One American Writer

I could write. There's a novel idea!

Waiting for a call-back on a story for The Alamance News*, making corrections to my book, and talking with an artist about a new cover, I am working.  But am I writing?

My 14-year-old is sick so my 28-year-old wants me to watch my grand-baby at her apartment.  "But, what can I do there with no Internet?" I asked.  "Oh," I answered myself doubtfully, "I could write."

Keeping up with Facebook, LinkedIn, and blogs is important to friendships, careers and book sales, but it is NOT writing.

How much time are you actually writing?  Keep track.  The zeros might scare you into productivity.  Go write something!

* Publisher of The Alamance News in the news!  The Alamance News, the paper I write for, is a weekly newspaper exclusively covering Alamance County, NC, USA.  They/we don't have a Web site yet (time for hard news only) so looking for a reference, I found this story (link above).  Cool.  The media at work.

Writer Regards,
Donna D. Buskirk
One American Writer

How does a self-employed person get fired?

How does a self-employed person get fired? S/he gets hired.  You work for yourself so ineffectively that you can't earn a living.  So, you find a job.

NOW I know why employers make you sit in an office cubicle eight or more hours a day. 

They hope to get three or more hours of work out of you.

At home, it is possible to work hard seventeen hours a day and still not work effectively (especially when home is a small farm). 

• At the office, your work is in front of you.
• At home, your work is mixed in with the work of living.

How do you focus?  Here's a motivator:

IF YOU DON'T FIND A WAY TO CARVE WRITING TIME OUT OF THE REST OF THE WORK YOU MUST DO, YOU WILL FIND YOURSELF IN AN OFFICE CUBICLE AGAIN.

Make.

it.

work.