Holy Tornados, Batman! Where’d the time go?
Does this ever happen to you?
I climbed out of bed 5-minutes ago; got dressed for productive writing; started the coffee; booted the laptop; lit Mr. Heater… No wait… I climbed out of bed 32-minutes ago…
The good news is that the coffee is brewed; Word is updating; Wifi gigs have been added; and I’m staring at this blog post template… wondering what inspiring prose I’m going to share about time management.
Snagging time-to-write is a feat to be conquered daily. Thirty-some books later, here’s what I’ve learned:
- Nobody’s going to do it for you
- Nobody’s going to do it for you
- And, in case you missed the memo; Nobody’s going to do it for you
You get to decide:
- When your most productive time to string words on paper is
- Morning
- Afternoon
- Evening
- Night
- Where you’re the most productive word stringer
- At a desk
- Poolside
- In bed
- How your tale goes together
- Beginning; Middle; or End first
- From an outline (skeleton or detailed)
- Description first then fill in the blanks
- And your most productive writing style
- Word-by-word; line-by-line; editing as you go
- 5,000 words a day of gibberish that you then edit, edit, edit
- A chapter a day… maybe two or three…
Then follow through with what works for you.
The key to my time-to-write productivity is:
- 2-8 AM. It’s dark and the only interruptions are the mechanics of computer and internet; the wind flapping a tarp; and the rain pelting or whispering on the roof. Okay, maybe a coyote howling or dogs barking at something out of place. But the long-term persona breakers of people, telephones, and outside activity is quelled.
- At a desk (or kitchen table).
- From a skeleton outline – then a description.
- 1k to 2k words a day with rough edits along the way.
It’s on me to make this time and place available. If I have to get snippy to do it, then so be it. Creating stories that teach, give a laugh, and entertain is fulfilling a critically important purpose in my life. And everyone else’s I can touch through my books.
Ditto for you and your publishing endeavors.
Don’t let anybody (including your own thoughts) through their words or actions, tell you your time-to-write isn’t important.
This doesn’t mean I’m a drill Sargent, although I’ve been accused of being one when it comes to my time-to-write (and a few other things). But I get more growls than salutes while those barger-inners succumb to my wishes.
Of course, there are days I don’t boot the computer or write a word. But not many. And when I’m between books, I tend to the business of being an author… promoting; writing blogs; researching; paying the bills. But I still start the day with a pot of fresh, hot coffee. And the written in stone determination is the same. I’m a writer! Prove it!
On that note… Whether you’re writing Your Fascinating Family History or The Scarecrow Who Was Afraid of Birds, making the time to get it done is paramount to you and your readers. Just do it! 😊
Happy Trails and Tales,
Alexie Linn
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