Thursday, January 13, 2011

MANIC MOMENT PAUSE

"Aggghhhhhh!!!!" That's me screaming. Forgive me for the sudden outburst but I gotta let it out one way or another to maintain a semblance of sanity. At least that's what I heard. Why am I screaming, you may want to know? Let me tell you...This balancing act of my life can sometimes drive me MAAAADDDDD!!!!

I love my life. I love my life. I love my life. You may find it helpful to repeat this several times on your journey to get to wherever you're on your way to in this life. Especially when the going gets rough. I find it helpful, at  least.

If you've been following my blog, you'll know that I'm diligently working on my second novel. So far the deadlines that I've set have come and gone. First goal was to have the draft complete by 12/31/2010. Nope--not even close! Most recently I set a new goal to complete a chapter a day. Yesterday, by midnight, chapter 3 was to be completed. Nope! However, I can say that I was very close BUT that's because I've been working on it for over a week! Could the goal of completing a chapter a day be too far reaching? Maybe, but I feel it necessary to apply such pressure so that it doesn't take me 10 yrs to complete this novel like it did my first. SMH.

I'm motivated like HECK to complete my follow up novel to Unfinished Business. However, I'm also equally motivated to improve my Internet marketing skills, increase sales of Unfinished Business, increase traffic to my blogs & website, get more people to know about L.A. JEFFERSON! Oh yeah, did I mention that I'm also planning to move in the next few months.

EVERYTHING on my plate today often makes me reminiscent of the days before I became a self-published author. The days when I toyed around with the idea of turning my manuscript into a published novel. The days when I wrote when I felt like it, read books without guilt that I should be writing, or enjoyed a television program without simultaneously working on something related to my writing career (website, blog, Facebook, Twitter).

Okay, back to reality. I love this pursuit of making my dreams come true. I really do! Whenever I think of entering other career options, I'm soooo not into it! I'm obsessed with writing. Writing permeates ever fiber of being. Watching my favorite television programs, watching big screen movies, browsing the shelves of any book section or stor all bring me back to my ultimate passion of creative writing! So yes, balancing a budding writing career, handling ones own marketing & promotion in conjuction with everything else going on in life is challenging BUT as ones dreams begin to manifest, surely there will be no regrets. NO PAIN, NO GAIN!

Now back to work, L.A. Jefferson

Sunday, January 02, 2011

It's the New Year! Let's Get it!

It's 2011! I know, I know. You had so many hopes and plans for 2010. Some things you achieved, some you didn't, but in the coin phrase of 2010--LET'S GET IT! Meaning there's no time for mourning the goals you didn't reach for 2010. Whether it was finishing that novel you started so long ago (or not so long ago), getting your webiste up and running, creating your newsletter, or whatever...it doesn't matter.

Now is the time to re-prioritize. Create a new set of goals with the most important ones from 2010 at the top of the list. Move forward and have a positive mindset. If you haven't joined a writers group you should. They can be instrumental in helping you as a writer to stay focused. For example, my writers group, Motown Writer's Network challenged us to write for 15 minutes everyday and we're supposed to bring our work to the 1st meeting of the year. How's that for motivation?

Anyway good luck on whatever you set your mind to do in 2011. LET'S GET IT!