The Juggling Act! On Managing Multiple Projects

By Bonnie Randall

Part of The How They Do It Series

JH: Keeping up with multiple projects can leave a writer's head spinning. Bonnie Randall shares tips on how to manage and organize your writing projects.

A recent hit by Luke Combs is called “When It Rains It Pours” and YOWZA! That’s been my theme song lately.

I have a paranormal fiction project on the go, a series of children’s books that’s garnered a bid from a mainstream publisher, a consultative engagement with a Traumatic Response agency who’ve contracted several articles on COVID-as-a-traumatic-event from me, and if that wasn’t enough, two complete plots for a ‘drama-edy’ series I’ve been writing hit me out of the clear blue sky this past weekend.

Oh, and I write this column once a month.

How am I attending to all of this? How can I keep track of all of this?

It’s About Time. Make the Most of the 24 Hours We All Get

By Shanna Swendson, @ShannaSwendson

Part of The Writer’s Life Series 

JH: Managing time is one of the more difficult things about being a writer. Shanna Swendson shares tips on how to keep writing, and how to stop the things that distract you from writing.  

Shanna Swendson earned a journalism degree from the University of Texas but decided it was more fun to make up the people she wrote about and became a novelist. She’s written a number of fantasy novels for teens and adults, including the Enchanted, Inc. series and the Rebel Mechanics series. She devotes her spare time to reading, knitting, and music. Her newest novel is the paranormal mystery Interview with a Dead Editor. 

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

Take it away Shanna…

Keep Your Writing Routine from Becoming a Rut

By Shanna Swendson, @ShannaSwendson

Part of The Writer’s Life Series 

JH: Falling into the "same old, same old" can be counterproductive for writers. Shanna Swendson shares tips on shaking up your routine and boosting your creativity. 

Shanna Swendson earned a journalism degree from the University of Texas but decided it was more fun to make up the people she wrote about and became a novelist. She’s written a number of fantasy novels for teens and adults, including the Enchanted, Inc. series and the Rebel Mechanics series. She devotes her spare time to reading, knitting, and music. Her newest novel is the paranormal mystery Interview with a Dead Editor. 

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

Take it away Shanna…

How to Get Back on Track When All Your Planning Fails

By Aliza Mann, @AlizaMannAuthor

Part of The Writer’s Life Series

JH: Missing a goal or failing a project can be disheartening, and missing enough of them in a row can derail your entire writing career. Aliza Mann shares tips on how to get back on track when all your plans fail.

Ever since she was a small child, Aliza Mann loved to tell stories. It started in the backyard of her family’s home in Atlanta, Georgia. There weren’t a lot of children in the neighborhood, so she would spend hours making up fantasy worlds where everything was perfect and everyone was loved. After her parents decided to relocate to Detroit, Michigan, things changed. In her new home, she learned words like recession, layoff and was personally introduced to a world completely opposite of the life she’d known. As hard as life’s lessons can be, she busied herself by reading anything she could get her hands on. In high school, she would fall in love with literature and alas, romance. From the moment she opened the cover of a historical page turner, she found herself hooked. With eyes wide and a smile on her face, she devoured as many novels as she could find and she dreamed that she could write like that too. Maybe. Like most childhood dreams, she soon found that they could be pushed to the side and categorized with a label that read, ‘One day…’

One day finally came, when she found herself laid off from her day job. As things happen, this set back helped to segue her back onto the writing path. She found herself starting a novel which will probably never see the light of day, but gave her more joy than she’d ever though possible. Today, while it’s been some years since her last layoff and she is actively working in the public sector, she balances her love of writing a great story between two pseudo-adult children, a fabulous son-in-law, a granddaughter, and the man of her dreams. A true book nerd, she is almost always reading and for sure, writing the world in a way that shows its true beauty, served with a heaping side of happily ever after.

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads | BookBub | Instagram |

Take it away Aliza…

How The 12-Week Year Can Help You Write Your Novel

By Rochelle Melander, @WriteNowCoach

Part of The Writer’s Life Series

JH: Finding a writing schedule that works is often harder than writing the actual novel. Rochelle Melander shares thoughts on a 12-week process that can keep your focused and productive.

Write Now! Coach Rochelle Melander is a certified professional coach, experienced book strategist, and the author of eleven books, including, Level Up: Quests to Master Mindset, Overcome Procrastination and Increase Productivity. She provides solutions for people who feel stuck, overwhelmed or confused by the writing and publishing process. She is the founder of Dream Keepers, a writing workshop that supports children and teens in finding their voice and sharing their stories. Sign up for her Write Now! Tips Ezine at http://www.writenowcoach.com.

Website | Goodreads | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

Take it away Rochelle…

Taking the First Step Toward Your Writing—Every Day

By Shanna Swendson, @ShannaSwendson

Part of The Writer’s Life Series 

JH: Some days, it's just hard to get started when we sit down to write. Shanna Swendson share tips on taking that first step and keeping your writing momentum going. 

Shanna Swendson earned a journalism degree from the University of Texas but decided it was more fun to make up the people she wrote about and became a novelist. She’s written a number of fantasy novels for teens and adults, including the Enchanted, Inc. series and the Rebel Mechanics series. She devotes her spare time to reading, knitting, and music.

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

Take it away Shanna…

8 Tips on Balancing Work and Writing

By Evan Ramzipoor @ER_Ramzipoor 

Part of The Writer's Life Series

JH: It's not easy finding the balance between working and writing, but it's something almost every writers faces at some point. Evan Ramzipoor returns to the lecture hall today, with tips on how to find that precious balance 

Evan Roxanna Ramzipoor is a writer based in California. She also works as a content marketer, writing about cybercrime and online fraud. She studied political science at UC Berkeley, where she researched underground literature in resistance movements and discovered the forgotten story of Faux Soir. Her writing has been featured in McSweeney's and The Ventriloquists is her first novel. She lives with her partner and a terrier mix named Lada

Website | Goodreads | Facebook | Twitter |

Take it away Evan…

5 Tips for Writing with Small Children

By Bethany Henry

Part of The Writer’s Life Series

JH: Finding time to write can be difficult for any writer, but it’s even more challenging when you have other people needing your attention. Bethany Henry takes the podium today to share tips on writing with small children.

Bethany Henry firmly believes in eating ice cream throughout all four of New England’s seasons and that daily naps should be mandatory. She’s been writing and studying storycraft for years, generally gravitating toward YA fantasy, and runs a writing and lifestyle blog at bethany-henry.com.

When not writing, Bethany can be found dancing in her kitchen, playing ultimate frisbee, or chasing after her two little girls.

Bethany’s current novel in progress, Tiger and Jade, is inspired by her time working in Macau and traveling throughout Asia. Sign up for her email list to hear more.

Website | Blog | Facebook | Pinterest

Take it away Bethany…

How to Write New Novels When You’re on a Deadline

By Jodi Meadows, @jodimeadows

Part of The Writer’s Life Series

JH: Juggling projects is hard enough before you're published, but it becomes even tougher after that dream comes true. Please welcome NYT Bestselling author Jodi Meadows to the lecture hall today, to share tips on writing new novels while handling the ones you've already written (or sold).

Jodi Meadows wants to be a ferret when she grows up and she has no self-control when it comes to yarn, ink, or outer space. Still, she manages to write books. She is the author of the INCARNATE Trilogy, the ORPHAN QUEEN Duology, and the FALLEN ISLES Trilogy (HarperCollins/Katherine Tegen), and a coauthor of the New York Times bestsellers MY LADY JANE and MY PLAIN JANE (HarperTeen). She lives in rural Virginia.

Website | Goodreads | Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest | Instagram

Take it away Jodi…

The Art of Juggling Multiple Writing Projects

By Swati Teerdhala, @swatiteerdhala

Part of The Writer's Life Series

JH: It takes skill to juggle several writing projects at once, and sometimes, we need a little help to avoid dropping one of them. Swati Teerdhala returns to the podium today to share tips on writing multiple projects at once. 

Swati Teerdhala is the author of the upcoming novel, THE TIGER AT MIDNIGHT, the first in a trilogy. After graduating from the University of Virginia with a B.S. in Finance and History, she tumbled into the marketing side of the technology industry. She’s passionate about many things, including how to make a proper cup of chai, the right ratio of curd-to-crust in a lemon tart, and diverse representation in the stories we tell. She currently lives in New York City and can be found wandering the streets with a pen or camera in hand.

Instagram | Website  | Twitter

Take it away Swati…

The Best Time to Write

By Shanna Swendson, @ShannaSwendson

Part of The Writer’s Life Series 

JH: Just finding time to write can be a hassle without trying to figure out the “best” time to do it. Luckily, Shanna Swendson takes the podium today to share tips on finding the best time to write that works for you. 

Shanna Swendson earned a journalism degree from the University of Texas but decided it was more fun to make up the people she wrote about and became a novelist. She’s written a number of fantasy novels for teens and adults, including the Enchanted, Inc. series and the Rebel Mechanics series. She devotes her spare time to reading, knitting, and music.

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

Take it away Shanna…

Scheduling for Writing Success

By Shanna Swendson, @ShannaSwendson

Part of The Writer’s Life Series

JH: Finding time to write is a challenge many writers face--even when writing is their full-time job. Please help me welcome Shanna Swendson to the lecture hall today, to share a tip that helped her optimize her writing life. 

Shanna Swendson earned a journalism degree from the University of Texas but decided it was more fun to make up the people she wrote about and became a novelist. She’s written a number of fantasy novels for teens and adults, including the Enchanted, Inc. series and the Rebel Mechanics series. She devotes her spare time to reading, knitting, and music.

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

Take it away Shanna…

Balancing Real Life with Writing Fiction

By Patricia Caliskan, @Caliskaniverse_

Part of the How They Do It Series

JH: Balancing real life and writing is hard for almost everyone (even full-time authors like me). Patricia Caliskan returns to the lecture hall today to give us a few tips on how to juggle our busy writing lives. 

Patricia Caliskan began her writing career as an entertainment journalist, before joining Trinity Mirror Newsgroup. She likes a nice, flouncy scarf, a good pair of boots, and laughter. Lots of laughter. Otherwise life feels far too grown-up for her liking.

Twitter | Goodreads | Amazon | 

Take it away Patricia...

How to Make Writing a Habit

By Tamar Sloan, @SloanTamar 

Part of the How They Do It Series

JH: I don't think I've ever met a writer who didn't want to be more productive (myself included). Making writing a habit is one way to do that, and Tamar Sloan visits the lecture hall today to share thoughts and tips on how to avoid the bad habits that sap our productivity and create good habits that will help us with our writing.

A school psychologist by day, Tamar channels her passion for books into creating young adult stories about discovering life and love beyond our comfort zones. She is the award-winning author of the Prime Prophecy Series. Her debut novel, Prophecy Awakened, is an epic story of a love that defies boundaries. When not reading, writing or working with teens, Tamar can be found with her ever-patient husband and two beautiful sons enjoying country life on their small acreage in the Australian bush. Tamar finds it deeply rewarding to share her stories and she loves to hear from her readers and fellow lovers of all things book related.

Website | Goodreads | Facebook | Twitter |

Take it away Tamar...

Why You Shouldn’t Write Every Day

By Janice Hardy, @Janice_Hardy

Last week, I jotted down the idea for this article about four hours before Jami Gold’s post on not writing every day appeared in my email. Obviously there was something in the air last week that made us both think about this particular piece of advice. I have a slightly different angle on this topic, but if you struggle with this, pop on over and read her thoughts after you’re done here.

As you can probably guess from the title, I’m not a write-every-day-writer. I’ve done it, and I’ll do it again when I’m on deadline or doing NaNoWriMo, but never taking a writing break turns writing into a chore for me. I need time off, and I need to walk away from the keyboard and have some fun.

How Busy Full-Time Working Writers Can Find Time to Write

By Drae Box, @Draebox

Part of the How They Do It Series

JH: I don't think I've ever met a writer who didn't want to find more time to write, so please help me welcome Drae Box to the lecture hall today to share some tips on how to do just that.

Drae Box is an author success mentor and fantasy author whose debut fantasy book reached 10,038 downloads and purchases in eight months and eleven days after its release. For a decade, she has picked apart, researched and experimented with different ways authors can build their success, and she would love to share her knowledge with you. Head here for the free worksheets to help you find more time to write, including a worksheet for The Reverse Why.

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goggle+ | Goodreads

Take it away Drae...

On Balance vs. Burn-Out

By Bonnie Randall 

Part of the How They Do It Series (Monthly Contributor)

I was vending my novel at a Word On The Street festival this past weekend, and had the great fortune to share my table with marvelous children’s author Amelia Lionheart. Amelia does a whopping 96 signings/year, attends schools for lectures, works at her day job, and (of course) continues to craft fiction for her young audience. As a writer I was humbled by her hectic calendar, yet as a counselor our conversation made me think about balance—what we take on versus what we are capable of, and how we weave that trite concept ‘self-care’ into the intensity of all we do and commit to. So, if you are a writer who has ever

• Got slammed by a flu or a cold immediately after a big signing or event.
• Battled anxiety
• Fell prey to depression.

then maybe you could use a little balance. The reality is, the body will say “No” when we push ourselves beyond capacity, and there are twenty-four hours in a day for a reason. So let’s deviate a little this month from talking craft, and instead talk balance and how to get it—or at least approach it. Some suggestions for your reflection:

Finding Time to Write

By Janice Hardy, @Janice_Hardy

On Wednesday, I talked about balancing work and writing. I’d like to follow that up with some specifics about how to find the time to make writing a priority.

We often have more time in our days than we think, but a lot of our free time gets lost without us seeing it slip away. The most productive people I’ve ever met in my life have also been those with the busiest schedules—not in a “they do more each day” way, but they have a lot to do so they schedule and plan for it, and make better use of the time they have.

Balancing Writing and Working Without Losing Your Mind

By Janice Hardy, @Janice_Hardy

Writing is one of those things we can do at home in our spare time, so it’s a flexible pursuit that fits into our schedules. Unfortunately, it’s also a pursuit that takes a lot of time and energy to do, so it’s common that the little time we have to spare is the time when we least feel like writing.

The key to balancing work and writing is easy. Make writing a priority and then actually write.

It’s the implementation that’s hard.

Bouncing Back When Your Writing Routine Gets Disrupted

By Janice Hardy, @Janice_Hardy

My husband and I recently moved to another state, closer to family. Between the packing, the moving, the unpacking (still not done), and our new hectic life, my writing routine has been completely shattered.

I accepted the disruption before the move, since I knew there’d be months when I didn't get much writing done (or at all), but we’re “settled” now, and I’m trying to get back to normal.

Except “normal” has changed.