I was in the shower, a couple of months ago, and was mulling over how come every time I used a tweet about how writers should give up ironing to make time to write (to promote my book Short Stories and How to Write Them) the tweets would get retweeted more than any other. Maybe, I thought, as I shampooed my hair, I should write an entire book called Give Up Ironing, as the idea clearly resonated with many writers.
By the time I came out of the shower the book was fully formed in my head. All I had to do was sit down and write it. Which I did, during October and early November.
This is the result:
It’s quite a short book, at just 15,000 words, but then busy writers don’t want to have to spend too long reading self-help books, do they?
It’s full of advice on how to free up more time to write, make the best use of the time you have, and also approach your writing with the right mental attitude to help you get a lot done.
Many facebook friends responded to a plea for time management hints and tips, and I’ve included a lot of those in the book.
It’s currently available for pre-order from Amazon at a price of £1.53 (links below). It will be released on January 1st, just in time to help with your writerly New Year Resolutions!
Buy from Amazon.co.uk
Buy from Amazon.com
Kathleen McGurl 
I can’t wait – not that I do much ironing. I gave it up a while back 🙂
That’s ok – the book suggests other things to give up too!
blimey Kathleen, you`re amazing! Have just pre-ordered – soon zillions of ideas will be fully-forming in My head in the shower! Huge thanks as always for your inspiration!
Thank you! Hope you get a lot from the book.
I’m so impressed with one novel out this year and next year, you managed to slip this in as well (and have a day job and run a home and a family and probably 100s of other things). Well, you certainly practice what you preach.
Um, actually two novels this year, including my self-pubbed novella…The book will tell you how I managed it all!
What a wonderful idea, Kath. I can’t wait to read it. I was feeling rather blue yesterday when my husband had a delivery of eight new shirts. All I could think about when he was parading round the room and feeling proud of his investment, was the addition to my ironing basket. It takes me about six minutes to iron one shirt – that means an extra 48 minutes of writing time wasted. Well, that’s not on, is it? Thank you for taking a shower, Kath, and coming up with the idea. I’m about to jump into mine and sing at the top of my voice: ” I’m gonna wash that man (and his shirts) right out of my hair…..”
Ha ha ha! There is a suggestion in the book re what to do when your partner insists on ironed shirts. You might be able to guess what it is.
Kath, it sounds great – and I have pre-ordered already. Lack of time is something that ALL writers moan about, so you’ve struck a chord with this! And btw – I also get lots of ideas in the shower! (maybe I need to invent a waterproof pad and pen, for jotting down those ideas…?) Helen
Sounds like just the book for me. Yes, I do the ironing.