THE TRIALS OF AN INDIE AUTHOR: TAKING TIME OFF
It's come up to the end of the year and if, like me, you celebrate holidays then, you might be thinking about taking some time off. You might also just be getting to the end of the year and thinking it'd be a good idea to take a break from writing and work for a bit because this year has been super busy and a whole lot to deal with. All of which is valid, and I am right there with you!
That said, when it comes to being an indie author, it can be hard to really find time to take off from work because your work is kinda constant, and if you don't keep up with the promo and the like, it'll be really hard to capture attentions when it comes to restarting in January and the like. This is where I come in, both in telling you that it's okay to take time, however long that may be, and also that some things can be prepared in advance to allow you have a proper rest time.
So how do you do that? I'm going to take you through what I do when it gets close to the end of the year and am getting ready to take some time away from writing, work and all of that!
#1 SCHEDULE SOCIAL MEDIA
I know that sometimes that is a big time suck, and it can be tempting to think: oh it'll only take me a minute or two to post this, or share that. But it's not how it ends up going. You end up with several things to post and before you know it, it's been an hour and you're kinda thinking you should respond to comments and the like while you're there and then scroll through and watch stories, oh and answer this email. NO!
You need actual time off and for those of us who can't afford to hire someone to do it for us, there are ways to schedule posts. Now there are some sites that don't have this, and for that you might just have to go dark for a week or however long you plan to be gone, because unless you're relaxing and not working, it's too easy to get sucked into the work that comes from socials.
Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, they all allow you to schedule posts. My blog here will let me schedule posts, and I know it works because I use it all the time. You might have to spend a little time preparing everything before you head off, but once it's done, you can switch off and know that's taken care of, just be sure to make it clear that you're taking time off so people don't assume you're still there and will be responding as quickly as you usually do.
#2 SET YOUR EMAIL TO HOLIDAY REPLY
I don't use this as much as I should, but I know the most email providers have a way to set a message so that any important emails coming through get a response that tells the sender that you're taking a break for however long. It means you don't have to worry too much about work emails being left unanswered while you're away.
#3 SEND NEWSLETTER/EMAIL TO THOSE WHO NEED TO KNOW
By this I mean there will be some people who do kinda need to be aware. If you are meant to be talking and you won't, or hosting a live or the like, or any number of things, then let people know that this time block will be your time off and make sure they're aware that you won't be responding, or around should they need you to be. Everyone needs breaks and anyone saying differently is just plain wrong!
So there we go, those are my three tips when it comes to taking time off at the end of the year. I will be doing the same, taking the last week off and just chilling and relaxing, and very happy about it!
Any questions? Lemme know in the comments!
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