Organizing Time for Writers

All right, Writers, listen up. We're all procrastinators (remember I mentioned that in an earlier post). We love to find things to do other than the writing we've assigned ourselves (or have contracted to do).

So, I'm organizing my writing time and I'm going to tell you how I'm doing it. I don't actually have a stopwatch (I'm not that crazy or obsessive) but I do have a small clock on my desk and I'm not afraid to use it!

My time for writing the strongest is usually the morning so that time needs to be write time. So, from now on I check my Email first thing for something important - not a sales flyer or fun posting, but important to my writing. And I'll do a quick skim to dump trash email in a hurry. This should only be allowed 10 - 15 minutes tops. Do a quick Twitter post-usually containing some bit of helpful info for new or established freelance writers I've stumbled across somewhere and from that point on the focus in on the actual writing.

After several hours of that with only a couple of short breaks like when the dogs exploded barking or I dumped my tea dangerously close to the keyboard I'm about wiped out. Time for lunch.

I may do some writing after lunch, but I already know it won't be my strongest. So later is a good time for some promotion work and posting to social networks like Facebook or LinkedIn. It's also a good time to do a bit of research and take some time to ponder what my next project might be. Working out what the next creative project is while working on one has always been my M.O. The idea may be totally junked once that point is reached, but it helps keep the mental muscles moving, churning out new ideas.

The idea in general for me is to have time blocked out for certain aspects of my 'author world'. It's far too easy to churn through the days and accomplish nothing if I don't stick fairly close to it. And over time books like Blown To Hell and Stormrider or some screenplay with great potential would never come to be. A few pages a day will get me or you there. Don't blow it.