Guard Your Writing Time!

24 Hours - 1,440 Minutes - 86,400 Seconds - That’s what we have each day. Life is busy and hectic, and there are lots of obligations and distractions. Writers, you need to guard your writing time. It is so easy to fill up time with other things. If you’re going to be a productive writer, you need to write. Here are some ideas that help me.

1. Schedule your writing time. If it’s on my calendar, I am more likely to do it. This also keeps me from filling the space with other tasks.

2. Being a published author requires writing, editing, revising, book marketing, book promotions, blogs, websites, and events. The list goes on and on. It is easy to get lost in all the tasks. Your job is to write your next book. Make sure you balance all your writing work with life.

3. When I’m working on my first draft, I track my daily word count (on a Post-it). This helps me hit my daily goals. For me, the daily number is enough to keep me motivated.

4. I now schedule time in the mornings to do other writing tasks likes blogs, emails, website updates, and social media posts. I was blending this with my writing time, and I was doing more “other stuff” than writing.

5. When you get off track, don’t beat yourself up. Life happens, and it’s often messy. Just figure out how to get back on track.

6. Set goals for each day. They don’t have to be lofty. I attended a workshop recently by Dana Kaye and Sisters in Crime. She recommended that you have daily goals to keep you organized and focused.

7. When you don’t feel like writing, try to write something. When I hit a brick wall, sometimes, it’s easier to schedule social media posts or write a blog. If not, I do something else. Usually physical activity helps me clear my head and my roadblock.

Quirky Writing Habits - What Are Yours?

Do you have to have certain things when you’re writing? Do you have any writing rituals or habits? Here’s my list.

I always have to have some kind of background noise when I work. I don’t like it when it’s too quiet. I usually have some sort of music on. I have different playlists. I usually listen to louder music when I write. I have jazz and other smoother playlists for editing or proofreading. My sleuth Delanie Fitzgerald is an 80s girl, so when I’m working on that series, I usually have a Big 80s playlist going.

When I work at home, my Jack Russell Terriers have a dog bed on each side of my desk. They listen to me plot and read dialogue, but they tend to nap during most of the writing process.

If it’s a nice day, I like to write and read on my back deck. I like writing outside. My favorite place to write outside is the beach.

If it’s cold or rainy, I have a big comfy chair in the living room where I like to do rewrites or edits. It’s also my reading chair on snow days.

I am a caffeine junkie, so there is always iced tea, iced coffee, or a soft drink somewhere if I’m in serious writing mode.

My least favorite part of the writing process is making edits and updating the main file. Sometimes, I need chocolate for this task. Dark chocolate works best for me. I don’t normally get to excited about Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups, but for some reason, I love the Easter egg ones. I always stock up on those in the spring.

When I’m plotting, I do mind-mapping or cloud diagrams that show the story line. When I start writing, I color code the chapters to show where there is romance, humor, and clues. That’s a quick check for me to see if I need to spread anything out.

What are your writing habits?