It’s a Juggling Act!

Hi Everybody,
Breezing through to say hello, happy holidays, and hope your year-end is going just the way you want. Oh, and I want to talk about juggling acts!

It’s been a year of juggling. This year, I finished two middle grade books, two picture books and one contemporary dictionary for ‘tweens. All these books needed was an edit or two and they would be ready for a round with my critique partners. But I never got that far.

Why? Because immersing myself in writing means I wouldn’t be bringing in the income I needed in order to remain at peace enough to create.

So, I took on several editing jobs. I edited one newbie writer’s children’s book, one sci fi writer’s paranormal romance, one thriller writer’s tear-jerking drama, and one historical writer’s contemporary romance.

I also edited a non-English-speaking editor’s magazine, ghostwrote a book for a resilient young man who wanted the world to know what he’d been through, and signed on for two more writer-for-hire projects with an educational publisher.

I accomplished a lot…for everybody other than myself.

Now I’m back to me. I’ve decided that if I can spend that many intense hours editing other people’s massive manuscripts, I should certainly be able to pencil in a little time for myself.

And so, today’s post is for me…and YOU. I encourage you to take control of your juggling act. Don’t juggle so many things that you have no room for your own talent.

Value your talent, whatever it may be, and give it the same amount of time and attention you give to the other necessities in your life. Because then and only then will you finish the story — or whatever your talent entails — that burns within.

Best wishes and happy writing,
Rita Lorraine