After a week of the Plotmonkeys being gone at their plotting retreat, things are back to normal this week. :wave: I had such a blast seeing Julie, Carly, & Leslie, and we all plotted great books to write. We also talked a lot about our careers and what we see for ourselves in the future, and set some goals, too. Somewhere along the way, between plotting, eating, gossiping, eating, plotting, talking about our careers, and eating some more, Julie came up with our new motto that we all four vowed to embrace this year:
PROTECT THE WORK!
During a conversation regarding our daily writing schedule and how we’ve all gotten way too lax over the past year in our writing routines, we realized how much time we were wasting. Not that we didn’t write our books, but we were always CRAMMING to meet deadlines we should have been able to meet with time to spare. The crux of the problem, as Julie pointed out, was that we weren’t “Protecting the Work”. We were letting other things get in the way of what should be our sacred writing time (along with allowing ourselves to get distracted by other things, and procrastinating when our butts should have been sitting in front of the computer writing!). As a result, what should have been a fairly easy daily writing schedule, had become a frantic mad rush toward meeting deadlines because we weren’t Protecting the Work. 8O
As Julie explained, Protecting the Work meant being focused and disciplined and keeping to a daily writing schedule, and for each of us that routine was different. I needed to slot out a time to write, and am determined to write during those hours each day before allowing myself to do anything else. For Julie, it was meeting a specific word count per day, and Leslie and Carly are aiming to block out a few hours a day in which they felt they’d be most productive. As we looked over everyone’s schedule, we knew it was doable, so long as we didn’t allow anything to distract us. No internet/email. No spontaneous lunches with friends. All appointments (hair, doctors, etc.) would be made AFTER our protected time was done. No gabbing on the phone during our schedules. There will be days when shit happens that we can’t control that will interfer with our schedules, but for the most part we are all determined to treat this like a regular job, as it should be, instead of writing in these sporadic spurts we’d all found ourselves doing. (And being stressed out all the time as a result!)
Yes, I know it’s easier said then done, but I think we’re all in the new frame of mind to make this change, to Protect the Work as much as possible. :dominatrix:
Interestingly enough, over the past few days I’ve realized that “Protect the Work” also applies to many other aspects of my life, just by changing the word “Work” to whatever I feel I need to protect. As in “Protect the Time” (which is “me” time that I need on occasion, when I just need to be alone and gel without chaos around me). “Protect the Money” (I’ve used this a few times when I’ve wanted to buy something spontaneously that I really didn’t need — as in, protect the money that I don’t need to spend right now).
I think that everyone can apply this motto in a way that works for them. I’d love for you to share your “Protect” motto with us if you have one, even if you just now decided to make one up for yourself! 
Janelle Denison finds it hard to believe that it’s been nearly 25 years since she first started writing romance novels. At first, it was a way to pass idle time while her husband worked swing shift, but before long it became an obsession to get published. Luckily, she kept at it (it took her over 5 years to get that first book published!) and is now a Waldenbooks, Barnes & Noble, and USA Today Bestselling author! Now, after selling over 45 plus novels, she finds that her Plotmonkey pals help to keep her stories fresh and unique, and she can’t imagine writing a story without their input. Janelle lives in Oregon with her husband, Don, along with two teenage daughters that keep life interesting.
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Gwyn Ramsey
Http://gwynramsey.blogspot.com
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Hi, all. Yes we are back with brand new attitudes too! Since I returned home on Wednesday, I have written at least 6 – 7 pages a day, every day by protecting my 9 – 11 AM slot during the weekday. My weekends are more flexible and since today is a holiday and the kids are home, I slept in, and I’m first getting started now. But that’s OK because it’s within the rules and routines.
I love my plotmonkey sisters and could not live without my twice a year fix. Our retreat didn’t just plot books – we also fill a sisterly need and as Janelle said we came back raring to write.
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This post is so coincidental, or maybe meant to be! One of my dear cp’s and I just finished talking yesterday afternoon about taking back our writing time and letting go of the holiday time-line chaos.
And bless you Plot Monkeys for the amazing Building Believable Characters book win! It’s found a permanent spot on my desk.
I’m going with Protect the Marriage. Three kids worth of activities, from grade school to high school, two sets of aging parents and the health concerns that accompany this time of life, two full time jobs, and the fact that his includes a boatload of travel time…but he’s the one I want to share a front porch rocking chair with when we’re ninety, so I’ll say add protect the love to your excellent list. :love:
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Gotta admit I wasn’t the first one to come up with the Protect the Work mantra. I think it was Nora! This aspect comes down to working with editors, too…with knowing that you are the author and creator and that ultimately, with your name on the cover, the story within is yours and the author is the only one who can protect it from being mangled by input from others.
That’s not to say that a good editor can’t make a work better! All of us appreciate our editors. But it’s easy to get thrown by suggestions when we aren’t behind our own work, when we lose our confidence. The same can be said for critique partners and reviewers, I suppose.
But to me, it’s been about discipline. My life changed after my surgery. Maybe it was because I COULDN’T get out and do stuff and because people weren’t imposing on my time, but two weeks following the surgery, I got back into writing in a big way. I kept it up until November 15th, writing a single title book and a long novella at a manageable pace and with time left to my deadline to give both stories a serious edit before meeting my deadline. Having that time was like crack–totally addictive! I want it for all my books. The novella I’m working on now (see sidebar) isn’t due until October!
Janelle, awesome post and I, too, am completely reinvigorated and re-energized after meeting with my Plotmonkeys. I couldn’t do this job without them!!
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I can only imagine how hard it can be to focus on work when you work at home.
Mine would be ‘protect the me time” or ‘protect the exercise time’. I realized during our blizzard in December that I need ‘just me time’ which is time that I am walking outside (need the fresh air), exercising. For me, that energizes me and makes me a happy mommy.
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My choices for this year are “protect the money” and “protect my exercise time”. I tend to impulse buy too often, so from now on if I really want something, I’m going to think on it for at least 48 hours before I go and buy it. If it’s something I still can’t live without after 2 days, I’ll see if I can fit the purchase into my budget. As my pastor said at church yesterday, “No one is going to bail you out, you have to bail yourself out”.
As for my exercise, I’ve done really well so far, and feel so much better for making it a priority, but I know life will eventually invade my exercise time and I have to make a point of exercising even on vacation or when I travel.
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Boy is this timely for me! I was on vacation last week (by myself – I went to see my mom) and I spent a lot of time thinking about this type of thing. I get pulled in so many different directions, especially with hubby not driving, that I feel like I’m constantly spinning my wheels. Geez, no pun intended.
But there are things I can control – like e-mail and answering the phone. If I was disciplined enough I could set aside the 9-11 slot like Carly. And I could probably set aside the 1-2 slot in the afternoon too (or 1:30 – 2:30).
Thanks for the motto and for the reminder that I do have more control than sometimes I think I do.
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I’m with Gillian on the Protect the Marriage front. Now that we are empty nesters, it would be so easy to let things just slide and I don’t want that to happen. Yes, we both have our seperate interests, but we also need to make sure we have “us” time, even if that means just sitting here at night reading quietly.
We are planning a cross country trip in April (I hope he can get the time off from work) to bring Daughter’s car out to her in CA. It was his idea. And for his birthday (what do you get someone when they have what they need and just buy what they want when they want???) I am getting us our passports. We still don’t have them since we haven’t had the need, but I feel another cruise coming on in the future.
And I am definately Protecting the Me Time. For so long I have let that fall to the wayside, now it’s my time! Which will probably mean also the Protect the Homework Time- again- since I am thinking of going back to school- again!!
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I think mine would have to be “Protect the Organization”. Because I’m not. I’m lucky in that I can structure my day around writing time, and can actually get words from brain to keyboard without too many disruptive distractions. With two dogs and a cat, there’s always the “In/Out” and “PetME” games to play. But I also tend to dump stuff on desks, tables, or any empty surface. I must reclaim my house when I get back from my vacation and keep it clutter free. Once that’s done, I shall begin the mantra of “Save the Organization, Save the World.” (Shamelessly ganked from Heroes.)
I’m also setting a goal of finding another CP, so add that to my resolutions when we go back to check how that’s coming along. LOL.
Have a great day! I’m headed home tomorrow and come Wednesday, it’s back full throttle on editing and revisions – though more editing than revising!
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I have heard Susan Elizabeth Phillips use the expression “Protect The Work” numerous times in her workshops which aren’t really workshops but more of a fun, humerous Q&A session.
I think she means as Julie said it’s YOUR story. Don’t let critique groups, contest judges, reviewers (Boo Hiss) unless the review is good and yes even editors and agents put in their two cents, muck around and totally screw up the story that is YOURS and YOURS alone. Don’t change your characters and story into THEIR vision. Just think of J.K. Rowling and where she would be if she had listened when she was told, “The book is too long. Kids attention spans are short. They won’t sit still that long to read it.”
This point was driven home to me in the last couple of days during an on-line workshop that I’m taking. I’m always thinking to myself, maybe I should take this workshop or that workshop because maybe I’m not doing it “write”. Maybe I’m missing a critical writing link that they have and I don’t have. What I realized is that this story I’m working on SINGS and I do have that “critical writing link” otherwise it never would have finaled in the Emily contest in the first place! I know these characters and I know where I want this story to go.
That said, when a GOOD editor buys a book or asks for revisions, a GOOD editor only wants to make YOUR story better. They aren’t trying to ruin it. Doing revisions can mean the difference between making a sale and not making a sale. And you can do these revisions and still Protect the Work.
Cher
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What a great topic. Since I am retired my days are pretty much mine to do with what I want. However, sometimes I just let a day go by without accomplishing a thing!! For me at this time in my life I would say Protect My Health and enjoy life. That can encompass a world of things!
Janelle, I am so glad the Plotmonkeys had such a great plotting session. You four are the best. I enjoy what good friends you are to each other, how well you treat us here on the blog and of course, all the books you write. Keep up the good work.
:monkey :monkey :monkey :monkey
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I love hearing how others are “protecting” whatever they need to in their lives. Protect the Marriage/Love is a good one, too — I think sometimes we all take our spouses for granted and every now and then we need to give it our full attention to keep the spark alive! :wub:
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After twenty-five (going on six) years, Protect the Marriage has always been a priority. And after so many years I must be doing something right. :love:
I should endorse every one of these suggestions. I need all the help I can get.
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What a great motto – it’s going to come in handy for me once I’m back at university in March – its too easy to procrastinate and get distracted from working on essays/assignments.
I think my motto is going to be “Protect the Exercise”, with a crook ankle I find it too easy to make excuses not to exercise.
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My TBR stack is telling me that I need to protect my reading time! I find that I have been
spending too much time blogging and visiting on the internet!!
Pat Cochran
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Protect the Work Rules:
~ no phone calls unless you’re calling to tell me you’re at the hospital
~ Record my shows
~ Sack lunch at work–no going out
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I don’t really have a ‘Protect’ Motto right now but after seeing this, I think I may have to come up with one. I like the idea of protecting ‘me’ time, so that one will definitely get some serious consideration.