Writing Tip #1: Prioritizing Writing
This post was written by Pam from Reflections from a Neurotic Writer. She suggested that we occasionally provide writing tips. If you’re interested in contributing a writing tip, email twentysomethingwriters[at]gmail[dot]com.
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Schedule time for writing. I know this is a hard one. But if it is not in a scheduled time then we tend to push it off to the side and just forget about it. Or find something else to do during that small amount of free time. I find if I do not schedule a 15 minutes of writing here or 30 minutes there, that I never get around to it. It doesn’t have to be two three hours, but only little chunks. That way you get some writing done and feel like it hasn’t taken over your whole day. So make a schedule of your week, put in all the times you work, have school, need to clean the house, have other activities, or anything else. Then mark in when you want to write and have time. Don’t sacrifice your family time or your job. Perhaps during lunch, you could eat and write, or instead of watching television after dinner, maybe write. You have to make the schedule. But at some point, writing is going to have to be more important than something to make it into your schedule. It’s the only way you will get any progress and get the project finished.
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Tell people about your schedule. Let your family, friends, neighbors, classmates, or whoever know what your schedule is, and that you are unavailable at those times. If you have to go to your computer and lock the door behind for an hour, then so be it. As long as everyone knows that you are not to be disturbed at all, except for emergencies. That time is as if you are work. Eventually it will become part your routine.
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Keep to your Schedule. This is the hardest thing to do, especially when little things come up and you figure you can just reschedule. However, when you reschedule once it becomes easier and easier to move all of the other times. You need to be firm and determine if it something that can be done later (emergences are a different matter), then finish your time and take care of the task or issue. If you start to deviate from your schedule others will think that all of your scheduled time is expendable and think that you can be bothered during it. Stay strong and defend your schedule. When it is your writing time, write and push everything else out of your head. You will thank yourself later for it.
March 30th, 2009 at 9:15 am
Hi completely agree with you that it’s important to schedule time to write. I don’t have specific times set out, but I sit down for anywhere from 30-60 minutes every evening to journal and write my blog post for the next day. I’m also a journalism major so I spend lots of time writing for school. I think writing is like anything else, the more you do it and practice it the better you’ll be at it
March 31st, 2009 at 8:00 am
I agree. The more practice you have writing, the better you will become.
March 30th, 2009 at 9:32 am
I love this post. Right now I’m really trying to shove writing to the forefront of my life and get things done.
March 31st, 2009 at 8:02 am
Yeah!! Go You!!
March 30th, 2009 at 11:13 am
I really need to take these tips to heart. I don’t schedule nearly enough time for writing.
March 30th, 2009 at 12:44 pm
This is a really great set of tips. I also agree that scheduling a time for writing is a great idea.
Since I’ve been laid off, I have a lot more time on my hands, however, it seems like I write less. This is probably because any kind of schedule that I had really went out the window.
I end up writing a big amount one day that will cover me for a week, but I think I need to do some more “everyday writing’.
Thanks for this tip!
March 31st, 2009 at 8:04 am
I agree. Even if you do one big session of writing, doesn’t mean you should neglect the other writing times. If you write everyday the habbit will form and it will become easier.
March 30th, 2009 at 1:29 pm
This is so true. Many times I have the best of intentions, and that just doesn’t cut it. I took a writing class last Spring that required homework (writing assignments) be turned in every week. It was hard, but good for the self-discipline. Makes me think of the quote – “The difference between mediocrity and greatness? Self-Discipline”…sounds so easy.
March 31st, 2009 at 8:05 am
Love the quote!
March 30th, 2009 at 4:25 pm
I think tip #2 takes the gold… accountability can be important, and more importantly, people know to stop asking stupid questions like, “Wanna go do X,Y,Z”
March 30th, 2009 at 7:11 pm
I personally am bad when it comes to scheduling writing time. Often times I just tend to end up sidetracked. These were some wonderful tips! Thanks for the extra boost!
March 31st, 2009 at 8:05 am
You’re welcome!
March 31st, 2009 at 12:16 am
As silly as this might sound, I’ve been working on scheduling time to blog. It’s a way for me to write and connect with people at the same time, and scheduling it in definitely helps keep me focused.
March 31st, 2009 at 7:59 am
It is not silly to schedule time to blog. It is the same with any other writing. If you don’t make time days or weeks will go by before you end up finishing a blog post.
April 1st, 2009 at 3:27 pm
Thanks for these tips! I always schedule time for blog posting, but can’t seem to make myself schedule time for my creative writing. It’s something that I really need to do, and your post reminded me of that!