Time is what we want most but what we use worst. ~William Penn
I’ve begun my next book. My deadline isn’t for several months, but a book has a lot of words and many scenes. So it is enough of a looming date, that I’m pushing myself into the ‘make my fingers touch the keyboard and crank out words and more words every day and hope they make sense’ mode.
When I first set out on a new story trail, I think maybe the hardest thing about writing a book is the beginning. At least I think that until I get about a hundred pages in and then I think the hardest thing about writing a book is trying to trust my story through the middle. Almost always, the endings of any of my stories haven’t put me into a panic but there’s always the first time for everything. I like my new characters, but I worry that I’m letting them be too slow to get to … well, whatever they need to get to. Could be, I need to know more about what they (my characters) need to get to. Or maybe they need me to quit dilly-dallying and hurry them along their story trails.
The hard thing about writing a book and meeting a deadline that I promised to meet is all the other things going on at the same time. Just because I’m writing a book doesn’t mean the laundry doesn’t need doing, the floors don’t need sweeping, or the dogs don’t need walking. I have to make time to do the church bulletins. I need to keep up with paying the bills and oh no, here comes tax filing time. Family time is essential, and then, it is basketball season. So, I have to watch a few ballgames. I could name all sorts of things that can interfere with keyboard time.
Even writing stuff can get in the way of getting a new book out of my head onto my computer screen. Sometimes edits of an upcoming release show up just as I get going on the new story. I want to keep sharing thoughts with you here. I love sending out newsletters and doing giveaways. I like talking with my reading friends here and on Facebook. Those things are fun and important to a writer too. Sometimes you need to do some shouting and writing about that new release. If people don’t know you have a new book coming, then they won’t look for it to read.
Oh, and in case you didn’t know, I have a book releasing the first week of May. I am so excited about you getting to read my showboat story, In the Shadow of the River. If you’re interested in pre-ordering it, you can find Buy Links on my website. A great place to buy a print copy is Baker Book House. That’s a great place to buy any Christian fiction or non-fiction you want. They do have a super deal on pre-orders. In the Shadow of the River is 40% off with free shipping if you order it before it releases. Then the discount goes down to 30%, I think.
All right, I’ve made sure you know I have a book coming. 
But I’ve finished the work on it. I’m now elbow deep in a new story that I need to have written at about the same time In the Shadow of the River releases.
I’ve always wanted to be able to do it all, but sometimes I can’t. And ouch! It’s hard to admit that to myself. Br. Fred, my preacher for over 35 years and our friend even longer who now doesn’t have to worry about time in heaven, used to say everybody has the same amount of hours in a day. It’s just how we choose to use that time the Lord has given us. If I can use my hours, days, weeks and months wisely and not to spin in place worrying about doing this or that and just do it, I’ll be fine.
Five pages a day. I can do that. Lots of writers spill out many more words a day than that. But you know, none of us are “lots of writers” or “lots of any particular worker or person.” We are unique individuals with our own abilities and talents, and we have to figure out what works best for us. Not what works best for those other people. And if the five pages I write each day turn out not to have the right words, then I can edit them the next day and keep trucking.
How do you feel about using the time the Lord has given you?