My Writerly Confessions

There are some writing websites that I used to be a huge fan of when I began my writing career that while helpful, always made me feel guilty. If you’re a REAL writer, they seemed to say, you MUST have a business plan. If you’re a REAL writer, you MUST have a writing schedule.

Well, blah. I don’t have a fixed writing schedule, until last year I didn’t have a space of my own, and I’ve never for the life of me made a business plan. And I seem to be doing all right, if I may say so myself.

So here are my confessions. (Recognize any?)

1. I have never made a business plan. I have a list of life goals, a list of yearly goals, and a huge three-page to-do list. I don’t know what a business plan looks like.

2. I often forget to invoice my editors. Too often they have to remind me.

3. I set goals that are way too ambitious and almost always fall short each year. It motivates me. (What? I’m weird.)

4. I e-mail editors, I also call them and hang out with them. I just asked an editor if he’d like to get together next week to discuss a story. If past experience is any measure, we’ll have a lot of fun, but we won’t be discussing the story.

5. I wear pajamas/skirts/shorts/comfy wear when I work. None of that get-dressed-in-business-attire-every-morning for me, thanks.

6. I don’t always respond to e-mails right away. I like to take my time (and procrastinate, of course).

7. Sometimes, I’ll take a weekday off. And sometimes, I’ll work over the weekend. I have a schedule, but I’m not tied to it.

8. I never read writer’s guidelines.

All right, so those were mine. Now, out with it. What would you like to confess?