Protect the work...

My thirty-sixth book is done and dusted and I'm about to start another, but before I talk through possibilities with my editor, I'm trying to clean out my study. Emphasis on trying.
In the process I'm discovering old computer manuals from two computers ago... my entire family's astrological profiles... a folder of maps from my daughter's trip to Europe oh, about eight years ago... minutes for meetings of associations I no longer attend... and occasional precious gems -- like a printout of Jenny Crusie's article Taking Out the Garbage: How to Protect Your Work and Get Your Life.

As I was cleaning up, it seemed appropraite to stop and read something that started withTaking out the Garbage, and I guess everyone interprets advice in their own way and to suit their own needs, but on re-reading this, I immediately gave myself permission to stay away from places that take up too much thinking time for me -- places like twitter, Facebook etc. -- even amazon.com (NO point in watching those numbers -- I've learned they bare little relation to how the book's doing overall).

In other words, I'm not much of an internet networker. I do like to save most of my time and energy for my writing and my family. I'd so much rather be writing or dreaming up new ideas for new books or reading other people's books that totally inspire me... or posting a little item here -- I guess this means I'm an introvert, but I hope I'm not anti social.

I suppose I shouldn't be admitting that here, because I'm so grateful to the people who do drop by and say hello. If you're a writer however -- do think about the slogan Protect the Work, and think about what you need to do to achieve this.