Practicing What I Preach

I specialize in time management and organizational tips for writers. I've always been good at both, so it was a no brainer for me to start writing articles about these topics. Overcommitment is my issue. My schedule is packed to the max, where I only get about four hours of sleep a night, and yet, I am still committing to help out with any church or school event that comes up.

Well, my time at the Muse Online Writers Conference helped with that. I want my writing time back. I don't want my two partial manuscripts to languish away for years on the corner of my filing cabinet, serving as a coaster. I don't want all the ideas flowing through my mind to never be written.

So, I am practicing what I preach to everyone. An important aspect of time management is assessing your daily routines and finding areas where time is wasted. While I don't consider volunteering a waste of time, it does interfere with my writing, and therefore, I must cut back on it. I've also begun making other changes in my schedule to steal back some of my lost writing time.

With a firm commitment to my career and lots of support from you, I know I'll succeed.

Funny Things Kids Say

There is a house on our street that has been for sale since the early summer. Last week while driving down the street, I noticed there was a "SOLD" sign hanging out in front of the house.

I said to my daughters, "Oh look, they finally sold that house."

"How are they going to fit it in the back of their car?" my curious six-year-old asked.

Admit it, you're laughing.

Writer2Writer articles

Go to the Writer2Writer http://writer2writer.com/ website and read my articles to find ways writers can increase productivity through time management and organization.

Check out these titles:

Bust through Holiday Stress and Keep Writing - December 2006

Get it together: Tips to Get Organized and Write More - February 2007

Procrastination: Kill it Now! - April 2007

Seven Ways Writers Can Reduce Stress - July 2007

Back to School and Your Writing Schedule - August 2007

Distractions: Don't Let Them Steal Your Writing Time - October 2007

And look for my next article, which will be in the November issue of Writer2Writer.

Getting to Know You with Susan McCray Live Show Tomorrow

SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT: COMING IN OCTOBER - SUSAN MCCRAY WILL HOST A LIVE CALL IN SHOW ON KSAV.ORG INTERNET RADIO.

On Tuesday, October 23rd, Susan will have a live version of "Getting to Know You" where listeners can call in and ask her questions about the shows she has cast, Michael Landon, past guests on "Getting to Know You", and about her father--Academy Award-winning composer, Harry Sukman. Susan Sukman McCray is the former Casting Director for Little House on the Prairie and the wife of Executive Producer Kent McCray.

Call 1-800-407-5728 starting at 6:30PM Pacific and 9:30PM Eastern. Susan will also accept questions about her past guests on "Getting to Know You" via email at susan@ksav.org.

Susan has also written a charming children's book titled, Harry's Piano, which is about the young life of her father and would make a fine holiday gift for young musicians. For more information about Harry's Piano and to order your autographed copy, go to http://www.harryspiano.com/

Register for the 2008 Muse Online Writers Conference

Registrations are now open for the 2008 Muse Online Writers Conference. Go to http://groups.yahoo.com/group/2008MuseConference to sign up for what will prove to be another amazing and informative week of honing your writing craft.

Next year's conference will take place from October 13 - 19, 2008, so mark your calendars and be ready to take your writing to the next level.

I will be a presenting a workshop for the first time at the 2008 Muse Online Writers Conference. This workshop will show writers how time management and organization can increase productivity. I'll release more details when they become available.

Don't miss this free*, totally online writers conference! Register now!


* Donations are accepted and appreciated.

Time to unwind

I think I have finally unwound from all the excitement of participating in the Muse Online Writers Conference. This was my second year, and because last year I felt I should have taken more workshops, this year I took 34 of them, plus 3 live chats. I missed 2 of the chats because of the kids--my youngest fractured her arm falling backwards out of a swing. But such is the life of a working mom. You make plans and sometimes they change quickly. The whole week was a blur of writing exercises, discussions on different aspects of the craft of writing, volunteering at church, and trying to find time to make real food for the family to eat so that I didn't feel guilty over my excessive amount of computer time.

I won't bore you with the details of all the great stuff I learned, but I am more committed than ever to my writing career. I've been making some changes in my life to carve out a bit more writing time. While I enjoy interviewing authors and writing book reviews, I will scale back a bit on this next year so that I can concentrate on my two works in progress and the edits to the manuscript I finished last August with my sister. My articles for Writer2Writer will continue on a monthly basis, and I aim to find more markets willing to accept my articles.

In the last quarter of this year, I want to put into practice the ideas and work ethics that will carry me into a productive 2008. I know if I keep all the information I learned at the Muse Online Writers Conference close by my side, I will meet my goals.

Radio Interview with Janet Elaine Smith

Hello all,

My interview with Janet Elaine Smith will air tonight from 8-8:30p.m. on Passionate Internet Voices Radio - http://www.internetvoicesradio.com/home.htm. On her show Marketing for Fun & Profit, Janet and I chatted about Musing Our Children--a group who is dedicated to encouraging a love of reading and writing in young people. Musing Our Children's Reading and Writing Appreciation Week kicks off today. We are always looking for writers, editors, illustrators, and storytellers to join the cause. To find out more, you can visit us on the web at http://musingourchildren.tripod.com/. Parents and educators are also encouraged to visit our website to sign up for our free newsletter, which includes age appropriate suggested reading lists, reading tips to help children become happy readers and writers, interviews with children's authors, fun activities for the kids, and more.

Check out Musing Our Children at http://musingourchildren.tripod.com/ today!

Cheryl

The Muse Online Writers Conference Begins

Pardon me while I rub the sleep out of my eyes. It's 2a.m. and the girls will probably be up around 6. What fun! But I needed to read all my handouts and get my questions ready for the Muse Online Writers Conference that starts tomorrow. It is a free, totally online writers conference put together by two amazing ladies--Lea Schizas and Carolyn Howard-Johnson.

I participated last year and spent a lot of the time kicking myself for not signing up for more workshops. Well, not this year. I signed up for almost everything that interested me. I feel like I am back in high school--reading, exercises, writing assignments. What's next, gym? LOL! I love it, I really do.

Don't be surprised if I proceed to fall off the face of the planet this week. All my energies are focused on getting the most out of this conference.

Busy, busy, busy

My, oh, my I am one busy girl lately. I finally got around to updating my website and if you click on the title of this blog entry you will be directed to my site to see all that I am up to. And if you click on the Upcoming Events page you'll find a list of scheduled author interviews at my other blog, The Book Connection.

So, what is going on in my world? I recently took on the role of Tour Coordinator for Pump Up Your Book Promotion. I am helping Dorothy Thompson set up virtual book tours for Pump Up's clients. It is a great gig and I am meeting so many talented and wonderful people. I have hosted many of Pump Up's clients for months, but now I get a chance to actually help these authors increase their online presence on a much larger scale.

I think I have bitten off every one of my fingernails preparing for my upcoming eradio interview with Janet Elaine Smith and Marketing for Fun & Profit, which will air Monday, October 15th from 8-8:30p.m. on Passionate Internet Radio - http://www.internetvoicesradio.com/home.htm. And I'm a gearing up for another great writers conference when I particpate in the Muse Online Writers Conference next week. Lea Schizas and Carolyn Howard-Johnson have done a bang up job putting it all together. I really don't know how they do it and still have time to write.

Musing Our Children's Reading and Writing Appreciation Week is taking place from October 15th - 19th. I have some visits in the works at our local schools. For more information you can check out the Musing Our Children website at http://musingourchildren.tripod.com/ .

On the home front, life is busy too. Our son moved out in May and I'm still trying to adjust to him being gone. Our oldest daughter entered First Grade this year and the baby started her first year of preschool. Okay, I guess she's not really a baby anymore, but I have to hold onto that image or admit I'm getting older. No sports this term, but both girls are dancing their hearts out. And with volunteering at church and on local town committees, it seems like we're never home. We are, but it sure seems like we're gone more than here.

So, that's my update. Sorry it was so long in coming. Enjoy fall if it ever gets here. Tomorrow's temperature is supposed to be in the high 80's. Not very October-like around New England. I'm waiting for the real autumn weather to come so I can make cinnamon applesauce--just like Mom showed me.

Little House on the Prairie star launches website & blog

Dean Butler, who played Almanzo Wilder on the hit family show, Little House on the Prairie, has launched a website and blog for Peak Moore Productions' Legacy Documentaries.

While Little House on the Prairie was the highlight of Butler's career, he also has many other memorable TV spots to his credit, including starring in The New Gidget and playing the recurring role of Buffy's often absent father, Hank Summers on Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Butler also appeared in the big screen movie Desert Hearts and spent some time on Broadway performing in various musicals.

Butler--now an Executive Producer--founded Peak Mooore Productions in 1981. Fifteen years later the Legacy Documentaries brand was born. Legacy Documentaries focuses on "capturing life's defining moments."

For more information about Legacy Documentaries, you many visit their site at http://www.legacydocumentaries.com/ and check out the Legacy Documentaries blog at http://legacydocumentaries.com/blog/.