Why Can't I Finish My Book?
/
It took me about five years to write, edit, revise, query, and get my first novel published. I thought I was a slow writer, and there was too much going on in my life at the time to focus. I work full-time in IT, and everyone has commitments and responsibilities. Two years ago, I tried an experiment. I wanted to see how productive I could be if I put some focus on my writing time. (That year, I finished two 73,000 word novels, one 15,000 word novella, two 4,000 word short stories, and one 3,000 nonfiction article.) Here’s what I learned…
I always put important things on my calendar, but my writing time wasn’t there. I would always tell myself that I’d fit it in. I scheduled some “office” time for writing. And I stuck to my schedule.
I realized I was watching too much (bad) TV and movies. We still watch our favorite shows, but we DVR most everything now. I watch it when I have time (and I don’t have to sit through the commercials).
Look at where you spend your time for a week. Are there things that are big time wasters that you really don’t need to do?
I can’t sit at my desk for hours. I get restless, and it’s not good for you to sit so long. Schedule little breaks, and do other tasks (e.g. load/empty the dishwasher, put laundry in the washer or dryer, fold laundry, sort the mail). After a little break, I’m recharged and ready to get back to work.
Determine when you are most productive and schedule your writing time then. I’m a (very) early morning person. I’ve never been productive in the late evening hours. Learn what works for you.
Figure out tasks you can do at other times. I use my lunch time at work to write, proofread, or revise. That gave me 5 hours additional writing hours a week.
I also print copies of work that needs to be revised. I take these with me when I’m waiting at the dentist, hair dresser’s, doctor’s , or DMV.
If you find yourself spending too much time on your social media sites, find ways to schedule your posts. It’s a more efficient use of your time.
When we do sit down to watch TV (We are football and college basketball fans), I use my tablet to scan through my social media feeds. I get to do two things I like, and I’m not spending hours on each.
I try to write something every day. It does make a difference. When I’m working on a novel or novella, I keep a PostIt note on my desk. At the end of each session, I write down the date and the word count, so I can see my progress. Some people are very formal, and set up spreadsheets with daily word counts. Do what works for you. If you miss days, it will take you time to catch up, and that time could be better spent on other tasks.
With my first couple of books, I got stuck in revision paralysis. I would revise and revise, and then I’d put it down for a while. Then I’d pick it back up and start over. I would also start revising before I finished the manuscript. Now, I write the first, sloppy draft. I don’t do major rereads or revisions until the first draft done.
Find a good critique group, beta readers, and writing partners. These people will help keep you on track. If you have a monthly commitment to provide pages for the group to read, you’ll do better at staying on task.
Learn how to say “no” nicely. You are constantly bombarded with requests for your time. Figure out what’s important, and say “no” or “not now” to some that you really can’t commit to.
