We all feel we need more time, how often is it said, there are not enough hours in the day or you need an extra day to do it all?
But in truth what you need is to be organised because we cannot add time, each day is twenty-four hours, each hour sixty minutes. It is not that you need more time it is that you need to make the most of what you get. Below are listed four things that give me more time and help with my writing in general. This will help you too.
BE ORGANISED: A to-do list is a must-have in my life for everything, not just for writing. Once I have it on my list I see at a glance how my day will be. Of course, this is not set in stone, life will always throw a curve ball just to distract you. But, having your list, allows you to prioritise. What is the important item that needs your attention? An urgent email to send? A blog post to be written? Check the closing date for a competition? Finish a chapter? And so on…
You can create a table of contents or use a calendar page. Beneath each day’s heading, insert what you need to do today. Once that is achieved, you can then move on. The important thing to remember is when you use this method, you will not panic because you know the day when you will deal with whatever it is you need to do.
NOTE: I have not inserted time for social media. This eats up your time and saps energy. I skim SM and unless something engages me, I am happy to tune off. I do not keep SM on my phone either. So I must open my laptop to access it and if my laptop is open, I’d rather be writing or learning a task that helps me be more organised, like how to schedule posts, etc.
| MON | TUES | WED | THURS | FRI | SAT | SUN |
| 1st Mon of the month blog post up/newsletter out | Submit completed story/query to publishers | 500 words | Return emails, chat with fellow writers | Check Cl. Dates for next week | write thoughts for next blog post/newsletter Check next wk to-do list | Read and relax |
| 500 words Novel/short story | 500 words | editing | editing | 500 words | 500 words and edit |
THINKING: Yes, thinking!! This is what gets me through a tough writing scene, characters that have me baffled, or I’m just feeling lost with my story/novel. I usually go for a walk and think about what it is I’m having difficulty with. You might like to listen to music, and often a phrase or word can spark a thought which will lead to another, and so on. Maybe you prefer to doddle while thinking and as you do so, a word appears on the paper and another and before you realise it, the foggy confusion you had is clear as a bright sunshine day.
READING: Like all creatives, we go through occasions of our mojo being lost, our energy levels low and we cannot think of anything we feel has merit. Maybe you doubt yourself and your work, and that imposter syndrome has come to keep you company. When feeling like this, I read. Reading takes my focus away from my own ‘I should be writing‘ guilt. By enjoying others’ words and allowing myself to be off duty, my love for creating worlds/stories embraces me again. The words of others recharge my batteries, they may help yours.
MEETING OTHERS: Because writing can be solitary, you must remember you are never alone. Meeting for a cuppa or zooming online, a quick phone call, whatever you do, it is important. Any time spent chatting and discussing writing is never wasted time. We need the interaction of other writers to buzz us up and remind us that we have support and we support others. You know that the doubts, plot problems, and fussy characters are the same for us all. Time away from the desk/laptop in good company is time well spent. I find I return filled with ideas and excitement to get writing again and so will you. Sharing our success and our rejections, especially our rejections, will have you realising you are never alone and that you are not unique in how you feel.
I hope you find something in this post that can help you with your writing day. If you consider applying one thing, well, that in my book is a win.
Mary x
Mary T Bradford 