Scheduling for Writers

Hello Fellow Readers and Writers–

Well, the first draft of Deadly Shades of Love is done, and I’m in the editing/rewriting mode right now.  I’ve tried to keep to my schedule of writing everyday, but the flu got hold of me, and for a week I was no good to anyone.  (And, yes, I got my flu shot…but apparently NOT for the flu I had.  That’s the way it goes.)

I watched Throw Mama from the Train last night, with my hubby.  “Writers write–always.”  Well, not always, but we try.  And that brings me to scheduling for writers.

Do you make a schedule to do your writing, and then the following morning say, “Well, I don’t feel like writing today.  But that’s okay, I can do it tomorrow.”  Sound familiar?  It’s the nasty Procrastination Monster, sitting on one shoulder and telling you what NOT to do.  On your other shoulder sits the Writer Angel, telling you, “But you really should, you know.”  These two factions will always be at war with each other.  So what can you do?  Writers write–always.  It’s a job and you have to show up for it–everyday.  Even if you only write for ten minutes, you have to write.  Believe me, once you get started, the momentum will see you through.  And telling yourself that you only have to write for ten minutes, takes the pressure off.  “I can do ten minutes–piece of cake,” you tell yourself.  (It’s a trick you can play on that Procrastination Monster.)

I’ve tried the standard methods, making a strict schedule, planning it out on my calendar, etc., but that never worked for me.  Sometimes my husband is off, and we go down the hill to visit my daughter and her family.  My solution for that?  Write before the hubby gets up.  If I start at 7 or 8AM, I can still get some writing in, and that makes me feel good the rest of the day.

So, fellow writers, stick with it, if only for ten minutes a day.  The book isn’t going to write itself, ya know.  And you can’t edit what you haven’t written–you can’t edit a blank page.  If strict schedules haven’t worked for you, try the I’ll-just-write-for-a-couple-of-minutes approach.  You’ll be amazed at what you can accomplish if you do that everyday!

Keep writing and reading, it’s what we do.

                                      Jill-Ayn