- I block out a time slot from 5:00 AM to 8:08 AM every day for writing. No other family members are allowed to use my computer during my writing time.
- I don't take any phone calls or do any other activities during this time.
- Family members know not to interrupt me unless there is an emergency.
- I park my car outside the library and focus on writing until 8:08 AM. The library does not open until 10:00 AM but the Wi-fi is always on.
- I begin with my general blog, Socalmulligan808.blogspot.com. This takes about 15 minutes. After the first blog post is done, I write my post for the Cyber-bistro. If I have a guest post from a writing expert, I review the story and check for formatting issues before programming the guest post to appear on cyber-guest Friday. The remaining time is for working on my novel. At 8:08 AM I put my laptop away and move on to the other areas of my life.
Tuesday, May 15, 2012
Managing Your Writing Time
I finally admitted it. I am a writer. I'm also a husband and a father. Like many other writers, I need to manage my writing time. The clock is ticking on my novel. There are only 305 days left to complete it, get the editing done and release it. I sort of cheated time a little when I left my blog publishing schedule on Pacific Time after my move to Iowa. That allows me to sleep a little longer some days. That will have to change once I begin working at my day job. Here are some steps I follow to manage my writing time:
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My basic philosophy for managing my writing time is actually my basic philosophy for managing my time in general, and doing so involves two elements. First, do what's next. I keep a list of current projects and then continue to tackle what's due next. Sometimes, this is getting done what is due later that day, and sometimes it brings me to a place of being ahead of the game. Second, be flexible. Life throws curve balls requires continual adjustment. Being flexible allows me to not get frustrated when my day/life doesn't go as planned. I required less structure than most people (meaning, I don't need to assign specific time slots to when I write, etc.), and these two principles really help me stay productive in all areas, especially writing.
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