There are so many things I’m supposed to do by the end of this month. I set myself some goals, people!

And here’s what happens when people like myself set goals…

…they don’t happen. I tend to overwhelm myself to such a degree that I end up accomplishing a big fat pile of zilch.

When I went to Nationals this summer, I walked away feeling reenergized (kinda). I walked away with some new information that would make me a more organized writer. I walked away with the tools needed to put my goals into action.
I really just walked (or waddled) away ten pounds heavier. Seriously.

I’m stressed, people! I’m unable to stop putting food in my mouth. I guess part of that I can blame on the lazy days of summer and the fact that I drove cross-country with my five kids who couldn’t gain a pound if they tried. So, yes. I admit that some of my extra poundage can be tossed at the feet of the hotels with free breakfasts. But, on the other hand, where can I toss the remainder of that weight?

This got me thinking yesterday of why I’ve gained the weight. I came to the conclusion that I just don’t care. And that sometimes happens when I feel overwhelmed with big goals.

I’m perfectly well aware that I should stop whining about revising my books and actually revise them. It’s easy to say. It should even be easier now with my organizational strategies and my collection of index cards at the ready. But, part of my problem is that I’ve always sucked at organization—in any way.

When a writing friend tells me that she’s broken down her book into scenes and is working on them one at a time, I’m jealous. I don’t even know how to break my books into scenes that I can organize—either on paper or in my head. I just like to write. I like to create. I don’t like to organize those thoughts. Therein lies my problem.

At home, I eat because it’s better than cleaning out closets. Or organizing the drawers in my kitchen. Or sorting through the mountain of shoes that seems to multiply more than my kids.

And I see a pattern in my writing life as well as my personal life. I don’t like to organize or clean. I don’t know how to structure something into twelve acts or eight acts or put my characters on three-fold boards. I don’t have sticky notes. I don’t have lists. I don’t like to structure the hell out of things because I feel like it zaps all my creativity.

I’ve decided I need one of those life coaches. I need someone to walk around all day with me and grab my hand when I go to pick up the bag of chips. I need someone to take me by that same hand like a child and lead me to a three-fold board and some sticky notes and then tell me how to organize my books.

In the meantime, I’ll probably just continue to buy an ungodly amount of school supplies for my kids. I’ll probably play a little too much Bubble MegaShift on my phone. I’ll play too much Clue with my kids. And I’ll definitely pick up that bag of chips.

I keep hearing everyone give some awesome motivational quotes on this blog, and I’d like to print them out and put them somewhere, but I wouldn’t know where. I don’t even have a writing area. I write at my sticky kitchen table.

So, I’ll leave you with a quote today:
“Deep summer is when laziness finds respectability.”—Sam Keen.

Now, I’m off to find a respectable laziness quote for the fall. And winter. And probably spring, too.

So, what about you? How do organize your life best? Do you find it easier to organize your characters or yourself? Character settings or your own?

Someone, take me by the hand!