Yeah!
It's balance Thursday.
And today we have
Jeanette Fratto!
Read on . . .
I’ve always loved to write and have done so all my life – short stories, essays, and articles. I’ve even won awards for some of them. It wasn’t until I retired from a 26-year career in law enforcement that I decided to write my first novel. That’s when the desire for balance really set in.
All of my previous writings were efforts that only required a few pages. I could write most of it in my head while cleaning the kitchen or driving to work. When it was time to put it on paper it didn’t take me long to have a finished product. Balance with my day to day activities was never really an issue, as I was able to fit my writing in “here and there” when I had some time.
For something as complex as a novel, I knew I needed a writing plan more specific than when I could find the time. So I began the search for the “holy grail” of when, and how often, I should write. My husband and I had many activities we enjoyed together, including extensive traveling, and I didn’t want to give those up. A book requires dedication, so I looked for ways to write with optimal results, while still living an active life.
I felt like a weight had been taken from me. What if I made one day a week my writing day? Only in rare circumstances would I let anything interfere with it. The rest of the week I would think about my plot, maybe jot down notes, but there would be no more daily nagging because I hadn’t yet written anything. My mind would be free to think about my story without feeling the obligation to put something on paper. I chose my day and announced to my husband that he needed to find something interesting to do on his own, because I'd be unavailable from 9 to 5. He was fully supportive.
My first novel was published two years ago, and I just finished my second one. I still follow the one-day-a-week schedule. It may not work for everyone, but since it works for me, I’m sticking to it.
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I live in southern California and am a graduate of California State University, Fullerton, with a B.A. in Psychology and an M.A. in Social Science. I planned to be a clinical psychologist when a flyer on being a probation officer caught my eye. I applied, and after a rigorous four-month process, I was hired and began training. I had a wonderful 26-year career and retired as a Division Director. I'm now concentrating on being a novelist and have begun a series about a female probation officer and her adventures. I have two adult children and three grandchildren. My husband and I travel, take pilates classes together, and enjoy life. He supports my writing efforts and is my best publicist, promoting my work everywhere he can.
My Books
NO STONE UNTURNED was my first novel. It is available in paperback, on Kindle, and as an E-Book via my website, which is: http://outskirtspress.com/nostoneunturned It follows the experiences of probation officer Linda Davenport, who comes to California for new beginnings and gets more than she bargained for.
NO GOOD DEED will be out by May or June. It is a sequel to my first book and continues with Linda Davenport's experiences. Both books are in the mystery/romance genre.
Readers can connect with me in a variety of ways, as follows:
I'm also on Goodreads and Linked-In and I promise to respond to any contacts I receive!
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Thanks Jeanette!
I hope you all enjoyed reading.
If you would like to be considered for a post
let me know.
Such a wonderful post!! Very inspiring and loving the tips on balance! Thanks for sharing them!
ReplyDeleteThank you for your comment,Julie. Happy writing!
ReplyDeleteSo true! There is no ideal way to write. I'm also having to rethink my writing schedule because my working hours changed. :-/
ReplyDeleteMisha, being flexible is the greatest way to stay relaxed while trying to write. Sometimes even taking a short break before you come up with a new time table for writing will get you refreshed and ready to start again.
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