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I am a writer. I should be writing. I have two people to kill off in my next novel (spoiler alert). Although I think I’m a pretty good writer, I’m an even better procrastinator.

Here are ten ways I waste time instead of working on my novel:

1. Facebook. I belong to a number of Facebook groups. I have more virtual friends than physical friends. So, first thing I do is check my notifications. Did someone mention me in a comment? Did they comment on a post that I am following? Did they share a link? I have a profile page as well as an author page. Lots of activity.

Of course, then I check the newest comments and posts. Then I leave comments. Now it’s time to check my notifications again to see if anyone commented on my comments. Then I have to comment on their comments. (I don’t want to be rude.) The cycle continues on and off all day. Every day.

2. Amazon Dashboard. This is an awesome way to waste time. This is where authors can check how many books they’ve sold that day and how many pages have been read by people who ordered their books through Kindle Unlimited. Amazon updates the information every hour or so. Yes, I have to check it multiple times a day. Wouldn’t you?
3. Reviews. Authors have a love-hate relationship with reviews. We desperately want them, yet getting a new one scares the pants off us. I check several times a day to see if anyone has left a new one. That means checking on Amazon and Goodreads. The clock is ticking.
4. Email. This is not just particular to authors; we all do this. I have two email accounts. One is for business. This is where I get notifications of comments left on my website, information from companies who promote books, etc. You know how email is. Must. Check. Often.
5. Website. Obviously, I have to check my website every day. Sometimes, I’ll actually post something new there. Posting means writing. What’s next?
6. Twitter. I’m almost spending as much time on Twitter these days as I do on Facebook. I retweet tweets from my fellow authors and create my own tweets. I post my tweets on Facebook for other authors to re-tweet. Sometimes I actually read tweets. Not often.
7. Pinterest. This site is a giant rabbit hole. First, I check my activity. Who re-pinned my pins? Who sent me a pin? Then I look at pins that Pinterest thought I might like. (Pinterest is another virtual friend. *hugs.) The danger comes when you actually click on a pin. What starts as “25 Make Ahead Thanksgiving Casseroles” ends up with “54 Crafts to Make With an Old Car Battery.” You’ve been there; you get it.
8. Advertising. This is my latest addiction. Besides taking time to apply to sites that advertise books, I’ve now started creating teaser ads to post on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Pinterest. These take time. Too much time. But I enjoy making them.
9. Doggy Duty. I have to stop my “work” to let the dog out at least a few times during the day. Then I have to let her back in. Good thing she’s cute.

(Sorry. I planned to make a list of ten things, but I got distracted. You know how it is.)

I’ve always known I wasn’t good at multi-tasking. Yes, I can walk and chew gum, but if tasks require more concentration than that, I tend to fail. Miserably.

My family knows not to try to engage me in a serious conversation if I’m driving. We’re more likely to end up in another town than at the mall. After I retired, it took me a long time to break the habit of driving to the high school where I used to teach every time I left the house. [Read more…] about Confessions of a Binge Reader

Them: “What do you do for a living?”

Me: “I write mystery novels.”

Them: “Ooh! I’ve always wanted to write a book.”

Me: “So why don’t you?”

Them: Uhhh…

If I had a nickel for every time I heard this, I wouldn’t have to write books for a living. [Read more…] about It’s Never Too Late

Whenever I tell people I write cozy mysteries, I get a slight variation of the same look. They nod their heads, squint their eyes, and open their mouths just a bit. The question on their lips is always the same: What is a cozy mystery?

For fans of the genre, the answer is simple. It’s a clean story based around a murder in a small town, like an Agatha Christie novel or an episode of Murder, She Wrote. [Read more…] about What is a Cozy Mystery?

I try to be a “glass is half full” kind of person. When I fall down, I pick myself up. When the going gets tough, I get going. So when I see the sales of my books have flat lined, I try to look on the bright side.

Here’s a list of reasons I’m glad I’m not a famous, bestselling author:

I can wear my house shoes to the pharmacy and not worry about getting recognized. (Oh yes. I’ve done that.)

No stalkers. (Can you imagine how many creepers hang out watching for Stephen King?)

Fewer fan emails to answer. I need to save my nimble fingers for typing my next not-so-popular novel. [Read more…] about 10 Benefits of NOT Being a Famous Author