I used to be a daydreamer and did not like planning too far ahead. As Robbie Burns said – “The best laid plans of mice and men often go awry.”

Why waste time planning? I was happy to go with the flow of life and see where it took me.

This approach served me quite well because I had a successful career  in education and was happy with my laid back life.

A  turning point came when this daydreamer came to earth with a thud. Cancer doesn’t care about whether you’re a drifting dreamer or a planner and when I found out I had to live with cancer and its treatments my dreams were  crushed.

There was a lot I wanted to do and, most of all, I wanted to write but I might not have the time.

Along with the discomfort of chemotherapy, surgery and radiotherapy, I found my planning mojo. I had to plan to make the most of good days and prepare for the bad. As the treatment progressed relentlessly, running through my mind was the hope that I’d get as well as I could. Until then, I’d plan my novels and map out that writing journey I wanted to make.

A goal without a plan is just a wish.” ~ Antoine de Saint-Exupéry

Dreams and wishes were given a backbone by my plans. When I felt better, I’d learn the craft of novel writing, I’d learn to use social media and I’d learn about the publishing world. My plan was to be a published author and I’d succeed by taking steady steps to make a life long dream come true.

“It takes as much energy to wish as it does to plan.” ~ Eleanor Roosevelt

I can’t argue with Mrs R because I found this was true. My dreams had shape and, by planning,  I made time for them.

“Planning is bringing the future into the present so that you can do something about it now.” ~ Alan Lakein
(Time management guru)

Friends often comment on how I’m less laid back nowadays and my time management is better. Once you face the truth that time can run out on you when you’re not expecting it, it’s easy to plan. So what if Robbie Burns is right and a few go awry? I’ve found that some of them will hit the spot.

Today, I’m a published author of the two novels you can see below, I use social media to keep in touch with readers and other writers and I plan to keep on writing for a long time to come.