A writing routine – Do you have one? Do you procrastinate or have trouble staying focused while writing your book?
I can help you with your writing routine so your procrastination ends. As an author, I have to have daily goals and lists to stay focused.
If I don’t, I will spend countless and wasted hours on social media watching adorable animal videos. Watching cute videos isn’t the end of the world, but if you want to get things written it can create havoc within your writing world.
Is a Writing Routine Easy?
A common adage says establishing a writing routine is easy. But that, of course, is from the perspective of already having the routine in place and your writing personality.
I love to create my writing routine and I love crossing off my completed tasks. It does make my life easier and my list helps me feel like I am accomplishing things.
Keep in mind, wanting to write a book and establishing a writing routine are two different things.
But to achieve your purpose, you should have a regular writing time and keep to a schedule. I have a few ideas from my own experience about how to establish a great routine and I would love to share them with you.
Here is What You Can Include in Your Writing Routine
- Make a weekly list of tasks, in pencil, so you can move things around if you don’t get to them. Planning out the week ahead helps you get a sense of what tasks you want to get done. Then you can plan specific times to work on your tasks rather than have everything feel jumbled. Lists are a great way to organize yourself.
- Set a time each day to write uninterrupted. If you set the same time every day, it becomes part of your normal routine and you’ll just sit down to write. It doesn’t matter if you don’t have something brilliant to write about. Just write something because the brilliant stuff will come as you work at it.
- Set daily goals each morning for everything you have to do that day. Beyond setting a schedule, setting goals helps you to stay focused on what you need to get done as well as how to get them done. Goals differ from tasks because goals have a specific plan with steps to get there. Set your goals wisely.
- Every time you want to look at Social Media—don’t. So much of our time is taken with small tasks so that we miss getting the larger tasks done. Put a priority on getting your goals done before you do some of the daily tasks we all get caught into.
- Treat your writing like your life’s purpose. You are a writer. And if writing is a dream job for you, you are doing what makes you happy. Daily writing helps you realize your work goals of writing a finished piece. If you treat your writing work seriously, then you can better plan your writing time and devote your energy to it.
- Cross off things on your list as you complete them. It feels good to finish something. And, you are more motivated to accomplishing your tasks when you feel like you are closer to achieving your larger goals. Cross off that you walked the dog, talked to a client, and spent time writing. This one is my favorite….I love to cross things off
- If you are getting tired, frustrated, or stressed out…take a 15-minute break. Thinking clearly and positively is important. So, if you do feel worn down, you won’t be able to write or work as effectively. A small break can boost your spirits so that you can devote more time to your goals.
Establishing a writing routine will definitely help you get more accomplished. And getting your writing completed is ultimately what you are striving for. Follow the above steps, and if you’d like, add some of your own that works for you.
Remember, when you have tasks to accomplish–procrastination doesn’t have a chance.
If you are having trouble with establishing your writing routine please reach out to me! I am your self-publishing coach and you can book a free clarity call with me to get you started.
Wendy Van de Poll is a twelve-time best-selling author on Amazon. She works with authors on all aspects of self-publishing. The genre’s she writes in are pet loss, children’s picture books, human-animal bond, and cozy mysteries. You can reach her to talk about your new project. You can also visit me at Center for Pet Loss Grief
