The Life of a Father Author
I work a full-time job with three children, and
finding writing time can be a challenge. It’s even harder because being a
writer isn’t simply the writing, but the marketing and publishing as well. I’ll
give a few best practices I’ve learned over the years that have helped me out.
Writing Tools
I have learned to utilize some tools to help keep me
organized and save time.
First, for outlining, I use Plottr. I have also used
one called StoryPlanner in the past, but StoryPlanner is only for Mac and iOS.
Having a great plotting tool has enabled me to save time going back to find
plot or character information. It also exports beautifully into my next
application. Shayne and I used Plottr to outline Space Cats together.
For writing, I use Scrivener. It works wonderfully
on PC, Mac, and iOS. Sadly, there is no application for droid phones, but if I
write on my phone, I’ll use an application called Novelist and copy and paste
into my Scrivener file later. Plottr and StoryPlanner will both export into a
Scrivener file, which is helpful to bring over outline and plotting information
into your writing project. Shayne and I used Scrivener to write and revise
using Scrivener Revision mode to see what changes we each made.
Some additional tips I use for writing are an
electronic word processor. I have a Neo Alphasmart 2, which I can use at my day
job during break and lunch. You then plug it into your computer and click the
send button for it to type all of your written words into whatever document you
have open. I will also use dictation while driving to and from work or while
doing house chores. Not everyone agrees with dictation during driving, though
it is acceptable to listen to music, sing, or have hands-free conversations.
The point is that whatever you do during driving must come second to driving
itself. My driving dictation usually requires some cleanup, as when I’m
turning, or changing lanes and head checking, I do not dictate, so there will
be gaps, and sometimes it’s more talking over ideas that needs to be fleshed
out a bit more with narrative. I use Nuance Dragon to import an mp3 file from
my small voice recorder.
Writing Process
I mentioned earlier that I will use my commute to
dictate either rough draft or outline and ideas. I will also use an electronic
word processor at work during break and lunch, or if I get to work earlier than
my shift.
Another option, which I’m not all that fond of, is
waking up a little earlier for work and writing or outlining before going to
work. I find outlining is easier in the morning than writing when I’m not yet
awake.
The opposite option of course is staying up a little
longer to write a chapter. This is why I have Novelist installed on my phone. I
can write a bit when laying down with my young children to get them to sleep.
Then, of course, as they get older, you can write
books with them like I am doing with my son Shayne, which saves a lot of time
especially on the revision process to have someone to work with and bounce
ideas with.
Marketing and Publishing
Marketing is always hard and usually more
time-consuming than actual writing. The best way to get your marketing done is
to invest in a few tools to save as much time as you can. I use Vellum for book
formatting, which saves a lot of time compared to when I used Microsoft Word. I
use the WideWizard browser extension to put all of my book metadata in to help
streamline the upload process on retailers. I use OneNote to help keep my
publishing checklist and book details all together. I use BookFunnel to deliver
audiobooks and ebooks, which is also connected to my Shopify store to deliver
eBooks and audiobooks. I also have it setup to deliver a free eBook when the
paperback is ordered. I use BookBrush, MockupShots, DIYCovers, and Apple Promo
Images to help create graphics for sharing. I’ve used SocialChamp to help
streamline post scheduling.
Conclusion
It isn’t easy to organize a work-life-writing
balance. I love spending time with my kids, and don’t want to spend a lot of
time at a computer when I can be spending the time with my children. It’s hard
to organize and work around it, but I try to use early mornings, late nights,
work breaks, and dictation during chores.
There are times when I need to get something done
and I tell my family I need to spend some time working on writing, but I try to
keep those limited to keep my writing and family time separate.
The best thing you can do if you’re a parent with
small children is to map out your schedule and see where you have free time
that can be utilized. When are the times you’re scrolling on your phone or
watching mindless television? Those are the times where you can attempt to cut
that back and add in a bit of writing time. For me, those were work breaks and
laying down with my young children when they start to get close to falling
asleep. What is it for you, and what tools can you put into place to help
ensure it won’t be time wasted?
Claymore
Publishing Books2Read
Book Trailer: https://youtu.be/j1RNOYhlQtU
Excerpt:
"I have a bad feeling about this," Ryan muttered.
"Don't be ridiculous," Jade replied, leading the way toward the temple. "We came here for the minerals, and we're going to find them."
As they approached the temple, they could see that it was ancient, with large stone columns and carvings covering the walls. They made their way inside, and the mineral finder began to beep rapidly.
"There it is," Jade said, pointing to a door at the end of the chamber. "That's where the scanner is leading us."
They cautiously approached the door, which was adorned with strange symbols and carvings. Jade hesitated for a moment, but then pushed the door open.
When the door creaked open, they saw a blinding light emanating from inside the chamber. They shielded their eyes and cautiously stepped inside, drawn toward the powerful energy source.
Jade and his team crept through the temple. The air grew colder, and they felt a sense of unease.The mineral finder beeped louder as they approached the large chamber door. Ryan, the team's technician, examined the door and found that it was heavily secured.
They noticed strange markings etched on the walls. The markings resembled scratches, as if claws or sharp objects made them. Upon closer inspection, Jade realized the markings were actually a form of language, but one that he had never seen before.
Ryan, who had some expertise in ancient languages, inspected the markings. "This isn't any language that I recognize," he said, furrowing his brow in concentration. "It looks like some kind of primitive tool made it, like a claw or a rock."
Jasper, who had been scanning the temple with his handheld device, interrupted. "Guys, I'm getting some strange readings here," he said, pointing to his device. "It looks like there's some kind of energy emanating from the walls themselves."
Jade walked over to Jasper. "That's strange." He looked at the device. "There's definitely something here, but I can't quite make out what it is."
"It seems to radiate from behind this door." Jade touched a door at the end of the hallway with strange markings.
Jasper, the team's muscle, stepped forward and used his strength to force the door open. Inside the chamber, they found a glowing orb emitting a powerful energy. Jade approached the orb and scrutinized it, trying to identify its properties.
As he did so, the orb suddenly flared up with a blinding light, knocking the team off their feet.
When they regained their senses, they found the orb had disappeared and the chamber was now empty.
Jade, Ryan, and Jasper looked at each other, stunned by what had just happened. They realized they had stumbled upon something beyond their understanding and knew that they needed to report their findings to their superiors. Before they could head back to their shuttle, the darkness faded once again, and the center of the room gleamed with a small object. A crystal. It flickered slightly.
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