I published my first book in May 2010. At that time I had no other plans to write and publish another book. However, things changed and from 2010 to 2021 I wrote and published 13 books.
The Best Little Grammar Book Ever
The Best Little Grammar Book Ever Second Edition
Beyond Worksheets – ebook with lesson ideas
The Great Grammar Cheat Sheet – another ebook only
I Wrote a Book – Now What? – a self-publishing guide I removed from the market because so much has changed.
The Best Grammar Workbook Ever
50 Shades of Grammar
The Best Little Grammar Workbook Ever
Does Your Flamingo Flamenco?
The Best Grammar Collection Ever
To Comma or Not to Comma
Birds of a Feather (novel)
When Life Hands You Frogs (memoir)
Thirteen books from 2010 to 2021. How prolific I am, I thought. And for the first couple of years, I additionally had a full time teaching job. And for a few years after that, until 2015, I taught 60 percent time.
And now……well, in November 2021, during National Novel Writing Month, I wrote a romance novel. It didn’t “write itself” like my first novel (although that one didn’t exactly “sell itself”), and it needs a lot of work. So it has been sitting there for going on three years now with occasional feeble attempts to work on it. I am planning to try to finish it during November and December (of this year!). And this year, I did write a memoir that was written for specific people, and given to them, so that will not be published.
Which leads me to now. I keep up my weekly blog posts — although I have been running some older ones, since how many new ideas can you get after 14 years! (I am trying.) I do my social media every morning, part personal/part business.
And then?
I want to fix my romance novel.
I have an idea for another romance novel.
I want to get back to my songwriting of decades and decades ago.
I want to become more proficient on my keyboard so I can play my songs and even record them with multiple tracks.
I want to produce more materials for the Teachers Pay Teachers website my books are on, so that I can sell more.
I have seriously considered getting certified to be a Life Coach.
But…
I go to Starbucks. I get a fancy cold brew. I come home and sit on my lanai with a book or two and my phone so I can listen to You Tube videos. Then I finally go inside (it has been between 90 and 100 degrees here every day for about five or so months). I sit at the computer or do something useful for a while and then it is exercise time and then TV time (only two hours), and then to bed.
That doesn’t leave much time for writing or music! It all sounds good when I think about doing it. But then my motivation goes to hide somewhere. Have you seen it?
Sometimes I think, well, my books are selling well (today, but who knows about tomorrow?), and I obviously just need to do what I am doing, so why not? Maybe I just need a long time out! I am studying a new topic — a spiritual one — which is requiring a lot of time, and I am very motivated in that pursuit, so I guess all is well for now.
I just feel as if I should be more motivated to do the things that I really feel I want to do — especially the music. But I think the other thing I am working on is taking priority…
Life.
I have so many thoughts about this, and I can so relate.
I don’t have a lanai, and I don’t read much during the day, but I usually start my day with ambitious intentions and end it having taken several walks, chatted with a few neighbors, written in my journal, done some meditation, cooked dinner from scratch, and listened to numerous podcasts.
I’m endeavoring to remove “should” from my vocabulary. I don’t actually think it’s a lack of motivation so much as a shift in priorities as I get older. I often ask myself: if I were to–heaven forbid, as my mother would say!–drop dead tomorrow, would I have wanted to spend my last day with my nose in my computer figuring out book marketing, or doing all the things on the list above?
To me, the answer is obvious.
Audrey – Thank you for your insightful reply. I agree. As much as I might fight it, it is a change or priorities, whether temporary or permanent. I am aware of what my priorities are right now, and that is where my focus is. It just doesn’t look as if I am doing much! Keep enjoying your days!