NOSTALGIC MOMENT
Monday, November 18, 2013
How Do You Balance a Full Time Job and Writing?
By Stephanie Payne Hurt
Juggling a job and family can be hard to do sometimes, but when you add writing into the mix it can get hectic. As a busy Accountant I put in manyhours, but I’m also a children’s minister too, not to mention a mother, wife, and writer. It’s amazing how I find little pockets of time here and there to write.
I’ve learned a lot about myself in the year since I published my first book. I was overwhelmed at first, but as time went by, I realized the dream I’d had since I was a teenager had come true. I was a published writer. I’ve been writing since I was a teenager which was a long time ago and we won’t talk about how long.
The first step to finding the time is to make a list of your jobs. Sit down and make a schedule. I learned that I could clean house on Saturday mornings and spend the afternoon writing. I also realized that while I was sitting at night watching television, I could have my laptop in my lap writing. I usually do my best writing while sitting with my family at night.
Prioritizing my day has helped a lot. I’ve even set up a schedule in my accounting office to make sure that I complete everything needing to be done, but I also have time in the mornings to blog, tweet and do my author promotions. It’s amazing how much time I wasted just going through the normal day to day things.
In 2012 I published six novels, which amazed me. My first was “Ghost Lover” and it was all uphill from there. I was never a social butterfly so doing the social media round was a little daunting, but I managed it. Now I’m on every site I can manage. I now have nine books published and five in progress. I could never do all this without my wonderful assistant. She edits my books, all I do is tell her about my idea for a cover, and she designs it. I write contemporary romance, Christian romance and historical.
So, if you have the desire to write, you can find the time if you prioritize. Don’t let your dreams die but let them flourish and take flight. You’ll be glad you did. The fans you meet through writing can be great people and the support you get is amazing. It’s great to hear from fans. I’ve now got people from all over the world writing to me and asking for advice or just to tell me how they like my books. It always makes this southern girl smile.
Stephanie Hurt lives in Georgia with her husband Tommy and their son Hunter, along with two dogs, Daisy and Jake. When Stephanie is not lost in one of the worlds that she creates, she’s an accountant and children’s minister. She has been writing the stories that fill her mind since she was a teenager. The moment a story comes into her mind, she’s mesmerized and soon she’s diving into the story with a cup of hot green tea and a notebook. Before long, the story has bones and is ready for the laptop. She happily types away in the early morning and at night. You can always find her with a notebook full of stories that have yet to come to life. Follow her journey in each of her over 40 published works!
Stephanie Payne Hurt loves to hear from fans and hopes that she’s helped them go to another world for at least a while!
Connect with Author:
Twitter: https://twitter.com/StephanieHurt4
Email: https://stephaniehurt4@gmail.com
Website: www.stephaniehurtauthor.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/StephaniePayneHurt
Sign up for my newsletter at www.stephaniehurtauthor.com to keep up with upcoming events and new releases.
How Do You Balance a Full Time Job and Writing?
By Stephanie Payne Hurt
Juggling a job and family can be hard to do sometimes, but when you add writing into the mix it can get hectic. As a busy Accountant I put in manyhours, but I’m also a children’s minister too, not to mention a mother, wife, and writer. It’s amazing how I find little pockets of time here and there to write.
I’ve learned a lot about myself in the year since I published my first book. I was overwhelmed at first, but as time went by, I realized the dream I’d had since I was a teenager had come true. I was a published writer. I’ve been writing since I was a teenager which was a long time ago and we won’t talk about how long.
The first step to finding the time is to make a list of your jobs. Sit down and make a schedule. I learned that I could clean house on Saturday mornings and spend the afternoon writing. I also realized that while I was sitting at night watching television, I could have my laptop in my lap writing. I usually do my best writing while sitting with my family at night.
Prioritizing my day has helped a lot. I’ve even set up a schedule in my accounting office to make sure that I complete everything needing to be done, but I also have time in the mornings to blog, tweet and do my author promotions. It’s amazing how much time I wasted just going through the normal day to day things.
In 2012 I published six novels, which amazed me. My first was “Ghost Lover” and it was all uphill from there. I was never a social butterfly so doing the social media round was a little daunting, but I managed it. Now I’m on every site I can manage. I now have nine books published and five in progress. I could never do all this without my wonderful assistant. She edits my books, all I do is tell her about my idea for a cover, and she designs it. I write contemporary romance, Christian romance and historical.
So, if you have the desire to write, you can find the time if you prioritize. Don’t let your dreams die but let them flourish and take flight. You’ll be glad you did. The fans you meet through writing can be great people and the support you get is amazing. It’s great to hear from fans. I’ve now got people from all over the world writing to me and asking for advice or just to tell me how they like my books. It always makes this southern girl smile.
Stephanie Hurt lives in Georgia with her husband Tommy and their son Hunter, along with two dogs, Daisy and Jake. When Stephanie is not lost in one of the worlds that she creates, she’s an accountant and children’s minister. She has been writing the stories that fill her mind since she was a teenager. The moment a story comes into her mind, she’s mesmerized and soon she’s diving into the story with a cup of hot green tea and a notebook. Before long, the story has bones and is ready for the laptop. She happily types away in the early morning and at night. You can always find her with a notebook full of stories that have yet to come to life. Follow her journey in each of her over 40 published works!
Stephanie Payne Hurt loves to hear from fans and hopes that she’s helped them go to another world for at least a while!
Connect with Author:
Twitter: https://twitter.com/StephanieHurt4
Email: https://stephaniehurt4@gmail.com
Website: www.stephaniehurtauthor.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/StephaniePayneHurt
Sign up for my newsletter at www.stephaniehurtauthor.com to keep up with upcoming events and new releases.
Thanks Stephanie for your post. You now that is just as true today as it was then.
ReplyDeleteI took your advice and I am trying to prioritize my day better so that I can balance everything in my day-to-day schedule. Thank you so much.
Stephanie, I believe we make time for the things we're passionate about. :-) It's still hard though because life comes at us fast sometimes. Good post.
ReplyDelete