The writing challenge that knows you have a life.
I had one of those weeks. You know them. The kind that forces you to push yourself on less and less sleep. There are not enough hours in the day. You’d think I’d know this by now.
I won’t bore you with the details, but I need to learn how to say no. Ugh. My solace this week was editing. Normally, I’m not a big fan of editing. It’s hard. Well, everything in writing is hard, but editing is the hardest part for me.
I did turn in a set of edits earlier this week and by the next day I’d received more notes from MY editor. I have an editor. 🙂 and I’ve been working all week. Yesterday, it was time to stop. I had to go for it. I’ve put in my all and now it’s time to let it go.
I turned my MS in yesterday. Gulp.
What a week.
I found another treat on SYTYCD this week. This routine inspired a whole story while I watched. Wow. I’ve been loving Hayley and she got to dance her routine this week with one of her choreographers because her partner got injured. Poor Curtis, but wait till you see this. There’s a spot about 1/2 that is a must see. It’s one of those quite moments, a lift and a freze and then it all melts away. It will steal your breath away. The dancing starts about 44 seconds into the video. Here’s Hayley and choreographer Leonardo (replacing an injured Curtis) performing an Argentine Tango routine choreographed by Miriam and Leonardo
The Goals – week-5 results
- Spend at least 1-hour a day with my characters – done.
- Daily progress in writing craft, word count, editing, and/or plotting – done. I edited everyday and worked a smidgen on my new WIP on Friday.
- Workout a minimum of three times a week and round it out with plenty of water, sleep, and my calorie limit – done. I got in 6 workouts this week and hit the other goals here too.
- Weekly Nia study (i.e. studying the song/movement structure) – kind of done. I only danced two of my three new routines. Wow. They are full of awesome. I can’t wait to dance them again. Powerful stuff. 😀 WEEK 6 PRIORITY
- Stay on top of my co-op preschool Treasurer responsibilities – done. It was a busy week here with deposits, all kinds of reporting, follow-up, and training.
- Organize something in the house each week & clean something in the house every day – not done. Once again I’m not getting to these bottom two goals. I really would have benefitted from daily cleaning this week too, but instead I smushed all the cleaning into my Friday and Saturday. Grr. WEEK 6 PRIORITY
- Spend time in the garden – not done. WEEK 6 PRIORITY
What you might have missed here this week:
S.J. Maylee 
I’m sorry I wasn’t around much for editing this week. Clearly, you didn’t need me, though. You nailed it! How nice to have an editor, finish the edits, turn the MS in. 🙂
Learning to say no is one of my life goals. It seems like every time I shove one thing off my plate, a new (and often very cool) opportunity arrives and I add something else. It’s a never-ending challenge to find that balance. Best wishes with it!
Have a lovely week!
Balance. Yes, I think it must be a moving target, lol. I hope you have a lovely week too. 🙂
You’re rocking those goals and I’m a little green that you have an editor to work with. Go you! All the best for the week ahead.
Shah X
http://bit.ly/15tFpZV
Thanks, Shah! 😀
I couldn’t save my comment at your site. So, I’ll post it here. Hope you see it:
Congratulations on having your paperback edition of FINDING ESTA on LULU 😀 That’s fabulous news. I hope you get your hands on it soon too.
Good luck this week. Hope you find time to get to things you didn’t this week.
Looks like you did a great job on your goals this week, despite all the other things clamoring for your attention! Learning to say no is a must – good luck with that, and keep up the good work with your goals this week!
Thanks, Jennette. I’ve never been good at saying no. It’s something I need to work on.
I can relate not only to (a habit of) over-committing but also to the effect that has on those things that always seem to sink to the bottom of the priority bucket. For me, creative writing is one of the things that sinks. Cleaning is so far down the list that it disappears completely until the house gets so dog-hairy/dusty that I can’t stand it anymore and go on a cleaning spree. (The Hyperbole & a Half cartoon about why she’ll never be a grown-up? Totally me.)
Something else that ends up dropping off the list is time off/me-time. Because I’m self-employed and there’s always tons to do, if I’m not careful I end up working every day for a month straight. Like I just did. So now I’m trying out a new schedule that’s highly regimented (yuck – but necessary, it seems) and gives me 1.25 days off every week. It also includes time for creative writing and time for reading for fun. Oh, luxury! =*D
So how are you gonna work on saying no? Is it something you’re good at but have forgotten to do lately, or has it historically been hard for you to say no?
Yes, being self-employed and working from home compounds the issue, but I’ve never been good at saying no. If someone really needs my help and I can do it, I usually say yes. Ugh. I have said no more on a volunteering position I hold. I’m incredibly proud of this, lol. It’s a first step in many. I’m hoping the benefits of finally saying no will encourage me to do it again. Good luck finding your own balance.
good week – lovely dance routine – do like that programme wish they would do some more over here:( – editors are great aren’t they except when they find yet more stuff to be done:( all the best for coming week:)
Thanks, Alberta. 🙂 Editors really are amazing. I love how they give you just enough to inspire you to find the answers, but not too much to feel like they’re leading you to it. I’m looking forward to working with her again. I so hope I get to work with her again. Have a great week. 🙂
I know all too well the need to learn to say no! I’m getting better at it, though! I think you’ve done great in spite of lack of sleep this week – especially six work-outs! Wow!