Tons of notes, an inviting desk (or any easy set-up), a cup of coffee — and you haven’t even written the title page yet.
It’s always something; the kids demand your attention, the washing needs to be folded, dinner needs to be cooked — and you have a date with both the TV and the remote, (you saucepot!) Writing is something that you will get around to.
Newsflash: you won’t.
If you don’t make your writing a priority then you will NEVER ‘get around to it’.
But how?
By setting goals and committing to them, that’s how.
First though, you need to observe how you really spend your time, for at least a week.
Grab a notepad and a pen. No, not the calligraphy one, just the cheapie, you’re going to be scribbling all over the place and it is going to be a mess. Heard of the first draft? This is it, only time management style.
Before you write any of the important stuff though, you need to figure out your timewasters. Do you really need to scroll through Social Media for five hours a day? Or merge those enticing little blobs to gain an energy bonus for six? #beentheredonethat
Once you’ve figured that out, work out any recurring appointments. Do you have a school drop off/ pick up? Do you go to the gym daily, once a week, or walk the dog for exercise? Note the start and finish times of any activity that you do daily at the same times, then work out what you did in between.
Now you know how you structure your days and probably already have an idea of where you can carve out some time to write, but don’t get too excited just yet. This is where we hone in on HOW MUCH you want to write on any given day.
If your goal is 1000 words a day (roughly six double spaced pages — depending on whether you have a lot of one word lines) — and you stick to that, you’ll have 7000 words by the end of the week. Repeat that for six weeks and you’ll have 42000 words — nearly a novel’s worth.
Set yourself a start time, take note of the end time. Now you know how long it takes to get those 1000 words out of your head and onto the page/ screen, and you also know how much time you have to fit into the rest of your tasks. (FREE WRITING TIP: Write under pressure from your bladder, as Jon Morrow puts it. Your fingers will fly over the keyboard so fast, you won’t believe it).
Have a hard look at your time map, and as you do, take a moment to reflect on WHAT TIME OF DAY suits you best: morning, or night? I know that I am at my most productive between nine am and noon. So that is when I write my 1200 words, six days a week. I have one day off for shopping and appointments, but on that day I am line editing my work (not the current project — never revise anything whilst writing it, or you will be going backwards, when it’s forwards that we want). My weekly goal is seven thousand words, and I don’t mind at all if I write 1300, or 1400 in one day instead, because it means that my book gets written faster. If I have a rubbish week, and only manage 800 to a thousand a day — I’m still on track with getting the book finished.
If you like to write in the mornings, can you get up half an hour earlier? Either to write, or to get some of the other chores done. If you prefer evenings, which TV show are you willing to sacrifice to achieve your goal? The people on the show have achieved theirs; scripts were written, actors cast, costumes, make-up, filming etc.
Start treating your writing as you would a job. If you turn up there, then turn up for your writing.
“But I get paid to work,” I hear you protest. Yes, you do. You sell your time to work for someone who makes more than you do. What you are selling when you don’t prioritize your writing is your dream, your vision, a little bit of your soul, and your integrity.
You said that you were a writer. Did you lie?
You said that you wanted to write. Then do it.
If the muse has called on you, then you are a writer and you need to structure your day accordingly. Otherwise, She will find someone else, who will do the work.
Where does that leave you?
(HINT) It's to do with creeks and paddles.
This is where the entire system that I have been detailing over this series of articles begins to gel. You have a space for your ‘aha!’ moments (AKA The Bible), your desk is a dream to work at, and now you have the time to sit there and create the work that only you can.
So what are you waiting for?
Get over there and write!
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