So my chances of finishing that historical romance I started by the end of 2015 are pretty much gone now. I made it about 25000 words so it’s more than just started. I wanted to try a new genre to see how I felt about it, but I’ll have to leave that till 2016 now. Why? Well the edits for Mything the Throne and Electing Love both came in now. 2016 has great novels from me already contracted. So from now until the New Year, my life is now editing or rewriting. At least with this, I’m not stressing every second on my Kindle Scout Nomination round 2.0. The hard part of this much work is balancing life. How do I do this? Once I finish my next chapter, I’m going to swim in the pool. Then I’m coming back and getting myself in the chair to edit more. Mondays are a good day for me to edit. It feels like back to work Monday. Fridays are the worst. It’s like a child with their homework sometimes. I’m good everyday except the times I want to go out and have fun. People often ask ‘how do you fit writing in your life?’ How do school children fit homework into theirs while still maintaining their life? As a teacher, I give a lot of homework. I teach Advanced Placement. I can’t help it. Either way in school I learned, school, homework time, family time, friends time. It’s the same as an adult. It’s work, writing, family and friends time. Life is often about finding the balance. My stress comes when I’m not balanced and stressed about one of the 4 areas that take up my 24 hour day. Anyhow that’s all for now. Talk to you soon.
https://kindlescout.amazon.com/p/19MWTS7CDJODQ
Frequently Asked Questions
How do authors balance writing with everyday life responsibilities?
Authors often treat writing like homework — scheduling it around work, family, and friends time. One approach is structuring the day in blocks: finish a writing or editing session, take a break like a swim, then return to work. Mondays tend to be productive, while Fridays feel harder to stay motivated. Balance across all life areas reduces stress significantly.
What happens to a writing project when editing deadlines pile up at the same time?
When multiple editing deadlines arrive simultaneously, new writing projects get pushed back. In this case, a historical romance at 25,000 words was shelved until the following year because edits for two already-contracted novels — Mything the Throne and Electing Love — both came in at once, making it impossible to continue the new genre project before the year’s end.
Is it better to focus on editing contracted novels or continuing a new genre manuscript when time is limited?
Contracted novels should take priority over exploratory new-genre manuscripts when time is limited. Editing work tied to publisher commitments has firm deadlines and professional obligations, whereas a personal genre experiment — like a historical romance — can be paused and resumed later without consequence. Prioritizing contracted edits protects professional relationships and ensures 2016 release schedules stay on track.
