Tag: writing

Time Management (& Printable 2015-2016 Quarterly Calendar)

8 Comments

One of my goals for October is to get more organized and be better at time management. The problem with being a work-at-home mom is that I’m always working and I’m always a mom! I’m all for being holistic, but nobody should be working all the time!

I’ll start with my calendar management, and then I’ll share the app I use to schedule my days.

Calendar Management

I took a class at my university called Writing for Organizations, and during that, I was taught how to use Gantt Charts to map out projects. I’m a visual person, so I really enjoyed it. But I haven’t applied that chart since! I created a template in Excel so that I can start using it to plan out individual months.

gantt chart

Download the Excel Template

I also created a quarterly calendar, originally for our family so we could see the whole year at a glance, but then I decided it would work really well for planning out my projects, too. In fact, you could use highlighters to create Gantt Charts on your calendar.

FIND THE 2018 PRINTABLE QUARTERLY CALENDAR HERE

 

Day Management

First I downloaded a Pomodoro app. The Pomodoro Technique is to set a timer for 25 minutes, work that entire time, take a 5-minute break, and then repeat two more times. After three or four “pomodoros” you get a longer break.

I picked 30/30 because I liked the graphics and the ability to color code.

30-30

You can modify your ratios between work and break. I generally split the hours up this way: 40 minutes doing something I like (like editing). 5-minute break, 10 minutes doing something I dread (like answering emails or doing dishes), and another 5-minute break.

I also schedule in leisure time, food prep, and play time with my kids. Having the day mapped out with this app helps me to see that I DO have time for everything. 30/30 is especially recommended for people with ADD/ADHD.

Motivation

If you’re struggling with motivation, I recommend the Coach.Me app. You can also try Habitica for an RPG-inspired app.

What are your favorite methods for time management? Share in the comments.

Help Me Name This Cool Thing.

7 Comments

image
I’ve been playing around with the idea of starting a virtual book club with live chats and online hangouts, but I wasn’t really sure how I could pull it off.

Later, I thought it would be cool to deconstruct Jackie Lea Sommer’s debut novel TRUEST on my blog, but somehow still support Jackie.

Then I thought, why not combine the two?

I’m launching #TRUESTsem in two weekends. Here’s the idea, which you may have already seen if you follow me on Twitter, Instagram, Tumblr, or Facebook:

I’m going to do a TRUEST read-along and writing seminar in October! TRUEST is a contemporary YA novel, and I’ll be blogging a deconstruction of it, but you’ll have to own or borrow a copy to read the later posts. If you write or want to write contemporary or literary YA, you won’t want to miss this!

We’ll start on October 10, and you can join in or stop by at any time, because you’ll unlock sessions with passwords found in the book. Tweet or post using #TRUESTsem if you’re going to join!

If enough people join the writing seminar, I’ll host some online hangouts so we can discuss the book, just like a book club. Then participants can vote on a genre or a debut novel being published in the spring for our next session in 2017.

Here’s how to join:

  • Subscribe to my blog if you haven’t already.
  • Buy or borrow a copy of TRUEST. That’s it—the cost of this seminar is to support a debut author.
  • Tell your friends to do the above! You can use the image at the bottom of this post on your social media pages. Also check out Jackie’s blog and social media for some great TRUEST memes with pretty images and quotes from the book.
  • If you know English teachers, have them encourage their students to join! (Some books may include adult material—I’ll give a parent rating for each book during the first session.)
  • Start reading at any time and chat about it (no spoilers!) using #TRUESTsem on social media.
  • Take notes!
  • Come to my blog on October 10 for the first post.
  • Comment on the blog posts if you’ve got questions or would like to join a hangout. If enough people respond, I’ll send out a survey with possible dates & times. The group hangout(s) will be private so we can discuss the books without spoiling it for anybody.

Here’s what I need help with:

  • I need a catchy umbrella term for these writing seminars / souped-up book clubs. If you comment below, you’re giving me permission to possibly use the term in future posts.

I’m really excited for this, and I’m hoping we can do it again in March if you miss this one! However, if you grab TRUEST later, the blog posts will still be on my blog. Just unlock with words from the book!

image

pg70pit writing contest logo

#pg70pit Feedback

3 Comments

This is going to be the final pg70pit “nitty gritty” post until next year, unless we get some good news from the winners! (Winners, if you receive representation, even if not directly due to the contest, let me know! I’d love to interview you!) I will, however, deconstruct one or more of the winning entries so you can see why we picked them. If you have a request for an age category and/or genre, comment below, and I’ll see if one of them received a perfect score.

Normal blogging will continue soon!

Raffle Winners

The following people won free feedback on their pg70pit entry:

  • Pj Feldsine
  • Diana Arellano Hicks
  • Denise Stanley
  • Myra Fiacco
  • Robyn Arrington
  • Elesha Halbert-Teskey
  • KK

How to still get entry feedback

If you’d like entry feedback and didn’t win the raffle, enter the form below, and I’ll email you back with payment information. Cost is $7 per entry, paid via PayPal. You’ll receive an email with encouragement and ways to improve.

← Back

Thank you for your response. ✨

If you have more than one code name, include each on the line, separated with a semicolon (;), and include the age category for each.

I have reserved the second week in August to respond to these requests.

Query Critiques

If you submitted to pg70pit, I’m giving a 50% discount on query critiques. Email your code name and query to querylara[AT]icloud.com with the subject “pg70pit query” to receive payment instructions. Cost is $17.50 with discount. Your email address and code name must match the ones used when submitting to pg70pit.

I currently have about a 1-week wait list for queries. If you wait a few weeks, my turnaround will be back to 2-3 business days.

Manuscript Critique

My intern Meghan is doing a full manuscript critique as part of her summer internship. Interested? Apply here by August 1st.

pg70pit writing contest logo

#pg70pit Editing Giveaway!

3 Comments

Quick FYI, I (Lara) am on vacation this week, but I’ll be reminding agents that they can still request #pg70pit entries. If you receive a request after 7/20/15, I’ll email you!

If you see your code name below, hold tight until we can connect your email address with your editor’s. If you don’t see your code name, see below for a chance at feedback on your entry.

Editing Giveaways

Meghan Barret

One seven-page edit

  • Dream Weaver I Believe

Megan Ruesink

Three five-page edits

  • Cockles & Mussels, Alive Alive-O
  • In My Field of Paper Flowers
  • Are We Human

Elizabeth Buege

Four five-page edits

  • We Can Be Heroes Forever and Ever
  • That’s Some Hot Dish! Fondue for Two!
  • As the Sun Burns the Ground
  • Dreams of You Are Hard to Erase

Kaleigh Walter

Two five-page edits (still deciding which gets which!)

  • Where Courage Was Contagious
  • Like a Book Elegantly Bound

Five one-page edits

  • Raise You Like a Phoenix
  • Can’t Turn Back Now
  • Trapped Between Two Lungs
  • Bullets Catch in Her Teeth
  • Ring of Fire

Lara Willard

First Chapter Critique

  • Not a Novice Any Longer
  • Somewhere Over the Rainbow
  • Take a Chance on Me
  • I’m Hero Zero with a Capital Z
  • Shock Me Like an Electric Eel
  • Chasing After Time
  • Words are Weapons

Chance at pg70pit Entry Feedback

I wish I could give personalized feedback to every one of you! Unfortunately, I took off two weeks from work to host this contest, so there’s no way I can look through each entry and send detailed feedback. However, I’ve created a raffle so that seven of you can receive feedback on your entries. Enter here, via rafflecopter.

I’ll announce the winners of the raffle next week. If you do not receive the raffle and are desperate for feedback, I can email a quick note of encouragement and constructive criticism for $7. I’ve blocked off time during the second week in August to respond to these requests and will answer in order of receipt.