This book. which I had the privilege to read in galleys, is full of smart, practical, and research-based advice on making more time for writing (even if your daily schedule suggests that is all but impossible), and for using that time more productively.

A section of the book that especially spoke to me discusses how writers can sabotage their own productivity—through such things as perfectionism, self-doubt, guilt, and workaholism, which has been especially problematic for me. As the author says of herself, I long believed that I just had to find a way to work harder and faster at everything else to make enough time for my writing. Of course, that just left me burnt out and even less productive.

The book suggests specific, achievable strategies for combating workaholism (and other forms of self-sabotage) and for carving out more time for writing. Also, I have completed several of the “Time Treasure” exercises at the end of each chapter, and they have been really useful in helping me to, among other things, identify barriers to productivity with my writing and also come up with solutions. Finally, I really appreciated the friendly, conversational tone of the book. Reading it, I felt coached, not preached to. ( )

Becoming a published author is no easy task, there are a lot of different things that go into the making of a book. There is research, planing how your story is going to go and then there is the actual writing. Writing takes a lot of time and most people who write have a family and a job that also requires a lot of attention. It’s easy to feel overwhelmed and just want to quit on your creative dreams but there is help out there if you’re willing to look.

Overwhelmed Writer Rescue by Colleen M Story is a well researched self-help book that gives great advice on finding the time to write. This book begins with a personal story from Colleen where she recalls attending a dinner with 15 other authors after a writing workshop. Colleen was working as a freelance writer and as a musician but she wanted to see her own fiction published. She was hoping for some good advice on how to manage her time better so she could make her dream come true, but she wasn’t able to find it.

Since she didn’t get the advice she wanted, Colleen started to do some research and found several ways to use her time more effectively. One thing that she preaches about here is getting rid of all the little things that eat up your time to be creative. Most importantly you have to limit yourself on social media, turn off the television and stop looking at your smart phone. There are lots of little things that eat away at your time and putting limits on these things will give you time to do what you really want to do. Colleen gives you the tools you need to follow your dreams and she points out that it’s not about working harder, it’s about working smarter and time management is the key.

There is a lot of helpful information in Overwhelmed Writer Rescue, almost too much. Colleen gets deep into making the most of your writing time and throws a lot of information at you. She also gives you references to back up her advice and questionnaires to help you find the answers you’re looking for. This isn’t the kind of book that you would sit and read from cover to cover but its a great reference book to look at when you need it.

I liked how after each chapter there was a summary of the key points she was trying to get across. After she gives you all the detail on what she is trying to teach, she breaks it down into a simpler format that’s easy to reread when you need it. Most importantly this book is not just for writers either, it’s also a good source of info for finding the time to do whatever creative endeavor that you want to pursue. Colleen points out the importance of having a creative outlet and finding your calling in life. In this book she gives you a road map to make you more efficient at making your dreams come true.

http://colleenmstory.com/ ( )