Recently, several of the Carina Press editors joined together to create a marvelous thing—the #editschmedit. What is this glorious hashtag? I’m so glad you asked!

A lot of authors will take part in a #1k1hr on twitter. #editschmedit is similar—only rather than a writing sprint, it’s an edit sprint. Anyone is welcome to join. For one hour, those who participate will work on edits then check in at the end with an update on their progress. Pretty simple, right?

It is! But what makes it even more wonderful is the accountability the participant is held to. After all, if you’ve announced to the internet that you’re working on a deadline, chances are you’re more likely to keep working towards that deadline than say, hang out on facebook…

As a freelancer, I work from home. There are so many plus sides to this! I’m always going on about working in my pajamas—I love it! Being able to set my hours. And not to mention how awesome Carina is in general and how much I adore the other editors and Carina staff.

But there are some elements that present challenges. Here’s a not-so-secret secret. I am extremely easily distracted. I set myself up an office that I call “the sensory deprivation room” because it features only a desk, couch, and white walls. The office is generally effective, but hiding away doesn’t always eliminate the distractions. I have neighbors who are far too powertool happy for their own good (one of these days, I swear I’ll steal their leaf blowers and chainsaws and powerdrivers…). Errands that need to be run—after which I have to re-insert myself into ‘editing brain’. And of course, those unexpected—unwanted and unprecedented—life issues that arise. The sort that seem to wrap around you like a black cloud that you must wade through and force yourself to compartmentalize, no matter how much they take over your thoughts.

Here is where #editschmedit is most effective. It helps to have a ‘team’ rooting you on. To know that at the end of the hour, when you’ve given it your all, you’re not alone in feeling that achievement. You have a group from which you receive “Whoots!” and “You go, lady!”, and can give support in return.

I’ve felt especially connected to those participants. I imagine #editschmedit fostering the sense of fellowship I might feel if I were sitting next to my fellow editors in an office. The same way I feel when I take part in editorial conference calls. #editschmedit is a way to use social media, not as a way to distance ourselves from personal interactions, but to strengthen those interactions.

So, whether you’re an author or an editor, I cannot say enough how useful a tool these hashtags are! Anyone can join in and, for those of us who work in more solitary environments, it’s a great way to network and/or strengthen existing relationships! For readers, I’m just waiting for the day a #readingschmeeding (or something like) appears so I can join in on that too!

So now I’d like to ask, what motivational tools do you use? And, for heaven’s sake, how does one go about sabotaging their neighbors’ power outlets?

This entry was posted on Thursday, August 30th, 2012 at 10:15 am and is filed under Carina Press. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.