Writer Needs to Drop Words-FAST

Dear Readers,
This writer's coNUNdrum is loooooong and involved.  Here are the Cliff Notes if you get lost:  Too many small writing jobs keeping him from his main goal.  My answer is at the end in bold letters.

Hey Lisa,

Here’s my coNUNdrum:
I have one nonfiction manuscript complete. Actively seeking an agent/publisher.
I have two fiction WIPs.
I have a full-time job.
I have a bunch of grandkids.
I am a full-time student completing my MBA.

Writing commitments:
1) Faithwriters Challenge – once per week
2) My Blog – at least 3 posts per week – trying to get noticed
3) I also write for Suite101.com – 2 articles a week is optimum – performance payments
4) Examiner.com – I would like to write a piece each day – but three a week is ok – can guarantee myself a dollar each plus performance money
5) Associated Content and EzineArticles.com – I can list my FW challenge piece, examiner.com and blog posts – performance on AC – no pay on EzineArticles – but the best backlink to my blog/website available.
6) I also have a standing contract for a children’s book publisher – I write landing pages for them – once or twice a month – 30 bucks a pop
7) And an agreement with a web promotion site, I write articles with their keywords and post to my blog for 30-35 bucks a pop – whenever they ask for them. Usually one a month or so.
8) And a new commitment for short website content reviews – 10 bucks for 150 words each – sweet gig. I get assigned 15 at a time, and can complete them in 1.5 hours. Easy money.

It doesn’t sound like much, but when you factor in that I am also trying to get a platform built to get my nonfiction work published which includes posting on other’s blogs, forums, bookmarking, social networking, reading up on agents and publishers - I am just flat out overwhelmed. The time just adds up. Add to that the time I spend on facebook, twitter, etc. while I’m writing nothing.

I wrote a schedule of what I need to do each day to keep up with it – but it’s taking all the fun out of writing.

My needs:
Money for writer’s conferences – paid by the children’s publisher, blog posts and website reviews.

The other stuff is just to get my name out there. Associated Content and EzineArticles, simply copy what I have already written – so that doesn’t really add much to the time crunch.

Suite101.com is boring as all get out and the money is small, at least in the beginning, I only have 11 articles posted so far.

Examiner.com is wrecking their own reputation by having so many examiners. There’s probably even an opening for an examiner of its examiners at this point. They have so diluted their own pool… but I can get some guaranteed money by linking to local businesses in short articles. Plus I like writing about my grandkids.

I can’t figure out where to draw the line.

I don’t have time to re-visit my nf work – and haven’t looked at my novels in progress for months.

I am afraid to leave any money on the table because my company is on the verge of going under. I can’t make it on what unemployment will pay, and being 55 makes it hard to change jobs. I could probably do well if all I had to do was fulfill the writing commitments and not have to go to work every day, but that is a jump I am not yet ready to make.

I am taking 6 weeks off from school to regroup, but a week has gone by and I haven’t touched my nonfiction work yet.

You probably don’t really have any suggestions, but… take a shot if you don’t mind.

I can’t decide what to give up and what to keep….


Dear Can't Decide What to Give Up,
This letter was painful to read. You're like the wooden deck on the back of our house—splintered to the max. It's taken three passes for me to merely partially grasp the totality of your coNUNdrum. My goal is to make my answer considerably shorter than your question—which won't be difficult.


I can't tell you what to give up. Even if I did, I sense it would be like me asking Sam if I should paint the kitchen Robin's Egg Blue, or Cornflower Blue.  No matter what he answered, I'd pick the opposite. You just seem like that type, too.


So I'll offer guidelines and ask questions, instead.


-PRIORITIES! If you spend ALL your time on building a platform, and NONE of your time on the actual writing of your book, where will you be?


-I'm assuming your going back to school is somehow work/job/money related. If so, is the time-verses-return that you're spending on these more inconsequential writing jobs worth it? Is it better to complete your education and reap those rewards sooner?

-In the writing business, it's VERY difficult to win enough bread to keep a household fed, unless you can break into mid-echelons like—magazine/newspaper writing or belonging to a writing association that provides filler articles for all sorts of journals/newsletters etc.

-If your business goes under, which is the better return on your time--more of the small writing jobs, an outside job, or a combination of the two.


-I'd pick two (maybe three) of the smaller jobs that bring the most return for the time/effort (whether that's money or joy or platform building), and let the rest go. Then take an objective look at your fiction and non-fiction works and decide which has the MOST promise of success, and which will take the LEAST amount of time to finish—hopefully that will narrow it down to one. Put the bulk of your time and energy there. Be driven! Don't let Facebook (outside of ten minutes to check in twice a day), or any other rabbit trail derail your progress.


-Remember all the platform in the world won't help you if don't actually write the book!


-Set aside time to enjoy your spouse and grandchildren. Then GET BACK TO WORK! Decide decisively if you want to be successful or simply exhausted. Do you want to concentrate on the periphery work of being a writer or the ACTUAL work of being a writer. 
Then GET BACK TO WORK!


That's the best advice I have to give. It's so good, in fact, that I think I'll take some of it myself. 


May your splintering cease,  before you're reduced to kindling wood.


Over and Out,


Lisa


So witty and intelligent readers--if you're still with me—what's your take?