Writers never seem to have enough time. When we sit down to write, our distractions pile on, our minds wander. And when we’re productive, in the creative zone, time speeds up, and we have to get back to the real world.
In a post on Writers in the Storm, Julie Glover offers some time management tips for writers who fail at planners, apps, and color-coded spreadsheets.
First, she offers some good advice – if you’re considering adopting other writers’ good habits, find people who think like you. The habits of a micro-manager who schedules their day in 15-minute increments isn’t going to work someone who needs long stretches of time to warm up and get productive. In that vein, don’t expect to find the perfect day planner. It doesn’t exist. Instead, find tools that work for you and adapt them to your use.
Glover acknowledges her inherent distaste for strict time management. Instead, she considers how she works best and arranges her schedule to suit. Some writers are most productive when they write every day at a certain time. Others might want to write intensively for a few weeks, then take a week or two off. Figure out your writing flow and work around it, including the times and days that you are most productive.
Glover also plans her time around a project, not specific steps in the process. She sets a deadline for getting a book to its release date, but doesn’t allot a specific amount of time to drafting, editing, proofreading, etc. The lengthy list of action items feels overwhelming, rather than helpful.
Finally, she urges you to be flexible. Your calendar is a guideline, but you don’t have to stick to a strict time table. You should rearrange as you need.
