Survey Q & A: part two

I’ve been hesitant to publish this entry for a long time now. I don’t enjoy writing about myself. It’s as cringe-worthy as hearing a recording of my own voice. However, the responses from the reader survey I administered several weeks ago were clear, you want to know more about what it’s like being a teacher-author and blogger. And as my good friend Elizabeth said, “give the people what they want”. I’m convinced that you’d much prefer a good nap and an afternoon of silence, but I’m going to answer your questions anyway. Who knows, maybe I’ll even get used to writing about myself and learn to enjoy it. Either way, I hope you enjoy today’s post!

Q: What is your daily routine like, now that you are a teacher-blogger and not directly in the teaching profession? Do you have a specific list of things you do each day?
My daily routine is flexible and changes depending on my focus for that week. However, it usually involves working on products and writing blog posts. My typical day looks something like this:

8:00a.m. Work on new TPT product.
8:30a.m. Take first sip of coffee. Smile. Laugh. The world has meaning again.
9:00a.m. Write outline for new blog post.
10:00a.m. Respond to buyer feedback.
10:30a.m. Edit images for product/blog.
11:30a.m. Wonder when husband will get home for lunch. Me. Hungry.
LUNCH
1:00p.m. Work on TPT product
2:00p.m. Revise and fill out blog post
3:00p.m. Insert edited image in blog post
3:30p.m. Decide I don’t like the image for the blog after all. Start over from scratch.
3:45p.m. Take first sip of second, third, or fourth coffee.
4:00p.m. Decide I don’t like the image, the blog post, or anything else I’ve accomplished up to that point. Delete. Start over.
4:30p.m. Start on fresh blog post.
5:30ish p.m. My husband returns and my work day is over (usually).

It’s a messy routine, but most of the time I manage to be productive. I have a bad habit of not taking breaks when I should. If you have any suggestions for me, write them in the comments. I need help!

Q: What is your favourite part of your job?
If I had to pick only one favourite part of my job, it would be this; chatting with readers, bloggers, and teachers from around the world. I learn so much from everyone I encounter, and the support I receive from friends and strangers alike is phenomenal. I hope to someday meet all of you in real life, maybe over a cup of coffee and some good music!

Not to sound saccharine, but this is my dream job. It’s not perfect, but it’s perfect for me. I suspect many of you would say the same of teaching. It’s not perfect, but it’s perfect for you.

Q: What is your blogging process? Do you store up lots of entries and release them, or write when you feel moved to write?
Both. I try to sketch out general topics each month, but they often change based on my mood and how much time I’ve had to research. And sometimes, as you suggest, I just feel moved to start writing.

One thing I’ve learned with blogging is that creativity can’t be scheduled. No matter how much it annoys my Type A sensibilities, I really can’t force myself into a strict schedule when it comes to writing. I do try very hard to get posts out on Wednesday and Friday, but I won’t publish a post just to have content, I have to believe in what I’m writing.

Q: Any tips for new TPT sellers?
Yes, but keep in mind that this is my perspective, and may not be shared by other TPT sellers. Also, I have no business degree, so much of my advice stems from my own experiences, which very well may be flawed.

Be patient.
It takes a long time to be successful on TPT no matter how you choose to judge success.

Be yourself.
Don’t look at other products for ideas or to see what’s popular in the moment. Instead, develop your own ideas with integrity, completely free from bias (or as much as humanly possible).

Collaborate.
Join groups of TPT sellers on Facebook and in the TPT seller’s forum. I can say with all honesty that I’ve experienced nothing but kindness and support from every music seller I’ve approached individually. We are an awesome bunch!

Put yourself in buyers’ shoes.
Consider buyers’ and followers’ perspectives when posting announcements on your Facebook page or sending out a message to your followers. Respect their busy lifestyles. Be short and sweet.

Welcome buyer criticism and learn from it.
Buyer feedback is precious, even more so when it’s brutally honest, because you can learn and grow from it. Buyers are also your colleagues. Respect them. Listen to them. That being said, you can’t please everyone. Just do your best, be kind, and let go of the things you can’t control.

Ask questions
Starting out, you may feel as though your TPT questions are dumb. They’re not. Behind-the-scenes information on creating products isn’t readily available. Everybody started where you are now, so feel free to keep asking questions and learning as you go.

Q: How did you get started in blogging?
I started with a personal blog many years ago, which was mostly meant for family and close friends. Then, I decided to start a blog that was purely professional, with subject matter devoted to education. Years later it’s morphed into what I have now, which is music education with occasional lifestyle-for-teachers topics.

Q: Do you ever regret leaving the classroom?
Nope. I miss the students. I miss the staff and administration. I even miss the surrounding community, but not for one second have I regretted leaving the classroom. I probably never will. I left on great terms with my students, colleagues, and administration. So, while I do miss everyone, I don’t regret my decision.

Q: How do you do it all?
I don’t. For example, right now I have dirty dishes sitting on the kitchen counter, the same ones that my husband and I planned to tackle last evening before we got sucked into watching an episode of The Good Wife.

In all seriousness though, there was a long span of time (before I quit teaching) in which I taught all day and then worked on TPT/blogging all evening. I spent a major portion of my weekends working as well. It was doable for me at the time, but not sustainable. My husband and I like our alone time, we don’t have kids or pets, and we really don’t have many responsibilities beyond ourselves. That’s precisely why I’m in awe of single parents, like my friends Elizabeth and Jennifer. I don’t know how they do it all. I really don’t. They are amazing.

Q: How do you find balance?
These days, finding balance is pretty simple. I set my own hours, and I’ve tried really hard to curb my workaholic tendencies. That being said, there was a time when I was teaching that I had absolutely no balance. I chose to focus solely on my career, and I didn’t care to have balance. I taught during the day, attended rehearsals in the evenings, planned lessons when I wasn’t at rehearsal, attended competitions on the weekends, and spent precious free moments trying to recoup. On top of that, my introverted and shy nature made it extremely difficult for me to re-energize. I was constantly using up every last bit of mental energy I had in constant social interaction.

Eventually my priorities changed, and I no longer wanted to spend every last second focused on my job. So, I resigned my position as the assistant high school band director, I adjusted the dates and times of my elementary choir rehearsals, and I started saying “no” more often. The changes weren’t easy at first, and many of them left me feeling guilty. However, all the guilt in the world couldn’t change the fact that I was getting more sleep and feeling much better overall. It was not a perfect balance, but it was a lot better.

I think the idea that any one person can do everything all the time, and do it really well, is a myth (even if social media would have us believe otherwise). We are not androids. We are humans. And even if we were androids, we still couldn’t do it all. Data (from Star Trek the New Generation) taught us that, but that’s a topic for another time.

That’s it for today’s post! If you have any more questions, please let me know in the comments section. I would love to hear more from all of you. I’m always open to suggestions!