It’s the 6th day of Advent and I’ve just opened the sixth window on my slightly thumbworn Advent calendar...(by the way it's Father Christmas!)
Photo by Elena Mozhvilo on Unsplash
AND ALTHOUGH I'VE had my Advent calendar for many years now, each picture is always still a pleasant surprise.
Also, like many of my neighbours in our village, we’ve brought down the decorations from the loft, strung up the decades-old tinsel and garlands and hung fir cones and baubles on our old Christmas tree.
And even though the decorations have lost a bit of their old luster, they still bring a bit of festive cheer and charm on these cold and wintry days while I finish the second draft of A Summer Romance with the Earl.
Getting Ready for a Quiet Christmas
Like many in the United Kingdom, I’m working in several knitted layers and thermals as the electricity bills rise. Plunging temperatures also means hugging a hotwater bottle as I type each chapter and drinking cups of tea to keep out the chill.
Yet my lot is far, far better than most people in Britain, with some heading to local warm banks and food banks to survive the cold days.
But as times get harder for many people I try to give where I can. In the meantime I attempt to meet my word count goals, check that the technical aspects of my story are accurate and try to keep up with my other work and writing responsibilities.
A Little Summertime in December
Meanwhile as The Summer Romance with the Earl nears the end of its second draft I am beginning to make plans for its publication. And as it is set during harvest time in August I will aim to publish this third book in the An Earl for All Seasons series in time for the summer.
However as the seasonal distractions of Christmas draw near, I know from previous experience that it can be a bit of a struggle to stay on track. Especially when seasonal reruns of Wallace and Gromit or other festive treats threaten to lure me away from my work.
Thanks a lot guys. Now I really fancy a slice of Wensleydale...
So on the run-up to Christmas how do I keep my mind on my goals?
How to Stay On Track Before Christmas
1. Have a minimum of words or tasks to do a day.
I try never to go a day without writing at least one sentence. And the funny thing about following this rule is that I never end up writing just one line either.
With design work, I set a minimum of creating one element. As long as I complete one task towards my goals I consider it progress.
2. Outline before you start.
Apologies to all pantsers but I find that having something to write to, even if it's a basic sentence saying "Bob woke up and stubbed his toe on the way to the bathroom", makes it easier for me to get started than staring at that cold blank page.
However if you hate writing this way, then by all means don't. Instead feel free to ride by the seat of your pants. It certainly works for Stephen King and Diana Gabaldon they are waaaay more successful than me.
3. Reverse plan.
Literally plot each step of your goal BACKWARDS. Oddly enough you are more likely to remember additional steps, which you can then place in the correct order on a calendar to tick off when completed. Not only does this actually work, it's also backed by cold hard sciENCE.
4. Don’t let perfect be the enemy of the good.
I used to be the class boffin who would go out of her way to produce the best work I possibly could, but unlike my fictional heroine Hermione Granger with this came great anxiety and crippling procrastination.
And what made things even worse is that the people who half-*rsed things ALWAYS achieved better results.
So I learned to embrace imperfection, for example getting anything down in the first draft then going back to tidy up prevents me from dilly-dallying. Yes there will always be nitpickers who will complain bitterly over my flagrant abuse of adverbs, but the fact that there are one-star ratings for WILLIAM FLIPPING SHAKESPEARE, means you really can't please everyone.
5. Stop and allow yourself some play time.
Yes I know we're meant to chain ourselves to our work all day otherwise we're not passionate enough. But for sanity's sake I believe in scheduling free time, such as playing relaxing little video games, spending time with family, reading a book (such as Terry Pratchett's Guards! Guards!) Or watching a bit of nostalgia Christmas telly like The Darling Buds of May.
Especially at Christmas I force myself to take time to pause and appreciate the season because January tends to suddenly arrive and I'll wonder where it's all gone. And I’m also less likely to procrastinate if I allow myself some festive freetime.
So for that reason I tend not to work on Christmas Day or New Year's Eve. I know from past experience that many people do not always have the luxury not to work (retail anyone!), but when I'm not working for The Man I prefer to spend that precious time wisely.
6. Ignore your feelings.
In an age where we have become more aware about mental health this may sound like bad advice, but from a writing perspective it is sometimes crucial.
In the initial draft you are still building and piecing together your story, so unless you're a Perfect First Draft Writing UnicornTM you might not feel the story flow till you’ve gone through another full rewrite.
Therefore if you’re only on the first draft and thinking your writing is 'bad' or 'not working', then this feeling can actually be a reflection of your disjointed story. Try to wait till you’ve gone through at least a second draft of your story or chapter before you make judgements about whether it works or not.
7. Take short breaks!
I don’t tend to write for more than 1-2 hours at a time, or throughout the weekends unless I have a deadline to meet. I know plenty of writers who do, but I’ve also quickly burnt myself out with this method and seen fellow authors develop health problems that can prevent them from finishing a series.
Breaks can be as simple as going for a walk or run. Or if you're like me just geting out of your chair to make yourself a cup of tea.
The Magic of Tetley?
The Tea Method worked for me when I got horrendously stuck a third of the way through a novel. For the life of me, I just couldn’t figure out why in spite of planning the story my heroine still had nowhere to go.
Exasperated, I took a long overdue break and the minute I rose from my desk I had an image of my character that immediately explained everything. In this case she was far more powerful than I had realised and her main antagonist was too much of a milksop to take her on.
So in this case I did have to restart the novel and make the antagonist more of a match for my heroine. But the book literally wrote itself after that point.
Now it could be entirely down to the subtle magic of a nice cup of Tetley, but the scientific reason behind this is that when you move it makes you more creative. So if you ever get stuck, stop, get up and get moving --- it might help jolt your brain into finding a solution.
And be especially sure to take breaks if you work from home, where it can be harder to draw a line between work and personal time.
On Future Royal Romances
Now all these tips might mean that my books take longer to get out but it also means that I have more time to give each book a sweet and satisfying resolution for my readers ---- without any rushed endings.
So although A Summer Romance with the Earl won't be due out till next year, I will continue to create the best romance books and meet-cute reads for my readers as I can.
However I will not leave you hanging, because from time to time I will give away more free romance stories to tide you over till my latest book is ready to be published.
Just make sure to sign up here and I'll let you know as soon as my books are free to download onto your Kindle.
In the meantime I hope you'll be able to make the most of the festive season and...
Happy Romance Reading,
Kate
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