I kind of lost the plot for a while (slight pun intended).

I forgot to manage my time.

I got caught up in the business of publishing.

I have been obsessed with watching my sales rankings and trying to optimise my book’s descriptions, categories and keywords.

I forgot I should be writing. Well, perhaps it was also a form of procrastination.

I am nearing the completion of my third novel.

I have to admit none of this has got any easier. I have noted that there are certain stages I go through.

Throwing out a rough first draft is easy. Then comes the editing and rewriting. It seems it never stops.

I have stalled several times and then had to pick it up again.

A big problem is managing all the distractions.

It is so easy not to write.

You get caught up on social media, or the drive to find more readers, or the concern over your book sales. There are many hurdles to overcome.

It is also something which I now see will always be there.

I suppose if you are traditionally published you will have a publicist who will tell you what you have to do. You will have a publisher who is managing your sales.

You will be less involved with the business side.

Even with that set aside I am sure you will have to be sociable.

Gone are the days when an author can go into their cave and only come out when a new book is launched.

You need to be everywhere all the time it seems.

But then, being an author is a business.

What a spooky thing to say. I am totally anti-management.

But I have changed my attitude in one respect.

I consider my writing time something holy.

I do it every day. Not always for a long period but I do it.

It is certainly ingrained in my system. So much so that I get irritable if I haven’t carved out my words for the day.

I don’t put pressure on myself as to word counts. Whatever comes, will come. However, it won’t come at all without me investing the time in it.

I recently had a reviewer, who loved the first book in my witch series, tell me to stop eating and sleeping. They told me: just write!

I think I will print it out and paste it above my desk as a reminder.

You have to write!

Sustenance is not what stands in my way. It’s all the stuff I do when I’m not eating or sleeping.

What I do in my waking hours has to be carefully managed. Otherwise I will never complete another book.

Well, that’s enough of me being social for today. It’s back to the cave.

I’m off to finish a book.