Say Goodbye to Frenzy in Your Writing Life by Judy Christie

Judy Christie

How has 2013 felt for you so far? Have you organized, set goals, and found time to relax and smell the roses? Or have you felt caught up in a whirlwind with no escape? No matter how organized I am—how many calendars, spreadsheets, or lists are made—the unexpected can still step in and wreak havoc on my best laid plans.  But I don’t want to live a frenzied life. Do you? Today on Seriously Write, author Judy Christie shares valuable tips for leaving chaos behind. 
~ Dawn

Say Goodbye to Frenzy in Your Writing Life

by Judy Christie

When I was fifty, I gave myself a book for my birthday: I committed to write my first novel. In the past six years, I’ve had six novels published, am working on edits of the seventh and plotting the eighth.

Whew!

I’m thankful—and always struggling to stay focused and organized. And to avoid the enemy of frenzy.

Since embarking on this fiction journey, I’ve found writing requires a special kind of balance, woven between the other parts of life. As someone who loves to hurry less and worry less (I even wrote a nonfiction series on that topic), I like to take a step back at the first of each year and look for new ways to slow down and enjoy my writing life more. 

This helps me avoid frenzy, which too easily sneaks up on writers.

 Sometimes being overwhelmed is the result of poor planning, and sometimes it arrives through no fault of our own. An illness strikes. A tragedy occurs. The family tangles. Friends struggle.  Some seasons of time are tough, no matter how positive our attitude, organized our schedule or loving our heart.

For many writers, frenzy comes to call more than we would like. It arrives as we work to be published and are anxious when a book debuts, when we seek time to write and have deadlines to meet, as we manage royalty checks and the lack of royalty checks. It sneaks in when we’re tired and when we’re trying too hard and when we take our eyes off what’s most important.

If you, along with me, want to take a fresh look at your writing life and get rid of frenzy, try these tips:

** Remind yourself why you write.

** Write regularly, even if time is short; a few words strung together here and there may add up to your best story ever.

** Don’t be afraid to say “no” to something else to say “yes” to writing.

** Take a fresh look at the Big Picture of your life. Are times of frenzy rare or regular? Do you need to make minor tweaks or major course corrections?

** Identify your next best step. You need not make the entire journey today.

** Just do your best. You don’t have to be perfect.

May you have a great year of writing with little frenzy and lots of fun. I’d love to hear your comments on how you slow down and enjoy writing more. 

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Judy Christie writes fiction with a Louisiana flavor, including “Downtown Green,” book 5 in the Green series of novels, and the award-winning YA novel “Wreath.” She entered the world of writing with her diary at age nine and as the editor of The Barret Banner in elementary school.  She loves primitive antiques, walking in the park near her North Louisiana home and visiting on her vintage green Kitchen Couch.

You can find Judy at www.judychristie.com , www.facebook.com/judychristie  and www.Twitter.com/judypchristie.  For free tips on how to slow down and enjoy each day, check out her podcast at http://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/hurry-less-worry-less/id435253514.