I’ve always been a person that need a carrot out in front me, like a reluctant horse, to get me to move along.  My wife likes to say I’m goal oriented.  That’s kind but the truth is that without something to grasp for I fall into lethargy.

Earlier this year I gave myself the goal of finishing the first draft of my second novel.  I knew, in general, what I wanted to write but I was plagued by the lack of a writing routine and a concrete idea of what meant in daily work.

I decided that “second novel” was too vague.  I felt comfortable with writing about 80,000 words in MURPHY’S TROUBLES, so I made that my goal for the second novel.  Next, I needed a specific target to aid it, 2014 for completion was too vague too.

For no particular reason, I decided I wanted to finish the very ROUGH draft by November 30th.  My previously shapeless goal was not taking on a real form.  For years I have used a seven day week as my work unit.  I learned a method based on a Stephen Covey book to set a goal that needed to be completed in a week, and then figure out what needed to be done to meet that goal.  The last step was to create blocks of time to work on the tasks that would result in a completed goal.

To write 80,000 words by November 30th would mean slugging out about 1700 words a week. Unfortunately, I had false starts the in January and February and part of March, meaning I now had only 38 weeks to write my 80,000 word novel.  I need to write about 2100 words a week to make my goal.  Now that’s something you can bite your teeth into.

I purchased a big white board calendar and put my week goal in large numbers at the top.   Each day I write on the board how many words I’ve written.  To date, I’ve cranked out over 18,000 words a week, about double my goal!

Shizam!  It’s working.  I’m now confident that I’ll make my goal, I can relax. My creativity and imagination are in high gear and I’m enjoying the writing without stress.  That’s the POWER of a goal.

           

Growing up my Mom worked at home.  She had a set weekly routine that varied very little.  Mondays were washing.  Tuesdays were ironing.  Wednesdays were for vacuuming.  Thursdays were for special projects like cleaning windows, polishing silver, dusting etc.  Fridays were for sewing.  Saturdays were for grocery shopping and all other forms of commerce.  Sundays, except preparing dinner after church, were for resting.

This organized, orderly life made me a person that appreciates routine and cleanliness.  Some have called be fastidious but that’s someone else’s judgment.  I know what makes me comfortable.  As I’ve grown older I must admit that my standards for housecleaning have become lax, or more flexible might be more accurate.  My office isn’t tidy but everything has a place and I depend on that to find things when I want them.  About once or twice a year I do a cleaning and toss out what’s not been used in several months.

Unlike my Mom, I don’t have a routine.  I’ve come to practice ‘just in time cleaning’.  There’s minimum amount of house cleaning that my WASP upbringing demands.  However, dust balls have grown in the living room, the duster doesn’t see the light of day often and the vacuum doesn’t leave the closet very often.

 I have developed the demand model for cleaning, which is my confession.  We invite people over for a meal or some other social event and to prepare for their visit the house gets a thorough cleaning.  I’m lucky that my wife and I divide the chores based on what we can each tolerate.  I clean bathrooms for instance and either vacuum or steam clean floors.  My wife dusts, organizes the kitchen and makes sure the living room is comfortable and presentable.

How many of you wait until company is coming over to clean your house?  It’s ok.   

One good reason to attend local writer’s conferences and writer’s programs is to build community.  Through the Madison Writers’ Institute I met Valerie Biel.  We write in completely different genres, Valerie writes for teens and tweens, I write adult fiction.  We have in common a keen interest in Celtic culture and we have both traveled to Ireland with our families.  Valerie was one person I sent both my book cover and my back of book blurb to when I was developing them for publication.  Of more than ten people I sent materials to, Valerie to the time to make significant suggestions for improvement to my back of book blurb.  Her suggestions went “click” with me and I incorporated them into what is now my back of book blurb.

Last week Valerie went live with her website:  www.valeriebiel.com.  She has worked with her website designer for over a year and had very specific elements she insisted be included in the site.  For example, there is a butterfly at the top of the site that mimics flight.  There is also a centipede to click into for fun facts and activities about the Amazon.  Her photographs are lush and give a glimpse of both Ireland and the Amazon.

Valerie’s first young adult novel, CIRCLE OF NINE – BELTANY is due for launch this summer.  The page on her website provides a stunning synopsis and she shares her inspiration for the story.  It’s clear from her inspiration that Valerie thinks like an author.

I admit, by comparison, my website, is static and not as visually appealing.  Mine also doesn’t include all the social media links that Valerie has incorporated.  Mine is a DIY site, while Valerie’s is professionally designed by MediaNet.  Please visit www.valeriebiel.com and treat yourself to a profound experience.  

On April 4-6 the UW Madison held its’ 25th Annual Writers’ Institute.  I have been attending the Institute each year since 1997 so this was my 18th year.  Last year I was honored to participate on the Success Panel to share with attendees my experience publishing articles with The Writer Magazine.

This year I was able to sell my debut novel, MURPHY’S TROUBLES, at the mid-day Book Sale on Saturday.  Imagine having over 300 writers look over your book and considering buying it.  The room was huge for the Book Sale, with 45 authors competing for sales.

Initially I was asked to share a 24”round table with another author.  He hauled out two 8 ½ x 11 plaques and three books and placed them on the table, leaving me no room for my books and book marks.  I tried asking politely to have him display one book and one placard.  He didn’t budge.  Then I demanded that he remove all but one placard and one book.  He grunted and complied.

Before I turf war worsened he was moved to his own table.  I brought only 10 books to sell, expecting to sell none.  I didn’t have a fancy display, just my books and some book marks.  People passed by without saying a word and making direct eye contact didn’t work to gain their attention.

Next, as people passed by I offered them a book mark.  The book mark is a replica of my book cover and people would begin to read the back of the blurb on the book mark.  I then handed them a book suggesting it would be easier to read.  It worked.  When a person read the blub, it leads to questions and soon we were engaged in a lively conversation.

Competing against 45 other authors, some famous like Michael Perry, I sold 5 books.  I also talked with very interesting people who shared their experiences of traveling in Ireland with me.  One woman shared the story of how she was trapped in Northern Ireland with her parents because the border was closed at night.

Meeting other authors, hearing life stories and selling a few books, it doesn’t get any better.

Sixty-three years ago today I appeared in our world, several weeks early, tiny and underweight.  It wasn’t that I was unexpected; I just chose my own time and thought April Fools’ Day would be a momentous start.  I languished in the hospital in a private room for about a week before I was allowed to be taken home.  I was spoiled from the first day.

When I tell people my birthday is April 1st, they ask:  “Really?”  Would I make that up?  Growing up all my friends played pranks on me on my birthday.  I was naive and fell for their pranks year after year.  I learned to laugh at myself and that has been a valuable lesson throughout my life.   I used to be reluctant to tell people my birthday is April 1st but those days have faded into history.

Many well known folks have been born on April 1st including:  William Manchester, Sergei Rachmaninoff, Lon Chaney and Wallace Berry to name a few you may recognize.  They have in common a life in the arts.  I made my debut into the arts by publishing my debut novel, Murphy’s Troubles, in November 2013.   I am fortunate that the third act of my life that is creative, imaginative, expressive and fulfilling.

The origin of April Fools’ Day is shrouded in mystery and intentional misdirection.  It really doesn’t matter.  We have one day out of 365 devoted to humor, pranks, joviality, jokes,   and hoaxes.  I believe the world would be a better place if we had a few more April Fools’ Days.