February 23, 2011

When my children were small–and even as they grew older–I struggled to find a writing schedule that worked most days of the week. After much trial and error, I would hit upon a schedule that allowed me to write nearly two hours per day. Bliss!

Not For Long

That “bliss” lasted a very short time usually–until I once again had morning sickness, or someone was teething, or my husband switched to working nights, or someone started school, or someone else went out for three extra-curricular activities and we lived in the car after school and weekends.

It was many years before I realized there is no one right way to schedule my writing. The “right way” (by my own definition) is simply the schedule that allows me to get some writing done on a regular basis.

[For the five types of parent-writing schedules, read the rest of the article. This is an excerpt from More Writer's First Aid.] 

February 21, 2011

(Bear with me–today is nothing but shameless self-promotion! The Table of Contents with sample chapters is at the bottom.)

If you liked

          

 

     then you’ll love

                                                        e-book!

 

You won’t actually find bandages or medicine in More Writer’s First Aid. But in 48 short chapters, you will find cures for dealing with disappointment and jealousy, writing despite physical and emotional pain, banishing procrastination once and for all, and combining writing with parenting (from infancy to adulthood.) “We’re all in this together” has been Kristi’s constant reminder to readers of her first book and her blog. (Read sample chapters below in the Contents.)

 

Kristi has had nearly 40 books published in 30 years of writing, taught writing for the Institute of Children’s Literature for more than 25 years, and has guided, mentored and taught hundreds of aspiring writers (both as an instructor and blogger for more than 55,000 subscribers.) “I started writing on an Iowa farm, very isolated, with no Internet and no other writers around,” Kristi says. “It’s not about how talented you are–and it’s not who you know–that gets you published. Most often the published writers are simply those writers who refused to quit. I can help you persevere until you publish.”

 

In addition to the uplifting encouragement you found in Kristi’s first book for writers, More Writer’s First Aid e-book includes:

 

• eight more articles (48 versus 40) to inspire you [See Contents below]
• a new “family matters” section on combining writing with parenting children from birth to adulthood
• advice on current time management issues like e-mail and information overload
• portability for today’s modern reader–keep it handy on your computer’s desktop
• live links within the chapters leading to referenced books, classes, websites, and authors

 

 

Only $12.95 (pdf)   requires Adobe Acrobat

CLICK HERE TO PURCHASE (immediate direct download)    

 

  Kindle also available. (Enjoy Kindle on your Mac, PC, iPhone, iPad, Android and Blackberry with Kindle’s free apps.)

 

 

 

Only $12.95 (pdf)   requires Adobe Acrobat

CLICK HERE TO PURCHASE (immediate direct download)    

 

  Kindle also available. (Enjoy Kindle on your Mac, PC, iPhone, iPad, Android and Blackberry with Kindle’s free apps.)

 

 

 

Contents

 

I  ENJOYING THE WRITING LIFE—EVERY DAY! 

What Kind of Boss Are You?                                         

Honoring the Writing Process                                         

Dealing with Disappointment                                          

Striving for Contentment                                             

Breaking the Procrastination Cycle                              

How Tight Is Your Bow?                                           

Joining a Work in Progress                                        

Writing through Physical Pain                                   

Mentors or Tormentors?                                           

Mindful or Multi-Tasker?                                          

Perfectionist Writers                                                

Misplaced Dreams                                                  

 

II WRITING HABITS THAT HELP YOU

Change: Making It Stick                                          

“Not” To Do List                                                

Counting the Cost                                                 

Focus: the Power of Scheduling                            

Getting the Writing Done                                      

Undo It Yourself                                                  

Timing is Everything                                             

E-mail: the Hidden Enemy                                     

Finding Time: Pruning before Prioritizing              

Procrastination: Have You Tried An Unschedule? 

The Power of Writing Things Down                      

Course Corrections                                             

 

III A WRITER’S EMOTIONS

Write What You Love                                          

Facing Your Creative Fears                                          

Writer Imaging                                                    

Silent Sabotage                                                   

Stages of Writing                                                

Sorting Out the Voices                                        

Conquering the Green-Eyed Monster                   

Give Up Your Perpetual Maybe                           

Writing through the Storms of Life                      

Dealing with Rejections and Setbacks                  

Writing after Major Losses                                  

Get Your Fear Shot!                                           

 

IV FAMILY MATTERS

Set Boundaries to Write More                            

Creativity and Noise: Do They Mix?                    

Hats Off to Mom Writers                                   

Household Have-to’s                                        

Writers: Always Working                                   

Busy—or Crazy Busy?                                      

A Parent’s Writing Schedule                             

Writing through Relationship Struggles               

Combining Babies, Bylines and School-Age Children

Writing during the Teen and Early Adult Years          

Running on Parallel Tracks                                       

Cherish the Commonplace                                        

January 24, 2011

 

Would you like to have a free copy of my new e-book when it’s released? Read to the end to find out how.

 

First there was Writer’s First Aid:  Getting Organized, Getting Inspired, and Sticking to It, the book.

 …then there was the Writer’s First Aid blog.

Coming in February

Now, thanks to faithful book and blog readers, coming soon is More Writer’s First Aid: Getting the Writing Done (Book Two).

About that free e-book … If you have a blog for writers or a blog about writing–and if you’d be willing to review More Writer’s First Aid on your blog–I’m going to send 10 bloggers a free copy.

Contact me here and give me (1) your email address and (2) the www. address of your writing blog. I’d like permission to quote your blog review on my website, if you don’t mind. Thanks to all who contact me–and I’ll be in touch very soon!