Too Many Great Posts, Not Enough Time
Posted by Nancy J. Cohen on August 22, 2018
Do you get so caught up in reading blogs, webinars, and posts and/or listening to podcasts, that you get nothing else done? I have been catching up on reading newsletters from my professional writing organizations, trade journals to which I subscribe, plus blogs on marketing and other business aspects of writing. If only I could clear my Inbox, I tell myself, I’d turn my focus to the nine backlist titles that I still have to reissue.
And yet the more of these articles that I read, the more that keep popping up in my email. Moreover, reading this advice makes me feel terribly guilty. Why am I not able to do all these things? The articles offer wonderful marketing strategies and tips, and yet I’d need to be either thirty years younger to have the energy or three clones to manage it all.
Meanwhile, I am accomplishing nothing else. Is it because I’ve lost my mojo? Or is it that I can’t move on to new material until I get these backlist titles done? Then again, maybe it’s burnout and time for a break. It used to be that I put my writing goals first in the morning before glancing at email or social media. What happened to this self-discipline?
So I’ve decided to skim these articles, file the information for later, and do only what I can for now. It’s more important to move on to the next project. This means I need to practice BICHOK more often – Butt in Chair, Hands on Keyboard. Get off the couch, and go to work.
This goes for you, too, my fellow writers. Let’s pay less attention to the “should” demons (i.e. the things you should be doing) and more time to the work we can control. Your success is only as good as the next book. It’s not dependent on how many social media posts with cute memes you’ve posted.
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This entry was posted on August 22, 2018 at 10:30 am and is filed under Business of Writing, Fiction Writing, Marketing, The Writing Life. Tagged: book marketing, Business of Writing, promotion, social media. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
12 Responses to “Too Many Great Posts, Not Enough Time”
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Anna Loan-Wilsey said
Just the advice I needed today! Thank you, Nancy!
Nancy J. Cohen said
Glad my post was helpful!
Jacqueline Seewald said
Nancy,
I do read other people’s blogs and hope they read mine as well. It does take time away from my writing, but I think it’s important to support fellow writers.
Nancy J. Cohen said
I agree, but I can get carried away reading all those good posts out there, and then it becomes too time consuming.
A New Adventure said
I totally feel your pain. Great post.
Nancy J. Cohen said
Thanks, I hope it helps others to refocus as well.
Thonie Hevron said
You’ve summed it up well, Nancy. Thanks for letting me know I’m not the only author to feel this!
Nancy J. Cohen said
And I’m glad I am not the only one, too.
Terry Odell said
I’ve cut my blog list to a bare handful. Right now I’m taking an on-line marketing class and at the rate I’m going, it’ll take a year to finish. And you’re probably a much better person than I am, because I didn’t see you mention playing solitaire or chasing other computer squirrels.
Nancy J. Cohen said
No, I don’t do games. That would be a whole other hobby. I’m trying to declutter the house in my spare time.
Thonie Hevron said
Well said, Nancy. I needed this jumpstart! Thanks, bunches.
Nancy J. Cohen said
Glad you found this to be helpful!