My Dream Home Checklist

For some reason, I've been thinking a lot lately about what I want my dream home to have. Besides the basics--running water and a modern kitchen--I've compiled a list of things I really want in my next house.

If you know any realtors out there who can rustle me up a property that meets these criteria, send them my way.

If you think I'm kidding (especially about the graveyard) I'm not. Ask my husband.

What are the specifications of your dream home?

Best Writing Advice

On Thursday this week, I'm giving my first presentation to a group of aspiring authors. I can't wait. As my daughter would say, it's going to be epic.

I'm planning on sharing things that I learned on my journey to getting published that I wish I would have known sooner, including some time saving tricks and general habits to make writing easier and better.

I would love any ideas from my blog readers on their best piece of writing advice. It can be about any part of the writing process.

So, if someone asked you for your one most important bit of writing advice, what would it be?

Or, if you're a reader not a writer, what is something you wish writers would do--or not do?

Any advice is welcome.

On Finding Time

I've seen a lot of blog posts lately about finding time to do all the stuff we want to do.

When someone mentions one of their accomplishments like crafting, running, cooking, writing--anything that is not a bare essential, I often hear other people exclaim, "Oh! I wish I had time for that!"

The fact is, we all have the same amount of time. The only difference is how we allocate it.

I believe it's all about priorities. Stephen Covey used to do an object lesson where he would ask a person to fill a jar full of sand and rocks. Usually, the person couldn't make all the material fit into the jar because they added the sand first. Covey would take the jar and first put in the big stuff--the rocks, and then the medium stuff--the pebbles, and then let the sand filter in. A lot more fit into the jar that way.

And so it is with life. First, get the big stuff in place--the things that feel more like essentials than priorities: working for a living, taking care of our families and home, school and church and such.

For some, this big stuff takes up a huge amount of time, and it varies with the different stages of life--all my kids are in school all day so that has opened up more time for me.

Then decide which of the medium things are most important to you and fit those into your schedule. For me, this includes my writing time, some down time (which is something that I value and need), some exercise time, reading time, and so forth.

Last, try to fit in the little things, the stuff you care least about when you step back and look at your life objectively. Not all will be able to fit into your life. I've given up many hobbies and interests--even some so-called life-long dreams--to make time for writing.

I find that when people say, "Oh, I wish I had time for that." what they really mean is, "That is not a high priority in my life so I gave it up, even though I still miss it sometimes."

Finding time for everything is almost impossible and the need to be objective is absolute.

If you find that you never seem to have time for a particular activity that you claim to love, perhaps it is because you don't love it as much as you thought you did. Maybe giving it up for a better, higher priority is something to consider.

Specifically, writing. Although the idea of being a published author appeals to you, if you find you never have the time to write, maybe you love the idea of writing more than the actual act of writing. When you land a contract or an agent, the pressure increases ten-fold--so you'd better make sure you're ready to invest lots and lots and lots of time to writing.

Just something to consider. What are your thoughts?