GETTING MY SH*T TOGETHER | a very behind and trying to get on track writing vlog

[@davidfloyd800]

Haha, you're right, I would never say it even if I felt that way. But you are also correct that I do not feel that way at all! Great video

[@Castlelover100]

I've found that getting back into a routine starts with me picking up my bullet journal again. Usually when I'm creatively (or emotionally/mentally) drained, I stop working in my bujo as well. But picking it up again and working on the pages gets me excited to fill them out with my daily goals. But when I'm drained, I'm usually watching a show I love and try to evaluate the story structure and how the plot is outlined. I love understanding how story works, so even when drained from working on my own projects, I'm hopefully still trying to learn about story.

[@reginaduke7451]

You are one of the most "together" people I've ever known! But you are certainly allowed to feel the need to get your s**t together. That's probably how you stay so productive and motivated. Great video, as always. I must watch it before running errands. LOL Hugs and love.

[@vesperstudio]

Usually when I'm creatively drained in terms of my writing, I turn to other creative projects (like painting) to shift the focus completely and forget about what I wrote. Sometimes this brings about some much needed epiphanies, haha. I'm at this point now in my novel that I'm almost DONE with it, like revised and edited type of done, but it needed some minor changes and additions that I just couldn't put my finger on - and bam, spent the whole Easter holiday painting, and suddenly I know what to do! The mere thought of actually finishing a full novel and sending it to print within DAYS (just for myself for now) is enough of a motivator for me. Hope this helps! Love your videos

[@savannahray9507]

You talked about how you feel that finishing the first project unlocks a skill and all that and although I have completed many first drafts, I haven't completed a first draft in 3 years, I've barely written in 3 years, and now im struggling to stick with a project. The idea that finishing one might get me back to being able to finish more later was really encouraging to hear as someone getting back into it

[@bytheBrooke]

Way to get shit done, Kate! Also, glad it wasn't a scary vet visit. Also, Vin playing with the dogs warms my heart!

[@MistyMess]

I love morning words too. It's a great way to start the day, and I'm so much more motivated for the rest of the day after starting with a strong morning. Happy Writing

[@bhsprinkle]

Your intro was so peaceful! Thank you for sharing an update on where you're at. Ps. The intensity of the music for the second espresso was terrific.

[@Amy_Mi6]

The amount of theatrics involved in that second cup of espresso tho 😂🤘 love it!!

[@crowatheart]

The best way I get out of a slump is to start with really short sprints. Like 5-10 minutes of just fiddling around with a project. Reviewing my outline/brain dump document to see what scenes I'm excited to write about. I will just write in any project that excites me and then once I sort of get into the swing of things, I'll ease back into my normal routine. I always liken jumping back into writing with going to the gym for the first time in a month or riding a bike for the first time in four months. You wouldn't hop back into a strenuous workout, you'll ease in with shorter/lighter things until you're comfortable again. So, with writing, I start short and exciting and then work my way back into longer sprints and a more "rigid" schedule.

[@exploringallgenres]

Finally found time to sit down and listen to your podcast today and I am loving it! I also need to keep my goals where I can see them or else I will lose track of them. Planners are great but I definitely have a habit of writing stuff in it then not looking at it again for a week, which doesn't really help because then I miss all of the stuff I was supposed to do over the week. I use Sundays as my get shit together days, as that way I am set up for the week ahead. I'm working back into a routine of writing after hitting major burnout at the beginning of the year thanks to milwordy. I still struggle to really sit and write for more than a minute or two but slowly its coming back to me. Using this time to get lots of reading done and catching up on some shows I have been meaning to watch.

[@ringsroses]

Usually when things get off track in a big way (like right now is week six of intermittent interruptions by a huge plumbing project that pretty much destroyed my routine) I return to writing books that I've used to get out of ruts or blocks. I think it helps to have someone else's perspective when my own becomes overwhelmed with the need to get back on track. It usually helps me realize that I'm actually going to be fine and gets me excited again.

[@EmmaBennetAuthor]

I'm a newbie AuthorTuber and so many people are recommending your videos! So glad I've started checking them out.x

[@Amy_Mi6]

Yay! It's check in with Kate time!!

[@AbiofPellinor]

I loved this! Great motivation to get off my arse!

[@sarahmontsinger5506]

This video definitely felt like a classic training montage - like you’re preparing for some big fight or showdown or something

[@jessdinning]

Kate! I loved this vlog!! It was so put together 🥰 and I loved see all your behind the scenes organising. So satisfying and insightful 😀

[@fallenfiction]

I'm in a "super behind and trying to get caught up" mode, too. My day job just did a big shift so I'm trying to keep up with that as well as the writing/starting a KZbin (you can tell by my 0 videos how THAT'S going lol) and my twitch streaming. It's a nightmare, and I'm feeling fairly overwhelmed. One thing I've noticed that's not helping with that is that all my current writing projects are at the same stage in the writing process. I'm going from editing to editing, which was not a good idea. I'm thinking of focusing on the one I can get to a 'complete' stage instead of trying to jump back and forth since I'm just not sure it's working going from editing project to editing project and having no way to expend some of the pent up creative energy that just wants to *write.* As for refilling the well, I try not to get too separated from my projects. Even when I'm watching movies or playing video games, I'll have a notebook nearby to write down ideas or something on my phone. I try not to take too much time away becuase it is more difficult to get back into the swing of things when you've taken time off. But when a total break has occured, I'll start small and celebrate small victories, even if that victory is "I wrote three sentences." Is it the progress I wanted? No, certainly not, but it's 3 sentences that weren't there before, and they're something to celebrate after however long away from writing.

[@MargaretPinard]

Not the cute animal companions AND the sophisticated coffee-making!! I second Amy Ray's comment about the dramatics of that second interlude with music!! 🎉🤩💪🏽

[@Kittina2412]

Hi Kate! Your video really got me thinking. I have lots on my plate with work and family stuff, so I havent written anything in April yet. I have the reviews of my betareaders and I just have to work through them and then I can go on. I'm so exhausted and need a plan to get anything done :( I miss writing when I see you there 😭

[@SarahCahillWrites]

love the vibes of the vlog! My routine (and my motivation,) is trash since I went full time at work, but I need to figure something out and hopefully get back into the swing of things.

[@Rec426]

This video motivated me so much to get out of bed 😅 I’ve had a really lazy Easter weekend since I had a stressful week the last week before the weekend. When it came to the weekend I was thinking that I need some time off and I think I was right. Now tho I’m ready to get back on with things. I’m mainly talking about my dissertation but like you I do have other writing projects too. I want to get on top of them and my reading this week if possible. Thanks for the motivation! Hope you get a lot of writing done now! :)

[@jesscooperwheatley8668]

What planner do you use Kate? Looks like a great layout. Love this style of video! Thanks for helping me get into the grove to start my own day.

[@maebelline]

I’ve been thinking about an idea for a novel that really excites me, BUT I’m currently writing a research proposal and many many essays for my uni degree so I don’t have time to write it (aghh!!) these videos have become a great way for me to live vicariously through you bahahah

[@icona3406]

I had the same problem during uni days. Hang on, your time will come! :)

[@User-zl8uj]

I have a brain dump in my notes for this very reason, and when I'm at work I write notes on receipt paper 😂

[@noahatlas5240]

What a great way to start my day ❤️

[@hannahreeves6300]

The montage scenes were so much fun!

[@terencejohnson4502]

A few years ago, I found Dan Millman and his philosophy. Part of the teachings were, you can do anything you want so long as you take responsibility. Meaning when I'm sulking and not prepared to do anything, that's fine. But then I'm lucky, unlike you I've no deadlines, no one waiting for that latest offering. Writing a monthly blog is hard enough. Never have any trouble getting back to writing fiction, I love the creativity.

[@AngelaDrakeA]

Hi Kate. I so hear you on the behind thing. Seems like I've not been able to catch a break this year. I'm feeling back to 'normal' for the first time in weeks. Camp Nano hasn't gone well, but I knew I wouldn't be writing the first 2 weeks while hubby was home so there's hope, right? I have to get this book finished. Pressure? Maybe but I want to release 2 books this year and I've just gotten the rights back to my first/ only traditional published book and want to release that one as well. I just need to clean up the edits the publisher put back in after we did edits. Ugh and order a cover that actually fits the story/ characters. Today actually begins Camp Nano for me. We got this! All my best ~Angela

[@destinyperry7475]

I need that purple keyboard in my life 😍

[@MargaretPinard]

Opposition to starting YET AGAIN??? I don't know WHAT you're talking about, Kate....😅 my go-to for restarting, after I feel pepped back up, is probably blank space, new materials, maybe a new or unusual writing spot, and doing it solo, rather than with the usual accountability audience, because performance anxiety will kill any new buds wanting to open up. Bringing it back to learning to play on my own lets me work back up to playing major league (HA!) 🤗💕💪🏽

[@trickyjeans5303]

First! Love ya Kate!

[@booksnnails]

Routine? What routine? Where do I get one of those?

[@sydney2802]

I was actually editing this Camp but I quickly shifted my focus to more time-sensitive writing endeavors (AKA finding contests and participating) so that fell by the wayside. I'm still writing, just not in the way I thought I would be. As for getting back into the groove of writing again after a break, it's always a 50/50 kind of thing for me. Half the times I'm practically vibrating to start again and can get right into it and half the time I have to be patient and work myself up by doing small increments as far as word goals.

[@nikkihyson1431]

Where did you get that awesome keyboard? It's just lovely!

[@PositiveWriterr]

i look forward to you posting. i love you so muchahahah

[@MartaCanPixel]

I totally get what you mean about struggling to start something after not doing it for a while. During busy periods at work it tends to be hard for me to write from Monday to Friday, so when I open my book again on Saturdays it's like... how do you do words again? I also had a very similar start of camp, spending week 1 playing catch-up with some over-running March-projects, and then getting my shit together in week 2 :P

[@NeverAskedtobeMade1390]

My routine has been so thrown off the last few weeks. First, I've been moved around in my office because a co-worker quit and now I have to pick up the slack because we have no one else to do it, then I was in a production of Henry VI part 2 and rehearsals took my weeknights away for a week. The show resulted in my dad contracting Covid (he's fine, it was super mild but still), and then my mom contracting it. I've been house/pet-sitting for a friend which has not only thrown off my writing routine, but every other routine I have as she has some very needy pets and going from being able to just close my door at night and my own pupper settling down elsewhere to having two cats fighting over space on your bed and a puppy constantly coming in to make sure you're still there all night long has left me with little sleep and almost no writing being done. I'm hoping I can get back my routine soon, definitely starting with my sleep schedule first. I'm on track to finish Camp with my original 10k goal, but I am most certainly not writing daily and it feels extremely disappointing.

[@meanncat3050]

I usually just have shorter sessions when getting back into the groove of things because usually after a creative break things seem so intimidating to me so the shorter sessions are nice way to just do it and remind myself that it isn't that big. ^^

[@joeycron2831]

Totally not the point of this video, but I was kind of jamming out to some of the transition / background music in this video 😂 I’ve been on a really fun loop where I’ll write for 2 weeks consistently and then just fizzle out and take a month off. I think the issue is that I’ve been doing sort of a headlights writing process for my most recent projects and I’ve only ever had success with writing very detailed outlines. So to get back on track, I’m trying to go back and really figure out everything that I want to happen in this story.

[@kathrynstubbs4519]

At 10:45. what are you recording in what appears to be a journal? I could stand to be more organized!

[@MaigaVidal]

I hope Buffy is okay ❤️❤️❤️

[@happinesss2]

seriously is buffy okay?? D: she's the sweetest

[@CarverBain]

Vin looks just like our cat that we adopted around the same time as you and whenever I see him, I think "Fran! What are you doing there?"

[@rainyhammer9235]

You should plug your podcast in the description of your videos.

[@nviz47]

Guys, I am sorry if this is an obvious question 😅 but did Kate recently-ish (like this or last month) post a link for a really really long character questionnaire?

[@sjryarbrough]

You have a podcast called “Making Money, Making Art” ??!! Where can I listen!

[@Julia-lg7dt]

Where’s your big planner from?

[@MrDragonwriter]

Wait. You have a podcast? Am I missing the link in the bio?

[@davidfloyd800]

It's on her website. You can find them here: readwriteroam.blog/the-making-money-making-art-podcast/

[@AuthorZaraHoffman]

Hi Kate! If you need help with the social media planning stuff, I do have a service for it via my Ko-fi BUT I'd be happy to send you my social media planner template for free?

[@currentlyearth8867]

I wish I was “The boyfriend”❤️❤️❤️

[@milodennison]

Does this mean texting me back

[@milodennison]

Hey