the-nitty-gritty-of-galley-editing.html\" target=\"_blank\"\u003Etwo sets of Galleys\u003C\/a\u003E at one time–one for my novella that releases this fall. And the second is for my first lighthouse book that releases in December.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E• \u003Cb\u003EMarketing for my newest release\u003C\/b\u003E. \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.goodreads.com\/book\/show\/18651927-captured-by-love\" target=\"_blank\"\u003E\u003Ci\u003ECaptured by Love\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E hits shelves in about a month (officially July 1). So I have posts to write for a \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/jodyhedlund.com\/media\/\" target=\"_blank\"\u003Eblog tour.\u003C\/a\u003E I've been collecting names and addresses for my Influencer list. I've had to write up Q \u0026amp; A for my publicist, update business cards, proof bookmarks, plan a book signing, etc. And those are just a few of the many things I'm working on for the book.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E• \u003Cb\u003EMiscellaneous.\u003C\/b\u003E Every week I squeeze in time to write blog posts for this blog and \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.inspiredbylifeandfiction.com\/\" target=\"_blank\"\u003Emy group blog\u003C\/a\u003E, along with attempting to keep up with emails and social media. Lately I've also been corresponding with my agent more frequently as she's been working out additional book deals (I hope to have good news to share soon!).\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EObviously, I can't \u003Ci\u003Eonly\u003C\/i\u003E work on one thing at a time. I can't stop writing my WIP to work on galleys. I can't stop writing to market. And I can't stop writing while I'm consumed with new book deals.\u003Cb\u003E If I put my WIP on hold every time I had something else come up, then I'd never get any writing done\u003C\/b\u003E.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EInstead I've learned to organize my time carefully and to prioritize my responsibilities so that amazingly everything gets done when it needs to. Here's how I usually prioritize:\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E• \u003Cb\u003EDo my writing first.\u003C\/b\u003E I give my WIP my best and most concentrated time. I spend several hours completing my daily word count goal. I try to put my freshest and most creative energy toward my stories.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E• \u003Cb\u003EDo in-house editing second.\u003C\/b\u003E I've calculated how many chapters I need to edit a day in order to meet my deadline. So, I literally don't go to bed at night until I edit the number of needed chapters.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E• \u003Cb\u003EWork on marketing third\u003C\/b\u003E. Since I have a book releasing in a month, I've bumped up marketing to high on the priority list. Every day I spend some time working on my personal marketing plan. I look at my list and decide which things need to be done now (a month in advance) and which things can wait until closer to release. \u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E• \u003Cb\u003EEverything else gets squeezed into my schedule wherever I can make it fit.\u003C\/b\u003E I write blog posts while I'm waiting to pick up my kids from activities. I check social media over my lunch break.  I usually respond to emails late at night or early in the morning.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cb\u003EWhile it's not easy to juggle everything, it IS possible. And it's even possible to do it all well. \u003C\/b\u003EI've learned that I can't get side-tracked by non-essentials, that I sometimes have to say no to good things (I can't do everything!), that I have to outsource anything I can (like I'm currently paying one of my daughters to help with marketing administrative details).\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EIn other words, I have to be organized, efficient, and diligent with my work time. I can't dilly-dally. I simply have to put my whole heart into the task at hand, work hard to get it done, and then move right on to the next thing needing my attention.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EAt times it's grueling! \u003Cb\u003EBut there's nothing more rewarding than knowing that readers are enjoying my books.\u003C\/b\u003E Just last week I learned that my summer release, \u003Ci\u003ECaptured by Love\u003C\/i\u003E, got a starred review in \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.publishersweekly.com\/978-0-7642-1049-5\" target=\"_blank\"\u003EPublisher's Weekly\u003C\/a\u003E. And I also got the news that \u003Ci\u003ERebellious Heart\u003C\/i\u003E finaled in the \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.faithhopelove-rwa.org\/icra-contest\/\" target=\"_blank\"\u003EInspirational Reader's Choice Award\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cb\u003EWhat about you? How do you juggle all of your writing duties? Do you have a system that you find helpful?\u003C\/b\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/jodyhedlund.blogspot.com\/feeds\/3962816812860421310\/comments\/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"http:\/\/jodyhedlund.blogspot.com\/2014\/05\/the-hectic-life-of-multi-published.html#comment-form","title":"14 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/8539581256374625880\/posts\/default\/3962816812860421310"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/8539581256374625880\/posts\/default\/3962816812860421310"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"http:\/\/jodyhedlund.blogspot.com\/2014\/05\/the-hectic-life-of-multi-published.html","title":"The Hectic Life of a Multi-Published Author"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Jody Hedlund"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/12424307540530719614"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"16","height":"16","src":"https:\/\/img1.blogblog.com\/img\/b16-rounded.gif"}}],"media$thumbnail":{"xmlns$media":"http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/","url":"http:\/\/2.bp.blogspot.com\/-nmtzAis0fIc\/U4H40I_G72I\/AAAAAAAAENo\/0U7OUmB7vBQ\/s72-c\/MP900399350.jpg","height":"72","width":"72"},"thr$total":{"$t":"14"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8539581256374625880.post-8834409690084610625"},"published":{"$t":"2014-04-29T06:00:00.000-04:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2014-04-29T09:09:12.154-04:00"},"category":[{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Time Management"}],"title":{"type":"text","$t":"How to Cheat to Find More Work Time"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/3.bp.blogspot.com\/-AbEw6ihp9B0\/U15pUbhtBJI\/AAAAAAAAELw\/ZHy1Ns7hm18\/s1600\/MP900442215.jpg\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" src=\"http:\/\/3.bp.blogspot.com\/-AbEw6ihp9B0\/U15pUbhtBJI\/AAAAAAAAELw\/ZHy1Ns7hm18\/s1600\/MP900442215.jpg\" height=\"400\" width=\"270\" \/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Ci\u003E\u003Cb\u003EBy Jody Hedlund,\u0026nbsp;@JodyHedlund \u003C\/b\u003E\u003C\/i\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003ESpring is a such a crazy time for most families. It's the time of year for dance and piano recitals, sports banquets, end-of-the-year school projects, track and soccer practices, graduation parties, state swim meets, etc, etc, etc.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EBasically we're trying to cram as much into the calendar as possible before summer arrives.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EAll the activities tend to wreck havoc on a writer's schedule . . .  at least they do on mine!\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EWhen things start to get crazy, I have to be careful not to let my emotions get crazy. It's all too easy to start snapping at everyone and to have major pity parties about how little I'm getting done.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cb\u003EAs a work-from-home mom, I constantly find myself challenged to balance work and mom duties. \u003C\/b\u003EObviously I don't want to short-change my family. I want to be available to them. I want to give them my best. But I also want to give my work my best too. I want to work hard. And I want to put one hundred percent into my writing.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EThe balance between work and family is a constant tug-of-war.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EAlthough I do fall into the woe-is-me trap, I've also learned to \"cheat\" to find more work time.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cb\u003EHere are just a few ways I cheat to get in more work:\u003C\/b\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cb\u003E1. Listen to audio books.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/b\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EI firmly believe writers must be voracious readers.  We learn an incredible amount about story-telling and writing techniques from studying what others are doing.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EBut if we're having trouble finding writing time, how can we possibly squeeze in time for reading widely and deeply?\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EAudio books.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EAudio books have been a godsend for me. I have a membership with \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/audible.com\/\"\u003EAudible.com\u003C\/a\u003E which allows me to download books onto my Audible app on my iphone with the mere click of a button. Within a minute (or less) I can be listening to ANY book I want.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EI listen in the car while driving kids to activities. I listen when I'm getting dinner ready. I listen while I'm putting on my makeup in the morning. And while I'm listening, I'm constantly analyzing and evaluating the stories, and thus working.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cb\u003E2. Listen to writing podcasts.\u003C\/b\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EIn addition to listening to audio books on my phone, I also download writing podcasts and listen to those as I go about life. I keep note cards and a pencil handy while I'm listening so that I can take notes to remember and review techniques.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EI've found several podcasts that are particularly informative and practical:\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E• \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.insidecreativewriting.com\/\" target=\"_blank\"\u003EInside Creative Writing \u003C\/a\u003Eby Brad Reed\u003Cbr \/\u003E• \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.helpingwritersbecomeauthors.com\/resources\/podcasts\" target=\"_blank\"\u003EHelping Writers Become Authors\u003C\/a\u003E by K.M. Weiland\u003Cbr \/\u003E• \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.writingexcuses.com\/\" target=\"_blank\"\u003EWriting Excuses\u003C\/a\u003E by B. Sanderson, D. Wells, M. Robinette Kowal, H. Taylor\u003Cbr \/\u003E• \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.writingshow.com\/\" target=\"_blank\"\u003EThe Writing Show\u003C\/a\u003E by Paula B.\u003Cbr \/\u003E• \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.narrativebreakdown.com\/\" target=\"_blank\"\u003EThe Narrative Breakdown\u003C\/a\u003E by Cheryl Klein and James Monohan\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cb\u003E3. Get on social media when watching TV.\u003C\/b\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EYes, the TV does go on in my house. I admit, I have a couple of favorite shows. And I watch movies from time to time.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EI've learned that I can watch those shows and sneak in some social media browsing simultaneously. While viewing, I'm able to flip through Pinterest pictures or glance at Facebook updates. During commercials, I can make blog comments or write a quick email.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EIt's an easy way to multi-task (and makes me feel less guilty about watching TV!).\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/4.bp.blogspot.com\/-uqWSSKG5V8U\/U15ieAsa69I\/AAAAAAAAELg\/BeH1Ejn9w3M\/s1600\/4a8b505cd84f1d0bcd7db17f17b2a584.jpg\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" src=\"http:\/\/4.bp.blogspot.com\/-uqWSSKG5V8U\/U15ieAsa69I\/AAAAAAAAELg\/BeH1Ejn9w3M\/s1600\/4a8b505cd84f1d0bcd7db17f17b2a584.jpg\" height=\"260\" width=\"320\" \/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cb\u003EObviously, I can't rely on the \"cheating\" to get quality writing done. I have to purposely plan or set aside time for that.\u003C\/b\u003E And when life is busy, inevitably the busyness begins to cut into my writing time.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EBut I really like this quote by JK Rowling. \u003Ci\u003E\"Be RUTHLESS about protecting writing days.\"\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/i\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EThat's something I strive to live by. I try guard my writing time jealously. I let family and friends know my scheduled work time. I don't plan other events or activities for those writing days.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EI aim high with my ruthlessness. And while I fall short some days, overall the ruthless protection holds me in good stead.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cb\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EWhat about you? How do you \"cheat\" to find more work time? Are you ruthless enough about protecting your writing days?\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/jodyhedlund.blogspot.com\/feeds\/8834409690084610625\/comments\/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"http:\/\/jodyhedlund.blogspot.com\/2014\/04\/how-to-cheat-to-find-more-work-time.html#comment-form","title":"19 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/8539581256374625880\/posts\/default\/8834409690084610625"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/8539581256374625880\/posts\/default\/8834409690084610625"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"http:\/\/jodyhedlund.blogspot.com\/2014\/04\/how-to-cheat-to-find-more-work-time.html","title":"How to Cheat to Find More Work Time"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Jody Hedlund"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/12424307540530719614"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"16","height":"16","src":"https:\/\/img1.blogblog.com\/img\/b16-rounded.gif"}}],"media$thumbnail":{"xmlns$media":"http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/","url":"http:\/\/3.bp.blogspot.com\/-AbEw6ihp9B0\/U15pUbhtBJI\/AAAAAAAAELw\/ZHy1Ns7hm18\/s72-c\/MP900442215.jpg","height":"72","width":"72"},"thr$total":{"$t":"19"}}]}});