4 Ways to Manage Your Writing Schedule

It’s easy to feel overwhelmed when looking at an entire book project. With these four steps, you can create a plan to manage your writing, make a plan and meet your goals.

1. Set Deadlines for Yourself

Many people need deadlines to stay motivated. Without deadlines, some writers would procrastinate forever or continue to work on a piece without ever finishing it. If you’re in this majority, you need to set deadlines for yourself. Create deadlines for your project that are specific, measurable, achievable, and realistic.

2. Make Time to Write Regularly

There are pros and cons to a daily writing habit versus an organic approach (one that grows at its own pace and that has seasons). Writing every day keeps you submerged in your ideas. You are close to your story and characters because you don’t have huge gaps of time in which you forget the thrust of what you were trying to say. Daily writing helps you produce a steady stream of work.

Some writers don’t write every day and take a more organic approach to writing and write when inspiration strikes. There is no right way to create your master works. The best way to figure out what works for you is to experiment.

3. Go to Your Writing Sanctuary

Every author needs a place where he or she can be free of distractions while writing. You may find that writing in a coffee shop surrounded by people is your best working environment, or total seclusion with nothing to distract you. Whatever works for you, make sure that you find a place that is your writing sanctuary.

Once you have your writing sanctuary set up and ready to go, keep to your schedule. If you plan to write for three hours, don’t let anything take you away from your writing time. Let your family know about your scheduled time, and ask them to respect your writing space while you are working.

4. Make Adjustments to Stay on Track

Of course, with all the planning in the world and an ironclad schedule, you still might be pulled in another direction by life. If you are shoved off track, don’t be discouraged; simply make some adjustments. If you feel that your schedule is being affected, it’s up to you to correct it before it gets out of hand.