TL;DR version: I’m not sure if what I write below is a system, but I do have a daily order to getting things done. Breathing helps, so does focusing the attention on where the passion lies and then working on one thing at a time.

I don’t deal well with overwhelm. I love having lots of projects going on at once but of course, this means that occasionally they collide and I feel lost and overwhelmed with it all and wish I can do it all, when i know i can’t. Today is one of those days.

My current writing to-do list looks like this:

• Write RS11 posts (about 5 of them)
  
• Continue writing ETT book draft
  
• Write emails to peeps
  
• Work on reviews for W&P
  
• Write potential tarot essay for publications.
  

Earlier, I posted this to my Twitter feed:

Feeling overwhelmed with all the things I gotta write and catch up on. It’s another hunker down and do it day.

Which got this response on Facebook from a friend:

Would love to know how you deal with that. Do you have a ‘system’ or other advice?

To tell you the truth, there is no real cut and dry thing to how I get so much done. I’m not even sure I have a system. I do keep a list of everything I want to do in a day but I don’t really nail it down with priorities. Setting priorities usually backfires on me because while I may set a deadline, my mind will want to work on the bottom thing. So I’ve decided not to do this unless I have a HUGE external deadline looming.

I usually work on a project until I run out of steam, or need feedback, or whatnot. This allows me to rotate through various projects during the day and never allows me to feel bored.

All this said, however, I do have some bits of a system that I do daily that gives me large chunks of time for writing.

First thing every morning, I go exercise. Running is my meditation and it allows me that sacred 30 minutes of having no thoughts fluttering through my mind. My mind is so hyper that there are times when I wish I could turn it off.Lately I’ve been adding 15 minutes of weightlifting and another half hour of stationary bike into the mix.

Once I’m done with the exercise, I stay out and about to complete any errands. This includes library runs, post office runs, groceries, etc. I find that if I don’t get the out of house items done, then these tasks weigh on my mind and nothing “gets done” at home.

Once I am at home, I take some time to check email and then clear out the social media clutter. I’m horrible at replying sometimes, so I do a quick scan to make sure I’ve written a response that needs to be addressed. (I usually try and respond to things in 24 hours or less. If not, it’s because I feel overwhelmed and have no idea what to say.)

Then I look at my writing to-do list and pick one item that can be completed in short time. Usually, this is a blog post or email. Something to get the juices flowing and the achievement meter up. Sometimes, I’ll fire up the industrial music and pick a good hard beat to get the juices going. Having the music pumped in through headphones also helps to focus that energy.

Once quick items are out of the way, I get to the long-term projects. These I work on in small chucks– half hour to an hour. Doing short bursts of energy on these projects gives me the ability to feel like I’ve worked on them, as well as giving my body a break from being at the keyboard for so long. I sometimes forget to breathe, so this regime also allows me the time to breathe and refocus energies to the next item on the list.

I also try not to write past the time my hubby comes home. I want to reserve the time during the evenings for him and me. So far, it’s worked pretty well.

Feel free to post any questions about this… until then, I’m off to work on those Readers Studio posts!

I’d like to present the first of our collaborations: Wine Inspired Writing. This course was inspired by Michael Gelb’s Wine Drinking for Inspired Thinking. We explore the idea that wine can help inspire your muse and have designed some fun exercises to explore this connection! Click the read more link to learn more about what this workshop offers.

Wine Inspired Writing Workshop
June 12, 2010 3:00 – 5:00pm

Cost: Free! Adults 21 and over. Space is limited.
Mantra Espresso & Wine Bar 2707 NE 114th Avenue, Suite C3 Vancouver, WA 98684

For more information and to sign up, email creativearts@shadesofmaybe.com

Is it true that the principles of drinking and enjoying wine can help you become more creative?

Find out in this special class where Anna and Jaymi teach you the basics of wine tasting and how moderate drinking can inspire your muse. In this class you’ll sample 2-3 wines, while learning how to engage your senses in your writing and develop characters using the TIPPSY method.

Your cure for writer’s block:
I tape a copy of my daughter’s college tuition to the side of the computer. Just kidding, but I don’t believe in writer’s block. Writer’s block is a lack of confidence, and I’m a professional writer so I’ve got no time for that nonsense. Remember, I’m going to die someday, so why should I be afraid to tap keys?

Pessimistic question: Will you keep writing even after people stop reading?
Of course, and probably more than I write now. Writing and publishing are two different things. I write because I have to, because I won’t be happy unless I’m putting these stories down on paper. I publish to pay the bills.

I wrote an essay that discusses my magical path and the road bumps I’ve encountered. I hope that it encourages pagans to continue working and keeping the faith even in those dark moments where it seems like nothing exists or goes right.

The fun starts at 3pm and goes until whenever. So if you missed me last time, come on down and party! As always, I’ll have my camera for shots.

Hello! I just wanted to give you all a very quick update. Our book is currently at press and we’re waiting for galley proofs. We expect to have the finished books in hand in about 2 weeks. We had expected to be done by now, but there was an issue with a corrupt file in layout, and then we both came down with a very nasty ick that’s been going around. We’re healthy again though, and our layout artist has worked wonders to help us get the book done and to press.

If you haven’t pre-ordered your copy, please do so now! Not only are you supporting a good cause, but you’re helping to get my story out into the world.

On Ravens in the Library: Still waiting to hear from the editors on the book’s release. It was supposed to get sent to the publisher this week. Due to illness and business, they’ve been running behind schedule. But the imminent release of the book has me all ancy… I want it to arrive now, darnit!

On Touched and the Editing Process: I’m slowly making my way through TOUCHED. I’m halfway through revising Chapter Two as well reworking other plot issues in my head. Cyd, my writing partner, read through the revisions on Chapter One last week and gave me feedback. She sent me this on IM: “You have found your story, and I salute you!” This compliment pleases and surprises me. I didn’t think that I’d be getting a large thumbs up so early in the process. On the other hand, I’m glad she likes what I’ve done to try and capture my audience’s imagination and draw them into the world and story I’m telling. Now all I need to do with that chapter is just wordsmith and smoothing. Emailed the chapter to the others in my writing group and hope they also like what I’ve done.

On Chinese medicine: I’ve started acupuncture treatments. Last year, my friend Taylor Ellwood gave me a free consultation with Elie Cole and I finally went in to see her. She’s very knowledgeable, easy to talk to, and gives me much to work on and think about. I’ve always been curious about eastern medicines and am happy that I’ve been given an opportunity to see what it can do for my asthma, allergies and bipolarism. So far I’ve experienced the acupuncture needles, been cupped (a relaxing technique but leaves huge bruises– kender freaked when he saw them), and received nutritional recommendations to further improve my heath. I’ve received two treatments so far and left each appointment feeling more at ease with myself and calm.

On the Tarot School: I received the first lesson for my tarot classes last week and am slowly going through the materials. It’s totally not what I expected, but this is good. This lesson delves right into numerology. I’m excited by this new material but I also feel intimidated. I hope I can get the work done. I also need to schedule a phone call with my instructors. I have questions about how to submit my homework and need to tell them which deck I’m using with this course.

On The Fountain: We watched The Fountain last night. It’s billed as a sci-fi thriller but to toss it into that general category does a disservice to this film. Darren Aronofsky, who also did Requiem for a Dream and Pi (also amazing movies), crafted one hell of a mind-twist. While the plot entangles and entwines the stories of three lovers, it leaves you with a feeling of something deeper and primal at work. It’s more about redemption, love, death and finding peace within the universe. It reminds me that time is precious and that I need to focus on the things I love: my hubby, my work and spirituality. And I’m sure that it’s the big reason why I couldn’t sleep.

Okay, now that I’ve spewed all this out I’m going to try and be productive now. Diving back into Chapter Two of TOUCHED.

I’d LOVE to own the new Kindle. Just the thought of all my books (now portable on one unit) makes the compulsive declutterer in me squee with delight. Next to my tarot deck, computer, and iPod, it’s the perfect companion for any zombie invasion. On the other hand, I love my books. I love the smell of the ink and the paper. I love the way books feel when I hold them. And I love getting lost in the worlds they contain. I’m not sure if reading on an hand-held device will ever really replace the joy I have when I coddle and carry books around as if they were my baby.

With that said, apparently there’s some hubbub about the new Kindle’s ability to “read” books out loud. And as always, the wonderful Neil Gaiman puts it brilliantly,

Just found myself having a long argument/discussion with my agent over the Amazon Kindle text-to-speech capability. I’m going to summarise it here.

Her point of view: The Kindle reading you the book-you-just-bought infringes the copyright (or at least, the rights) to the audiobook. We’ve sold audiobook rights and print book rights as separate things. We must stop this.

My point of view: When you buy a book, you’re also buying the right to read it aloud, have it read to you by anyone, read it to your children on long car trips, record yourself reading it and send that to your girlfriend etc. This is the same kind of thing, only without the ability to do the voices properly, and no-one’s going to confuse it with an audiobook. And that any authors’ societies or publishers who are thinking of spending money on fighting a fundamentally pointless legal case would be much better off taking that money and advertising and promoting what audio books are and what’s good about them with it.

What a great way to look at it. And summarizes how I feel about it all. Especially seeing that I can have Smudge (the name of my Macbook) read electronic books out loud as well.

When I came back to Smudge, my friend Jenn sent me a link to Nathan Bransford’s 2nd Sort-of-Annual Stupendously Ultimate First Paragraph Challenge “contest”. Nathan’s a literary agent who’s doing a fun-yet-informal contest on novel first paragraphs. The winner gets their choice of: “a partial critique, query critique or 15 minute phone conversation in which we can discuss topics ranging from reality TV shows to, you know, publishing. Your choice. Runners up will receive query critiques and/or other agreed-upon prizes.”

So, not one to back down an informal contest, I submitted the following paragraph for Touched:

The chair is old but well padded. Its brown vinyl is smooth from years of wear and use by others. It squeaks as she shifts her position, drawing her legs up and under her body. She’s not uncomfortable, but she’s not comfortable either. It’s sunny outside. Cassie can tell that it’s cold even though she’s not outside to feel it. This is the magic of autumn. When leaves turn colors and the temperature stays cold even when the sun shines. The wind taps on the window, calling for her to come out and soak up the magic. Cassie shifts her weight in the chair, feeling left out.