Practically every room in my house needs painting. It’s on my to-do list, along with a host of other things. Some big, some small and some just personal changes.
Now that I’m working days, everything has to be preplanned. There’s no more saying I’ll pop out to the post office at any time to mail stuff because I have to be to work before they open, and they close before I get off work. And though I can arrange for my carrier to pick up packages at a “pre-disclosed location” that location hasn’t been agreed upon yet.
I don’t want to think about how to schedule house repairs or getting my car serviced.
And, cause it’s summer, I’ll add gardening (which I love to do a bit of) and mowing the lawn (which isn’t a bad job when I’m not rushed and it’s not 110 in the shade, to the to-do list.
Now if you’re an author, you know writing time is hard-won at times. More so if you work full time, or have at home obligations that demand the lion’s share.
When I was unpublished, I didn’t worry so much about time crunches. Oh, I’d bitch and holler at times, but really, I didn’t sweat it. I’m sweating now.
I’m published and have publisher deadlines that have to be met. Though I’m not at liberty yet to announce upcoming deals/sales, let’s just say I’m going to be very busy writing this year and through the next one.
So I looked at my to-do list, my everyday working schedule, and my writing schedule. If I limited sleep to six hours and ate a catch as catch can diet, I might be able to continue. But not for long.
Beyond the day job, writing comes first. So something had to go—actually several somethings had to go because I’d painted myself into a corner.
The one that I regret saying goodbye to in the MM blog. But I simply won’t have time to be part of an active blog on a weekly basis anymore, and it’s not fair to Edie, LaDonna, Liz, and Michelle for me to be a fly by blogger.
They know I love ‘em dearly and hated having to bow out of MM on the heels of joining, but it’s for the best.
Thanks to the MM gang for having me for this short time, and I hope to visit as often as I can. And I hope to announce my sales to the world soon, so drop by my website to see what’s new with my publishing career.
To all of you: live, laugh and love.
Jan, we’ll miss you at Magical, but I’ll “see” you off the blog. Like the PW blurb said, you’re “an up and comer.” You have to keep that momentum going, building your readership. I know you’ll straighten it all out in time, and it won’t always be crazy.
Jan, good luck with finding your balance. It’s always best to realize when there’s just too much on the plate. Take your time to sort it all out – make it work for you.
Best wishes on the upcoming releases!
Wahhhhhhhhhhhh!
I know how the time crunch thing goes, Janette. When you have a day job, it’s almost impossible to find time to do anything, let alone write. You fit it in where you can and say a “parting prayer” for the things you can’t. I worry about how long I’ll be able to find time for my group blog, and that worry has yet to go away. So far so good, but you never know. I commend you for sticking with it as long as you did, especially with the full-time job.
Keep on writing and wooing the world with your books. You can’t go wrong with that.
Jan, I’ll miss you sweetie!
But totally understand the crunch thing. Your writing comes first, and the day job doesn’t leave much time for anything else. I’m so proud of you, and just glad we had ya for a little while. I’m so thrilled with your success!
We’re going to be sorry to see you leave us, Jan, but I think I can say on behalf of all writers that you have your priorities right. Unfortunately, we cannot stretch ourselves too thin or other things suffer.
We do expect you to pop in regularly and will be contacting you to do some guest blogging in the future.
We’ll miss you.
Jan, you know we are so proud of you and can’t wait for you to reach the heights
. We loved having you as a blogging partner for the short time we did, and as Edie says, we’ll have you back as a guest often!
Janette–I will miss your posts here at Magical, but I wish you the best of luck with your writing career–and with juggling what sounds like a very busy life!
Edie, I started my day at 7 AM talking to my new editor, and then rushing to work for the day job. I just got home fifteen minutes ago, only to find that the flash flood we had when I left gifted me with water in my basement. I so don’t want to deal with that tonight, but I’ll have to.
That’s the thing, Kathy. Balance. I was off kilter with so much going on, and so much of it new. If I’d had the day job for a while, or knew what I was doing going it, it wouldn’t be such a drastic learning curve.
Marcia, I know exactly how you feel because I’ve been there twice. The first time I had deadlines and a critically ill mother, and just could keep up with blogging on Writeminded. I hated to bow out of that blog, but it was for the best. Here, I thought I’d found a nice home among friends, but wow, there’s just so many hours in the day. I can juggle a good deal, but there are times I have to back away. Like now.
Ah, LaD, you’re my little soul sister.
I’ll miss blogging here, but you will email me, you hear! We’re not saying goodbye, just not hello as often. 
Liz, you call and I’ll come visit any time. I’d love to announce my “big news” here when I get the green light.
Anytime, Michelle. As I’ve said before privately, you MM gals will all nod when this time crunch thing happens to you–and it will soon!
Thanks, Cynthia. I’ll blog sporatically on my personal journal on my website, so drop by if you have time.