LaPalm Books

I have begun to outline my tenth book. By that, I mean it is in the earliest of stages, the one where I know the beginning and nothing else. Even the gist of what the plot might be is still forming in my mind.

For those who wonder why it can be difficult to write a book (other than the fact that the process is not as easy as some might believe – writing is hard), I provide a few of my personal speed bumps.

Warning: This is not a complete list. Not by a long shot. And to be honest, the reason can change on a whim. But for someone who is supposed to adult by working from home with no supervision, I think it is amazing I create anything or finish a book project at all.

So, before I get distracted…

The Top Ten Things That Keep Me From Being Productive (Spring edition) —

1. Husband – he truly is one of the best people on this planet but even after 27 years together, he requires a lot of my attention. And love.
2. Son – he is the reason for everything but as anyone who is a parent can attest, kids occupy a lot of time. And thought. And worry. And love.
3. House – I learned to let a lot of things go (cleaning and meal prep to name a few) but Spring always reminds me just how much I let go. Major to-do list.
4. Sports – my son is on a travel baseball team. Practices. Games. Laundry. Eat. Sleep. Repeat.
5. Blogging – I had the wonderful idea to begin another site. Inspired ME, Joyful BE has been an all-around treat, but juggling two is definitely a practiced art. Still practicing.
6. Perfection – never gonna happen, I know, but it still prevents me from moving forward at times.
7. Surfing – I have successfully weaned myself from the trappings of social media and only pop on to stay in touch or post for work. News and research, however? Big time-suck.
8. Reading – Nothing more to say here.
9. Work – many people do not understand what is involved as an indie author. Outlining, drafting, writing, editing, formatting, cover design, setup, publishing, web maintenance, social media, marketing, accounting, inventory, newsletters, etc. All mine.
10. Life – I refuse to look back and see that all I did was work and not play. Cancer taught me that. Coffee with a friend? done. Ice cream with family? done. Glass of wine on the patio? done. Life? done.

I could add a bazillion more things to this list, but I think you get the point. I love writing. So much so that I committed to it for the past seven years and hope to continue for as long as possible. It matters. A great deal. It is not, however, the only thing that matters.

Living life as it comes will forever be more important.