Behind “The Process”: Gonna Schedule Like a…(What Rhymes with Schedule?)

Welcome to Behind “The Process”, a series of blog posts for new and experienced writers. By “The Process”, I mean the writing process. This blog is partly devoted to sharing tips and tools for writers. It’s also advice from someone who insists on learning things the hard way, and wishes to share those experiences for educational purposes. I hope you find this useful–or at least entertaining.

Hey folks,

Seriously. I can’t think of anything that rhymes with schedule. Edge wool? There are a few words that kinda work, but that’s a tough one. Schedule. Hmm…

Writing is hard. It’s not the actual writing, so much. I’m enjoying myself as I write this. Writing is great–it’s like talking non-stop, but without all the annoyed stares and people saying, “Dude, shut the ***k up.” But starting writing is hard.

I sat in front of the computer, not doing much of anything for…close to an hour before I started writing this. The only reason I was able to get this done, especially after recently taking on someone else’s blog, was because I–also recently–started scheduling my writing time. I already had a “scheduled” writing time, but it wasn’t working out.

Just Scheduling “Writing Time” Doesn’t Work

I made 10am my writing time every day. But that didn’t always work out, because sometimes I was working on my book (or sending it out to literary agents), sometimes I was working on new fiction, sometimes I was writing my blog. Now throw in someone else’s blog, and “writing time” became the Thunder Dome for all my ideas. Whatever was the strongest idea at that time emerged victorious and the rest were put away.

Doesn’t work anymore.

When I was only working on my fiction, and a few blogs posts a month, this was fine. But keeping up social media, a website, starting a podcast, writing fiction (and shopping it around), and writing two blogs…

Time for a New Strategy

Monday: (1) write a “professional” blog (2) work on fiction

Tuesday: (1) write a personal blog–Hello! (2) work on fiction

Wednesday: (1) edit/format/rewrite blogs, as needed, or work on the website (2) work on fiction

Thursday: (1) podcast stuff (2) work on fiction

Friday: (1) social media stuff (2) work on fiction

The weekends are a toss up. I have small kids and will devote whatever time my wife is willing and able to give me for writing/writing-related stuff, but my little guys aren’t so little anymore and I want to spend as much time with them as I can. Until they become teenagers. Then I’m gonna write two novels a year and blog my ass off.

Thanks for reading!

-CT

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