One of the first things you get told as a newbie writer is that you have to write every day – it’s the only way you’ll ever finish your novel/short story/script, whatever it is you’re writing.
It’s true that writing every day creates discipline and your project will grow quicker, but the danger is that you burn out. Or, worse still, feel so disheartened by missing a day that you give up entirely! And we definitely don’t want that!
Not everyone has the luxury of being able to put in writing time seven days a week but it’s important that you look for the times when you can write and guard them like a mammy tiger guards her cubs.
This year has been a bit pants on a Real Life level and so writing has stalled. I’m getting back into it now and I’m desperate to play catch up, but I know that my body can’t cope with writing every day. But I have a plan to maximise my time.
How did I create my new routine?
Mark the time in my diary
On a working day, I know I have the capacity for about an hour’s creative work outside my day job. Any more than that isn’t possible. So I’ve identified three hour-long time slots that I can use. They are in my diary and are sacrosanct. If you’re struggling with this, then check out my blog post on making time for writing.
Planning ahead
When I mark up my three slots, I also write down what I’m going to be working on. That way, when I sit down at my laptop/notebook and pen, I know exactly what I’m doing. If I want to be really clever, I’ll even plan the next scene I need to write so my brain isn’t coming to it completely cold.
Sheer determination
Sticking to a routine isn’t easy. If my planned slot is in the morning, I might wake up tired and not feel like writing, but this is where determination comes in. I really want to progress in my writing career and this is the only way to do it.
So far, I’ve managed to make the routine work for about three weeks and I’m seeing the fruits of my labours. It may get derailed by the Christmas break but, d’you know what, that’s fine. Because I know when I want to get back to it, then I can.
My final bit of advice is – give yourself a break. Writing is supposed to be fun and if it’s starting to feel like a chore, step back and look at how you’re doing it. If you only have two days a week when you can write, go for it. Just make the best use of those two days that you can.
Good luck!
What are your tricks for keeping up your writing when times are tough? How do you make sure you fit writing into your week? Answers below, please!
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