Hello All,

In yesterday’s post “Crisis Mode” I described my current state of crisis and the guidance given me by My Lord Jesus Christ. After writing the post I started looking at the second book in the trilogy I want to write. I decided to start by reading the Prologue I had written over year ago.

This summer I had been working on a novella based on a nightmare I’d had. It’s not as bad as it sounds. It is a romantic suspense idea. I got into about thirty pages and stalled. Kind of like hitting a plateau in weight loss. Well, last night I reopened Emma’s story and found myself immersed in the first five pages.

When I started the book I wrote 74 pages with notes, a premise, outline, and character development. Right now its at about 30,000 words or approximately 1/3 through an average size novel. I was surprised I had gotten that far.

As I went to bed, yes I was past my bedtime ;), I asked for guidance in how I could find the time to reopen the novel and finish it. My first novel can stand on its own but I want to write the other two stories in my head. The stories are really about three very different women and how they cope with basically the same adversity. I explained my concern on managing the time with all I want to do: family, learn the business of writing and blogging, write the trilogy, exercise, etc. I got no answers or ideas as I drifted off to sleep.

Today as I was praying my morning rosary on the way to work I had a flash of brilliance. So I knew it was answers from above. Oh don’t get me wrong, I’m smart and intelligent in a quirky kind of way with a healthy dose of common sense (or so I’ve been told). But, brilliant? No. I leave brilliance to the Holy Trinity. Here was the thought. Slow it down. Don’t eliminate. Just slow it down.

Here’s my decision: I am going to reduce my blog posts to one day a week (Sunday/Monday) for the time being. Originally my goal was two posts per week. And until recently, I’ve done pretty much done that. With this time I can learn more of the mechanics of blogging. Hopefully I can develop a better blog and website.

I’ll delegate and ask for help more. I started delegating in the last couple of weeks out of necessity. My nuclear family (remember that phrase from the 70s) say they are on board with my writing career and I’m taking them up on the offer!

Add to the plan for the blog, daily writing of Emma’s story. I hope to finish the first draft by the end of the year. I also hope to get Elisa’s story off the ground and published this year. This means scheduling time for writing, research and business.

Actually it doesn’t look like I’m slowing down at all…Hmm…It looks like I’m prioritizing. It’s a plan. This is a lot of work. I will take it one day at a time. I hope I’m up for the challenge!

Let me know what you think!

Love Milly!