"Write now is good."

Welcome, Lifehack readers!

A big thanks to Lifehack for naming my blog one of their "10 Sites Every Writer Should Bookmark (Besides Lifehack)" as part of their "The Ultimate Writing Productivity Resource". I am truly honored!

So, new visitors, what would you like to see here? I often take feedback from readers. Please leave a comment if you have any questions or suggestions for me. Lively conversations are always welcome.

Based on past reader ideas, I featured a very successful blog series for writers and creatives called "Organizing the Writing Life". Click here to read all twelve posts; each one provides solid insight and practical methods for making one's writing life more efficient, productive and enjoyable.

Welcome, everyone, and enjoy!

"Organizing the Writing Life" Day 6: Working with a Virtual Assistant, and Series Wrap-up

Photo: Tightrope walker and assistant by Cyradis

Welcome, everyone, to Day 6 of "Organizing the Writing Life."

If you're joining us again, welcome back! If you're new to the series, I want to introduce you to guest blogger Sharon Sarmiento, an Online Business Manager whose work "involves managing the daily operations of online businesses and streamlining processes to maximize personal and business productivity." She also writes an inspiring blog, eSoup, and her passion for helping people thrive in their lives through better organization has landed her in the Boston Globe and more than twenty other newspapers.

In addition to running her own e-business, Sharon is a painter and writer who is familiar with the organizational struggles that creatives face. For today, Sharon will generously share her knowledge and insight to benefit us all. Today's topic, based on blog-reader questions, is:

Working with a Virtual Assistant

Reader questions: What does it cost to hire a Virtual Assistant? What is it like working with one?

Sharon's answer:

Regarding cost, isn't this the question everyone wonders? :-)

VA's are in private practice, so they set their fees according to their skills, their experience, their reputation and their niche. In general, you can expect to pay between $30-$75 per hour for a top-notch Virtual Assistant.

Remember that a VA's time is 100% productive. You don't pay for down time, only for the time that the VA spends actively working on your stuff. You also don't have the headache that goes along with having an employee (payroll, worker's comp, health insurance, yada yada).

It's a relationship between equals, not a boss/employee sort of thing, so there's no managing or supervising involved (at least this is the way I and the VA's I know do it). Also, when you're working solo, it's especially helpful to have another person who knows you and your business inside and out who you can bounce ideas off of and brainstorm with. Your VA is there to clink the virtual glass of champagne with you :-) when you've had a milestone or success, and they're also there to console and encourage you when you're going through a hard time. It goes way beyond just completing tasks of the moment.

I approach a VA/Client relationship as a collaborative, long-term partnership, a nurturing relationship where we both join forces to work toward the client's goals. It totally shatters the old fashioned boss-assistant paradigm (in a good way!).

Wrap-up note from Sharon:

It's been a pleasure and a privilege to be able to guest blog on "Write now is good.", and I've enjoyed it. You readers have asked some wonderful questions and made encouraging comments, and I appreciate that!

I hope all of you have gotten something out of the series, and that all this productivity stuff doesn't seem overwhelming or like too much trouble. I know it's easy to get excited about "getting organized," but then when you're in the trenches, it can seem like a lot of work, which can be discouraging.

It doesn't have to be that way, though. Any tiny amount of getting things out of your head and into a list will help with your peace of mind. You can take baby steps at first, and over time work up to the more full throttle stuff. :-)

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Any questions or comments for Sharon? We want to hear from you — drop a comment, and let's keep the conversation going.

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Thank you so much, Sharon, for teaching us so much about ways to make our writing and creative lives more efficient and productive. I found your words helpful and inspiring.

And thank you, everyone, for reading, asking, commenting and being part of the conversation. We couldn't have done this without you!

All the best,
Kristin (KG) of "Write now is good."

The entire "OWL" series posts, in addition to today's, are:

• Day 1 — The maximum-efficiency desk
• Day 2 — Maximize time AND juggle multiple projects
• Day 2 (update) — iPod as "motivational timer"
• Day 3 — The BEST organizational system ever (Part 1)
• Day 3 (update) — Beware of shiny notebooks
• Day 4 — The BEST organizational system ever (Part 2)
• Day 5 — Delegate tasks to save time

* Next Tuesday, May 15th: "Write now is good." will feature an interview with an author who's broken new ground with his book. Fascinating subject matter. Stay tuned, and we hope to see you then.

Reminder: Last day of "Organizing the Writing Life" tomorrow

Guest blogger and organization guru Sharon Sarmiento will present her last post on "Organizing the Writing Life" here at "Write now is good." tomorrow. In it, she'll discuss how to find and work with a "virtual assistant," and also provide some parting words of wisdom to creative types longing to get more organized.

If you've had any lingering questions or comments, tomorrow will be a great time to share them.

We look forward to seeing you then!

"Organizing the Writing Life" Day 5: Delegate tasks to save time

Photo: The Writer 2 by Michael Hirst

Welcome, everyone, to Day 5 of "Organizing the Writing Life."

If you're joining us again, welcome back! If you're new to the series, I want to introduce you to guest blogger Sharon Sarmiento, an Online Business Manager whose work "involves managing the daily operations of online businesses and streamlining processes to maximize personal and business productivity." She also writes an inspiring blog, eSoup, and her passion for helping people thrive in their lives through better organization has landed her in the Boston Globe and more than twenty other newspapers.

In addition to running her own e-business, Sharon is a painter and writer who is familiar with the organizational struggles that creatives face. For today and next Tuesday, Sharon will generously share her knowledge and insight to benefit us all. Today's topic, based on blog-reader questions, is:

Delegate tasks to save time

Reader question: What tasks can a writer delegate to save time?

Sharon's answer:

Great question! This is kind of subjective, though, because each writer’s day is different. What I recommend is to keep a pad of paper with you for a week or so. As you’re going about your day and doing tasks, write down anything that you’re doing that doesn't absolutely need your personal attention to get done. This could be managing your email, making phone calls, proof reading, paying your bills, keeping on top of your schedule, buying gifts for upcoming birthdays -- ­it doesn't have to be stuff associated with writing.

The idea is for a Virtual Assistant (VA) to take as much off your plate as possible so that you can focus on the things that only you can do (such as the writing).

In general though, here are a few writing-related activities that a Virtual Assistant could help with:

1. Online research: This could be research to be included in the book you’re writing (example: if you’re writing a historical or non-fiction book) or it could be marketing research. I've worked with one author who, before pitching a book idea to his editor, asked me to research the top-selling books in his niche, how popular they were, and what topics they were about. He also wanted me to tell him if I noticed any potential areas within his niche that weren't yet being covered by other books. With the info I brought back to him, when he was pitching his new idea for a book, he was able to honestly tell his editor/publisher that there were no other books on the market on his proposed book topic yet. After doing the research, I also helped him brainstorm some hooks and different angles to make his book more marketable.

2. Organizing online and offline marketing for the book: This could be organizing a virtual or “real life” ;-)  book launch and all the marketing facets that go along with it (blog, online article writing and submission, public appearances at bookstores, e-mail newsletter). A Virtual Assistant would also be the main contact person to send free books to reviewers, journalists, and radio and TV hosts. A VA could also be the networker who works with venues where the author might want to appear. (See my article on how to do an online book launch.)

3. Managing your blog. Lots of writers are now using blogs to develop the content of their books, and Virtual Assistants can manage the blogging admin (posting, managing comments and emails related to the blog). If you're a writer who does online article submission, your VA can also set up your account at the article submission site and execute the online article writing campaign. (I've got a post called "HowTo Execute A Kick-ass Online Article Writing Campaign" if you're interested.)

4. Managing your schedule and being your “gatekeeper”. Wouldn't it be nice if we all had someone standing between us and the folks who want stuff from us? This is sort of like having a bodyguard :-) except a VA is guarding your *time* instead of your body. When a VA is your gatekeeper, no one gets to you without first going through the VA (except for friends and family, of course!), and anytime you're asked to do something that you don't want to do, the VA politely declines on your behalf. I've also noticed that when you have a VA who is your gatekeeper/representative, it makes a very professional impression on everyone who contacts you. It's like people think, "La-de-da, you've got your own assistant now. Aren't we moving up in the world :-)?" Watch out though -- your friends and colleagues will be green with envy! After all, who wouldn't love having an assistant?

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Any questions or comments for Sharon? We want to hear from you — drop a comment, and let's keep the conversation going.

Our next, and last, week's topic (May 8th): Working with a Virtual Assistant, and Series Wrap-up

See you then!

Bonus links: All of the "OWL" series posts so far —

• Day 1 — The maximum-efficiency desk
• Day 2 — Maximize time AND juggle multiple projects
• Day 2 (update) — iPod as "motivational timer"
• Day 3 — The BEST organizational system ever (Part 1)
• Day 3 (update) — Beware of shiny notebooks
• Day 4 — The BEST organizational system ever (Part 2)

Reminder: Tasks that writers can delegate, here tomorrow

Tomorrow is Day 5 of the "Organizing the Writing Life" series on "Write now is good."

Organization guru Sharon Sarmiento will post about tasks that writers can delegate to save time, give them more energy to write, and maximize their output and efficiency.

See you then!

"Organizing the Writing Life" Day 4: The BEST Organizational System Ever (Part 2)

Photo: Water Drips by Allen Rockwell 

Welcome, everyone, to Day 4 of "Organizing the Writing Life."

If you're joining us again, welcome back! If you're new to the series, I want to introduce you to guest blogger Sharon Sarmiento, an Online Business Manager whose work "involves managing the daily operations of online businesses and streamlining processes to maximize personal and business productivity." She also writes an inspiring blog, eSoup, and her passion for helping people thrive in their lives through better organization has landed her in the Boston Globe and more than twenty other newspapers.

In addition to running her own e-business, Sharon is a painter and writer who is familiar with the organizational struggles that creatives face. For today and the following two Tuesdays, Sharon will generously share her knowledge and insight to benefit us all. Today's topic, based on blog-reader questions, is:

The Best Organizational System (Part 2) — Continuation of last week's post on "Getting Things Done" (GTD)

Reader question: Is there one catch-all system under which writers can organize everything related to a writing project?

Also, one reader asked in a comment from last week's post: Is GTD something you buy? 

Sharon's answer (part 2):

1) GTD is not something that you buy, it's just a system for organizing. So, you can just use a notebook or plain loose-leaf paper in a binder to do the system, or whatever works for you. There is a book, called Getting Things Done: The Art of Stress-Free Productivity by David Allen. I bought it used for about $9 at Amazon, but if you don't want to buy it, you can just read my blog :-).

2) I've heard that the GTD mantra is "mind like water". What the heck does that mean?

What happens when you toss a stone into a completely calm pool of water?

Ripples emanate from the center in perfect response to the impact of the stone. The water neither under-reacts nor overreacts. It simply reacts appropriately to the situation, then it returns to calm.

The "mind like water" concept is that our ability to be productive is directly in proportion to our ability to relax. The better we're able to react appropriately to situations and return to a state of calm, the more we'll be able to get done.

It's a state of mental focus where you're completely relaxed, in control, completely aware of your surroundings, yet 100% focused on the task at hand.

You are not overly exerting yourself or "gutting it out" or straining in any way. You're simply relaxed, focused, and able to exert minimal effort while still operating at optimum efficiency. This is what we're shooting for with the GTD approach.

3) What are the main concepts behind GTD?

Let me refer you to Merlin Mann's wonderful wiki on Getting Things Done, in which he states:

The core of GTD consists of a sequence of routines for dealing with incoming claims on your time. These routines are intended to provide a system for dealing with tasks that takes things off your mind by being external and trust-worthy:

a) The Collection stage is where all stuff is gathered together in an unstructured manner. This stage involves writing down whatever things one can think of that needs doing (possibly using trigger lists), and all places where relevant information might accumulate, such as in folders and drawers, are emptied into one place.

b) The Process  stage is where these items are sorted, and the further activity needed by them is decided. For each item, one asks:

--- Does the item require further action?  If so, we can either (i) do it now, recommended for tasks that can be completed in under 2 minutes, (ii) delegate it and place it on a monitor list, or (iii) defer it, by assigning a next action to it and placing it on an action list.

--- If not then we should look for any value the item has. Might the item suggest future action given further thought? Then we should incubate it, putting it on a sometime/maybe list.  Does the item have archive value?  Then file it.

--- If the item demands no action, is not a spur to future thought, and does not have reference value, then it is junk and you can junk it.

c) The Organize stage takes these sorted items and puts them together in a form than can be used through the day for allocating tasks to time.

d) Regular Reviews ensure the organization is a system that can be trusted, by scheduling collect & process stages to ensure that nothing escapes, ensuring that projects are associated with sensible next actions, pruning action lists of irrelevant actions, and looking over sometime/maybe lists for new spurs to action.

e) Finally, through the working day, the Do stage uses the organized task lists to get things done.

Whew--Great synopsis by Merlin!

When you're trying to start a new time-management system, it can feel overwhelming because you think it's going to up-end your life (and your desk), wanting you to buy lots of fancy organizing tools and stuff, but you really don't need any fancy devices (unless you'd like to go for a fancy pencil and fancy paper :-)). If all of the steps seem overwhelming, you can make a huge impact on your productivity simply by taking the first baby step of getting a binder with tabs or a divided notebook and doing a mind sweep of all the things that are floating around your head.

For anything that is on your mind, whether it's your mother's upcoming birthday, the book you're writing, or the overall meaning of life, get that information out of your head and into one of your lists. The lists are pretty simple, but they have the potential to make a powerful impact in your ability to relax, which improves productivity and creativity.

For me, I think the two life-changing ideas behind GTD are the "mind like water" mentality (the more you can relax, the more you can get done), and also the idea of "stop trying to store information in your brain".

Here are some additional Getting Things Done resources:

1. "GTD Recap"

2. "Multi-tasking is a fairytale"

3. "GTD Overview"

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Any questions or comments for Sharon? We want to hear from you — drop a comment, and let's keep the conversation going.

Next week's topic (May 1st): Delegate tasks to save time

See you then!

Bonus links: Here are all of the "OWL" series posts so far —

• Day 1 — The maximum-efficiency desk
• Day 2 — Maximize time AND juggle multiple projects
• Day 2 (update) — iPod as "motivational timer"
• Day 3 — The BEST organizational system ever (Part 1)
• Day 3 (update) — Beware of shiny notebooks

Reminder: More organization for writers tomorrow

Tomorrow is Day 4 of the "Organizing the Writing Life" series with organization guru (and guest blogger) Sharon Sarmiento.

She'll cover more about the "best" organizational system ever, and also some great questions related to last week's post.

See you back here on Tuesday!

"Organizing the Writing Life" Day 3 Update: Beware of shiny notebooks

Photo: Shiny new notebook by Kira Girl

Organization guru Sharon Sarmiento continues to share her vast, helpful knowledge. I asked what kinds of notebooks she recommended creatives use to get organized, and here's her answer:

That's funny that you should ask that about what kind of notebooks and calendars that I use, because just yesterday, to go along with this post, I wrote this:
"Productivity Tools: Avoiding the "shiny, shiny" trap".

Basically, I just use a Mead 3 subject notebook I found at Target. It probably cost less than $5.

For the calendar, I use a generic monthly/weekly organizer also found at Target. It doesn't matter what the brand is, just as long as it's the right size for you (some folks like bigger, others smaller) and it has it so you can write stuff in the weekly area.

It's all pretty simple--all stuff you could find at Walmart or Target. If you wanted to, you could make your own dayplanner list system from scratch by going to diyplanner.com.

Beware though--I sort of got obsessed with the idea of crafting my own dayplanner a few months ago, and it ended up taking way more time than it should :-). In the end, I just decided to buy the notebook and the organizer.

My conclusion is that for these lists, simpler is better. As long as you have a notebook, a pencil, and a calendar you can write in, you're good to go. :-)

"Organizing the Writing Life" Day 3: The BEST Organizational System Ever (Part 1)

Photo: Success by kevinthoule

Welcome, everyone, to Day 3 of "Organizing the Writing Life."

If you're joining us again, welcome back! If you're new to the series, I want to introduce you to guest blogger Sharon Sarmiento, an Online Business Manager whose work "involves managing the daily operations of online businesses and streamlining processes to maximize personal and business productivity." She also writes an inspiring blog, eSoup, and her passion for helping people thrive in their lives through better organization has landed her in the Boston Globe and more than twenty other newspapers.

In addition to running her own e-business, Sharon is a painter and writer who is familiar with the organizational struggles that creatives face. For today and the following three Tuesdays, Sharon will generously share her knowledge and insight to benefit us all. Today's topic, based on blog-reader questions, is:

The Best Organizational System (Part 1)

Reader question: Is there one catch-all system under which writers can organize everything related to a writing project?

Sharon's answer:

Yup. As far as keeping things organized, I recommend and use the productivity system called “Getting Things Done” (GTD), created by David Allen. This system isn’t unique to writers--it's a simple system that works for everyone from gas station attendants to the CEOs of major companies. It doesn't matter what you do for a living.

GTD has sort of a cult-like following on the Internet (and when I say "cult-like", I mean that in the healthiest, most productive way), so there's a good chance that you've seen the initials GTD floating around the blogosphere and have perhaps wondered what the big deal is.

Here's a little Q & A to get you acquainted with what the GTD hubbub is about:

1) What are the benefits of using the GTD system?

Well, according to David Allen's website,

Implementing GTD alleviates the feeling of overwhelm, instills confidence, and releases a flood of creative energy. It provides structure without constraint, managing details with maximum flexibility. The system rigorously adheres to the core principles of productivity, while allowing tremendous freedom in the "how." The only "right" way to do GTD is getting meaningful things done with truly the least amount of invested attention and energy.

2) How does it increase creativity?

As a creative person myself and someone who works with people I like to call "creative visionaries," I've noticed that one of the hallmarks of creative personalities is the daily (sometimes hourly) influx of new ideas. Now, some of the ideas are absolutely amazing and are definitely worth pursuing, and others are, although extremely creative, less feasible to be implemented in the real world.

With creative people, many times we'll have so many ideas that it's hard to know which ones to pursue, which ones to let slide, and which ones to file away to be tackled someday in the future.

I've seen it so many times--entrepreneurs or creative thinkers who are not executing their best ideas because their best ideas are getting lost in the shuffle. What I have found is that GTD helps me get these ideas off my mind (or get the ideas off a client's mind), so that our minds are free to concentrate on one thing at a time.

To do this idea-capturing thing, I use a simple list making system. Here are my lists:

1. A calendar--to house my to-do items that have a specific date and time
2. Next Actions--basically a to-do list without specific dates and times
3. Someday/Maybe--stuff I'd like to do someday eventually
4. Waiting For--things that need input from other people before I proceed
5. On-the-go--this is a little spiral bound memo book that I keep in my purse. If I'm out and about and I get an idea or it pops in my mind that there's something I need to do, right away I write it down on the on-the-go list I keep with me. When I get home, I can transfer the item to the appropriate list.

There's nothing that says you can't keep these lists electronically, but I have a soft spot in my heart for old-fashioned paper and pencil, so all of my lists are in hard-copy form. This also means that no matter where I am when I come up with ideas of things I need/want to do, I can simply pull out the paper list and write it down.

3) Is this system a pain in the butt to implement?

Not really. I mean, you do have to change the way you view and process incoming information, but it's really not rocket science. It's just lists and simple time management strategies. One thing about this system though, is that it's more of a lifestyle than a work strategy. It's something you do for your life, rather than just at the office.

To learn more and get ready for Part 2 next week, here are a few "Getting Things Done" resources:

1. "The Top 5 Ways to Immediately Improve Your Life"

2. "HowTo have more peace of mind and increase your productivity"

3. "HowTo master workflow: Stop storing info in your brain"

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Any questions or comments for Sharon? We want to hear from you — drop a comment, and let's keep the conversation going.

Next week's topic (April 24th): The BEST organizational system ever! (Part 2)

See you then!

Bonus links: Take a peek at previous posts from the "OWL" series —

• Day 1 — The maximum-efficiency desk
• Day 2 — Maximize time AND juggle multiple projects
• Day 2 (update) — iPod as "motivational timer"

Reminder: Writers, get even more organized tomorrow (right here!)

On Tuesday, April 17th, the third installment of "Organizing the Writing Life" will feature some very helpful organizational systems for writers.

Organization guru Sharon Sarmiento will discuss additional tips and tools to help creatives get their energies focused and productive, so be sure to drop by. She will also respond to any additional questions or comments you have.

If you missed the first two weeks, or want a quick refresher, check out:
• Day 1 — The maximum-efficiency desk
• Day 2 — Maximize time AND juggle multiple projects
• Day 2 (update) — iPod as "motivational timer"

See you then!