Tackling a Large Project During the Holiday Season

   

The last quarter of the year seems to fly by. Besides writing projects, holiday planning and family activities fill the calendar. Despite how the pandemic has changed our plans, a mountain of tasks remains. What happens if a large writing or editing project comes your way?

In October, an author asked me to edit a 117,000 word manuscript. Since then, two more authors have inquired about my services. I’ve also looked at a couple more projects. Now, how to figure out what I can add to my already jam-packed schedule.

If you’re facing the same dilemma, the first thing to do is take out a piece of paper or fire up your computer—I go the paperless route because it’s one less thing to lose—and make three columns:  family/home, work, volunteering. Under each heading, list all you have to do for the next two months, noting deadlines where necessary. Then the actual work begins. 

Review each item on your to-do list to see if it’s something you must work on, can delegate, or change the deadline on. You must also discipline yourself by eliminating distractions and interruptions and consider if you have the time to dedicate to volunteering. 

Let’s talk more about these and see how to create that realistic schedule you’re looking for. 

Delegate What You Can 

The easiest way to remove things from your to-do list is to delegate what you can. Gasp! You mean I am expected to allow someone else to handle things I only trust myself to do?  

I know how tough it is to give up control of things, because I struggle with it every day. Unless you want the entire holiday season to pass you by without enjoying a minute, you need to ask for help. You can delegate household chores, errands, and meal preparation to other members of your household. Even small children can help keep the living areas of your home clean by picking up their messes before bedtime. Family might gripe when you ask, but they will enjoy a less stressed you and appreciate more time together during the holidays. 

Are These Firm Deadlines? 

If a large project comes your way that you want to add to your already jam-packed schedule, it might mean you have to consider changing deadlines on smaller projects. You should not do this without giving it a great deal of thought. Some things to consider are: 

• What is the impact to the relationship with this client if I ask for an extension?
• Have I asked this client for an extension in the past?
• What is the impact to my business if I can’t meet this deadline?
• What is the impact to my business if I take on this larger project? 

Once you’ve damaged a relationship, it takes a tremendous amount of work to repair it, if the client even allows you that opportunity. On the flip side, if the new project will have a positive impact on your career, it is worth finding ways to make it happen. 

Going with less than five hours of sleep for a month is not the right way! 

Talk to your clients, keeping them informed of your progress. If it becomes necessary to move a deadline, let them know in plenty of time and be ready to offer them a new “firm” deadline for the completion of the project. 

Planning Ahead 

Planning ahead is vital to creating that realistic writing schedule you’re looking for. Here are some tips:

• Spend a few hours preparing menus for each week of November and December, including your holiday menus.
• If your holidays include baking, prepare cookie dough ahead of time and freeze it.
• Shop in bulk so you can cut back on the number of errands to pick up food, household items, and office supplies.
• Shop online. I complete over 90% of my holiday shopping online, and I take advantage of gift wrapping services when they are available.
• Consider pre-printed holiday cards. Remember, your time is also worth something.
• Ask a family member to bring a side dish to your holiday meal. 

Many of these suggestions will work year round. 

Distractions, Interruptions, and Time Wasters, Oh my! 

Distractions, interruptions, and time wasters can threaten any project, no matter the size. It is especially important when approaching a large project during the holiday season to eliminate all things that steal time away from your writing/editing. 

Setting aside a time during the day to return phone messages and emails will keep you focused on work. It is important, especially when you’re juggling multiple projects and family or volunteer activities, that you discipline yourself not to check email or surf the Internet instead of writing. Don’t fool yourself by saying it will only take a few seconds. It rarely takes a few seconds.  As you train yourself, you can also train your family to respect your writing time and not interrupt your work schedule. 

With many students learning partially or fully remote, you may have less time available in your schedule. Take time at the end of each day to plan the next day’s schedule and write out your to-do list. While you can’t plan for every interruption, put in frequent breaks so you can help with online learning. Post your schedule where family can see it. That way they will know when you’re available to help. In addition, have items readily available to entertain children once their school day ends: books, crafts, and maybe an hour’s worth of television or video games will help.  

Do I Have Time for Volunteering? 

We all like to give back to our community. It sets an excellent example for our children and makes us feel good about ourselves. The problem is we may find it hard to say no even when we don’t have the time. 

Look at your list and see how many items are under the volunteering column, then ask yourself if involvement in all those activities is realistic this time of year. That two-letter word, “no” can be difficult to say, but you’re not saying no forever, just for now.  

Rest Up 

One thing that will reduce stress around the holidays is getting the right amount of sleep. Burning the candles at both ends helps no one, and won’t make you more productive. Get the required amount of sleep each night so you’ll have a well-rested mind to tackle your projects and anything unexpected that comes your way.

You can have a realistic schedule around the holidays that will allow you to consider taking on new projects. Use these tips to help create the balance that works best for you.

Cheryl C. Malandrinos is a freelance writer and editor. She is the author of four children’s books including, A Christmas Kindness, released by 4RV Publishing. A blogger and book reviewer, she lives in Massachusetts with her husband and two daughters. She also has a son who is married. Visit Cheryl online at http://ccmalandrinos.com and her children’s book blog at https://childrensandteensbookconnection.wordpress.com

Three Tips to Banish Stress

Your editor is screaming for the changes to the article you promised her two days ago; the kids are yanking on your arm because they are bored; and you still haven’t figured out what’s for supper tonight.

Is it any wonder you have a tension headache?

According to a National Health Interview Study, abut 75% of the population feels stress every two weeks. Stress can affect your eating habits, sleeping patterns, blood pressure, skin appearance, and weight. In extreme cases, it leads to death.

So, what can you do about stress? More than you think.

Stress Trigger #1: I can never accomplish everything on time.

If you’re feeling overwhelmed, then you are probably spending too much time thinking instead of doing.

Tip: Create a to-do list. Write down everything you have to do over the next week and view it with a critical eye. Does everything on this list really need to be accomplished next week? Is there something that could wait another week? What tasks have deadlines cannot change?

Prioritize your tasks. Then work on them one at a time. Don’t think about the next thing on your list. Concentrate only on the task at hand.

If you will miss a deadline, don’t pile on additional stress by waiting until the last minute to let the editor know. This will keep you from wasting time worrying over what she’ll say.

Stress Trigger #2: My family believes I dedicate too much time to my writing career.

Finding the perfect balance between your home life and career is never easy, but there are many things you can do to gain the support of your family.

Tip: Have a family meeting. Explain to your family why pursuing a writing career is important to you. Share your dreams with them and what you hope to accomplish.

Ask for their help. You can’t do this on your own. Once you’ve shared your reasons for choosing a writing career, let them know how they can support you.

• Share household chores
• Respect your writing time
• Run errands

This only works, however, if you respect your family time. Create a writing schedule that works best for you and stick to it. At the end of your writing time, shut off the light and close the door. Your family will be more willing to help if they know that once you’re done for the day, they are your top priority.

Stress Trigger #3: I keep putting things off. Then I get stressed trying to finish by the deadline.

Procrastination is an issue for many writers. Reasons for putting things off vary: over commitment, lack of confidence in your abilities, and allowing distractions and interruptions to steal your writing time, to name a few.

Tip: Learn to say “no.” If you over commit, then you will feel stressed and put things off. Frequently turning in projects late can damage your reputation and cost you repeat business. Saying “no” does not make you a rotten person. You are only saying “no” to this one thing. That doesn’t mean you won’t be able to help the next time someone asks.

Self-doubt, fear of failure, and fear of success are actual issues for writers because they deal with rejection. Use positive self-talk and focus on your strengths. Write a list of all your strengths and pin it above your desk. When you wander away from a project, read the list and then get back to work.

Two excellent resources that discuss ways to handle self-doubt and fear are You Are More Than Enough: Every Woman’s Guide to Purpose, Passion & Power by Judi Moreo and Page After Page by Heather Sellers.

Don’t let distractions and interruptions steal your writing time. Schedule a time each day to return phone messages and check email. Your writing time is for writing. Don’t use it to wash the dishes or run errands. Let your family know they are more than welcome to interrupt you for a genuine emergency, but they have to respect your writing time.

Reducing stress is not only good for your career, it’s good for your health. Take the time to identify what triggers stress in your life and never shy away from asking for professional help if you need it. You owe it to your family and your career to stay healthy.



Cheryl C. Malandrinos is a freelance writer and editor. She is the author of four children’s books including, A Christmas Kindness, released by 4RV Publishing. A blogger and book reviewer, she lives in Massachusetts with her husband and two daughters. She also has a son who is married. Visit Cheryl online at http://ccmalandrinos.com and her children’s book blog at https://childrensandteensbookconnection.wordpress.com

Turning Busy Time into Productive Time

You all know the busy bee. No matter what day you ask, she’s busy.  If you ask how she’s doing, she’ll provide a laundry list of things left undone that she’s working on. 

Problem is: next week her laundry list will probably be the same … or worse. 

Why?  Because she’s busy, not productive.

Just because we have a lot to accomplish, doesn’t mean we are approaching our to-do list in a productive manner. In order to be productive, you have to make progress. Busy bees don’t. They flit around in all directions until they feel so overwhelmed they procrastinate. 

How can you stop the busy bee syndrome?  Here are some great ways to get you started.

Set S.M.A.R.T. Goals

Setting S.M.A.R.T. goals is the first step toward turning busy time into productive time. S.M.A.R.T. goals are ones that are: specific, measurable, attainable, realistic, and timely.  For more information on setting S.M.A.R.T. goals, you can view this video.

The reason goal setting is so important to productivity is that you need to focus on what you need to accomplish. Without a plan, you’re like a driver trying to maneuver a car without a steering wheel; you have no control over where the car is going and eventually you will crash. 

Prioritize Your Goals

Just like you wouldn’t put slacks on before your underwear, you shouldn’t try to attack your goals without prioritizing them first. 

Review your goals and consider which ones you need to work on first. Deadlines help you prioritize goals, but when you accept a new project with a closer deadline, you need to consider if this is a new or repeat client and what the future impact might be on your career when accepting this new project if it impacts other deadlines. 

If you are working on a project without a solid deadline, create measurable and timely tasks to keep you on track.

Write a To-do List

You’ve set your goals and prioritized them. Now, you need to break them down into monthly or weekly to-do lists. 

The first thing a to-do list does is give you a way to focus on smaller tasks so that the larger goal doesn’t seem so daunting. A to-do list also allows you to feel a sense of accomplishment when you check off a completed item — which is a huge source of motivation. 

After using to-do lists for several weeks or months, you’ll also be able to better gauge how much you can truly accomplish during a specific time period. While it might vary depending upon the size and complexity of the projects you are working on, it will still give you a good overall picture of whether your writing schedule is working. 

Create a Writing Schedule That Works for You

Speaking of writing schedules, you need to create one that works best for you. If you’re more productive in the morning, then that’s when you should be writing. I realize my most productive hours are after 9 pm, so when my girls were younger I would wait until they went to bed to sit down to work.

For those who can’t write during their ideal time frame because of other commitments, use lunch hours and wait times before doctor appointments to increase productivity.

Track Your Time

Allowing distractions like email, your phone, and the Internet to steal your writing time will leave you feeling overwhelmed when faced with a deadline. Letting family and friends invade the time you’ve put aside for writing will also keep you busier than normal. On the reverse side, taking time dedicated to family and using it to catch up on writing projects can leave your family feeling resentful of your career. 

Take out a pen and pad or create a spreadsheet to track your time for the next five days. This will help identify exactly how much time you spend on each task and where time is wasted. Identifying what distractions and interruptions keep you from obtaining your goals will help you eliminate them. 

Keep a careful eye on how much time you spend working on projects where you just couldn’t say, “no.” Volunteering in your community and taking on special assignments can often make you feel good, but if you commit to more than you can realistically handle, you’ll soon feel the pressure and  procrastinate. 

Setting S.M.A.R.T. goals and prioritizing them, maintaining to-do lists, creating a writing schedule that works best for you, and tracking your time will help you be productive rather than chronically busy.

Cheryl C. Malandrinos is a freelance writer and editor. She is the author of four children’s books including, A Christmas Kindness, released by 4RV Publishing. A blogger and book reviewer, she lives in Massachusetts with her husband and two daughters. She also has a son who is married. Visit Cheryl online at http://ccmalandrinos.com and her children’s book blog at https://childrensandteensbookconnection.wordpress.com

Three Steps to Meeting Your Goals

At the beginning of year, many writers create a list of goals. For the first few weeks we are all gung-ho and working feverishly. Then something happens. Life gets in the way. On top of that, our calendar is filled with unrealistic goals or goals that aren't specific, timely, or measurable enough to accomplish them. We get discouraged.

How do we stay the course? How do we work our goals into our daily schedules and make them happen.

Look at your calendar and find an hour. Maybe it won't take that long, but give yourself time to truly consider the goals you have set. Bring your calendar and your list of goals with you. I prefer to do this outside of my house--libraries work well.

STEP ONE: Review your goals one at a time and make sure they are S.M.A.R.T. 

In order to move forward, your goals need to be specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and timely. Let's say your goal is to publish your first article in 2019. That's great, but it's too vague. A S.M.A.R.T. goal would look like this: I will publish my first article by the end of 2019; researching my topic and writing the article by February 1, having a final draft by March 1, and performing market research in April to begin submitting to select magazine publishers by May 1.

Why is this important? Deadlines are marks on the calendar. They are dates you can see and shoot for. Just as important, instead of having to wait until that article is published to feel like you accomplished something, you have these targets along the way that keep you motivated.

STEP TWO: Break down your S.M.A.R.T. goals into small tasks.

Now, let's take that S.M.A.R.T. goal and break it down into small tasks. The to-do list to research your topic might look like this: perform online research, set up interviews with experts, conduct interviews with experts, and visit the local library for additional resources. Then you need to estimate the time necessary to complete each task.

STEP THREE: Time block your calendar.

Pull out your paper or electronic calendar. It's time to get serious. The best way to accomplish your goals is to structure your time so you work most effectively and efficiently. Time blocking will help. There are plenty of online templates to make this easier. I prefer a weekly planner in half hour increments.

The first thing you do is plug in all the things you know you can't change: the day job, picking up the kids from school, exercise time, doctor appointments, etc. The empty blocks are where you tuck your small tasks in. Maybe Monday morning at nine you have half an hour to perform online research. Wednesday at noon might be a great time to call or email those experts to set up interviews.

What's the best part about time blocking? It shows you where time is being wasted, so you can reclaim it.

If you want to meet more of your goals this year, create S.M.A.R.T. goals, break them down into small tasks, and then time block your calendar. You'll be glad you took the time to set yourself up for success.

Cheryl C. Malandrinos is a freelance writer and editor. She is the author of Little Shepherd, A Christmas Kindness, Macaroni and Cheese for Thanksgiving, and Amos Faces His Bully. A blogger and book reviewer, she lives in Massachusetts with her husband and two daughters. She also has a son who is married. Visit Cheryl online at http://ccmalandrinos.com and her children’s book blog at https://childrensandteensbookconnection.wordpress.com

Expect the Unexpected

I embarked upon a writing career when I had a toddler and an infant at home. What was I thinking? How was a mother of two little ones going to find time to write?

Here's the trick: you don't find the time, you make it.

One of the things that is helpful is to have a plan, but to be flexible enough to expect the unexpected. Whether it is a sick child, a new project, or a shortened deadline, when you're trained to expect the unexpected, you can take it in stride and still accomplish your goals.

• Sit down and look at your to-do list. Anything that isn’t a priority should be assigned a new due date immediately. Don’t take these tasks off your list or you’ll find reasons to keep pushing them aside.
• Review each item that is a priority and see if you can still meet your original deadlines. If you know it will be impossible, contact your client(s) immediately and request an extension. Professionals don’t wait until the due date to inform clients they can’t hand in an assignment. Hopefully your clients are fine with a short extension so you'll have wiggle room to deal with your unexpected issues. 
• Track your time. This will keep you focused on the task at hand. It also identifies areas in your schedule where time is being wasted. If you’ve just been dealt an unexpected project, now isn’t when you squander the moments you have.
• Consider timed sessions as a way to get to the end. Agree to work in 15 minute intervals. Set a timer, begin, and stop when the buzzer goes off. Breaking your task down into smaller chunks will make it easier to handle, allow you to judge your progress, and keep you focused.

Once the unexpected wrinkle in your carefully planned schedule is over, take a few moments to think about it. Was it truly unexpected? Is there a way it could have been avoided? Sometimes procrastination or allowing ourselves to get pulled away by distractions creates those unexpected moments that cause stress.

How do you handle the unexpected? Any tips you can share to make it easier?

Cheryl C. Malandrinos is a freelance writer and editor. She is the author of Little Shepherd, A Christmas Kindness, Macaroni and Cheese for Thanksgiving and the recently released, Amos Faces His Bully. A blogger and book reviewer, she lives in Massachusetts with her husband and two daughters. She also has a son who is married. Visit Cheryl online at http://ccmalandrinos.com and her children’s book blog at https://childrensandteensbookconnection.wordpress.com

Tips to Balance Writing Time and Marketing Time

One of the things I often hear from fellow writers is that marketing takes a substantial amount of time, which means less time for writing. Many feel there is no easy way to balance writing time and marketing time.

Here are a few tips that might help:

Add Marketing Time to Your To-Do List

Without a list, you can lack focus and organization, which means time slips away and you’re not even sure where it went. Daily and weekly to-do lists keep you on track, and they motivate you to keep going.

See where you can add fifteen minutes to half an hour of marketing time to your daily schedule. I find that after I drop the kids off in the morning is my best time because my phone isn't ringing with real estate calls and there's no one in the house except me and the furry beasts.

Create an Online Media Kit

Every published writer needs a media kit. A media kit should include: a long and short bio, author photographs, novel covers, book trailers, excerpts, audio clips, links to previous interviews, and a schedule of events. If you write articles, it should include a list of those articles, where and when they appeared, and direct links to any articles that appear online.

By having this information available on your website and in PDF format, you’ll save time when you contact people for interview and book review requests. Even if you’re still waiting for that first sale, it’s a good idea to have a biography and quality photo available for those who request them.

Use Social Media Effectively

I have numerous social networks that I post to multiple times a day. Can you imagine how long it would take if I had to post to each site separately? By using Buffer, Hootsuite or TweetDeck, I can create one post that is submitted to all my social networks at once.

Support Local Schools and Events

Who says marketing can’t be fun and fulfilling? With tightening budgets, schools are often looking for guests to come and interact with students. When my girls were younger, I held writing workshops at their schools. I would speak to the teacher about their current course of study and then tie my workshops into that.

One year, I visited during National Poetry Month, which is held in April. The kids had also been studying Colonial America and the America Revolution. My two-day workshop was on using your senses in writing and on how to develop your powers of observation. We started off by reading excerpts from classic children’s books and seeing if the kids could point out the senses the authors used. Then the students pulled items out of a bag and had to use their senses to describe it. On the second day, they observed me reciting “The Midnight Ride of Paul Revere” by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow and we discussed their observations. Finally, they put all they learned into practice by using their senses and power of observation to write a short story based on a field trip they had taken earlier in the year to an early American settlement. The kids enjoyed it and they shared it with their parents, many of whom asked about my work. It was great exposure to teachers as well.

When my first book came out, I held a book signing at my church during their annual Christmas Bazaar and Tag Sale. I got a chance to sell my book, and a portion of the proceeds went to the church--a win for both of us.

Marketing is part of the business of writing. Using these tips will help you strike a better balance between the business and creative sides of your career.

Cheryl C. Malandrinos is a freelance writer and editor. She is the author of Little Shepherd, A Christmas Kindness, Macaroni and Cheese for Thanksgiving and the recently released, Amos Faces His Bully. A blogger and book reviewer, she lives in Massachusetts with her husband and two daughters. She also has a son who is married. Visit Cheryl online at http://ccmalandrinos.com and her children’s book blog at https://childrensandteensbookconnection.wordpress.com