How Do You Schedule Time to Write?
A couple weeks back, I opened the blog floor and invited aspiring writers to send me their questions. Since, then I’ve been picking off the submitted questions in a series of posts, like Why It’s Better to Give Away Your Writing Than Be Invisible.
I was expecting the nuts and bolts questions–How does the proposal process work? How do you get an ISBN number? And, by the way, what IS an ISBN number?
But I’ve been pleasantly surprised by the number of more personable emails from people who are curious about the writing process. I.e. The mystery of how you actually get the words onto the page.
One of the practical how-tos among them is how do you schedule time to write?
There are expert recommendations out there–the discipline preached by writing professors and eccentric recluses.
Some people, for example, swear by sitting down first thing in the morning and forcing themselves to write until a set time–say noon.
Whether eighty pages or eighteen words spill out, they imprison themselves in a chair until the time ticks off the buzzer.
Other people commit to writing a certain number of words a day. They get out their calculator and figure 200 double-spaced pages is about 50,000 words. Then they divide that by an amount of time they think is reasonable to write a book for them–two years, a year, four months.
It turns out if you wrote only 136 words a day, you could complete an entire manuscript in a year.
So they chug away at that number and when they get to 136, they are free to stop. But not until then. Some days, they might write more. But 136 is the I-will-not-move-from-my-chair minimum.
I don’t use either of these methods.
If I were starving and I had to churn out a minimum number of books a year, I’m sure I would. I’d probably unwrap a chocolate bar and set it on the table in front of me and reward myself with a square for every paragraph I knocked out too. =)
But since writing for me is more of an art, a craft I enjoy losing myself in, drawing a bunch of rules around the process drains the spirit out of it for me.
This, again just one person’s opinion, is how I prefer to approach writing.
I try to set aside big blocks of time when I can really indulge freely in writing. It has to be time when I can revel in it, without having to interrupt after every 200 words to take a call or run an errand. And without feeling like I’m neglecting my two year old (which inevitably ends up with him locking himself in some sort of space that requires breaking something to get him out of).
It’s tricky sometimes to clear a half a day, or a whole day, or even–dream, dream, dream–several days, but this, I find, is when I can best sink into what is going on inside of me.
I can really clear my mind and settle into the ideas stirring around in my soul. I can do my thoughts justice.
For me, when I open the writing floodgates that wide, the topic gets into me and the book almost begins to write itself…or at least to insist upon being written.
When I leave it, I can’t wait for the next time when I can find another block of time to continue. Sometimes I’ll even stage my own personal writing retreat, where I organize a few days away from my real world tasks and to do lists, and just pull ideas floating around to the surface, like fishing for the biggest and brightest thoughts, and see what ends up on my line.
What about you? Feel free to leave me a comment. I’d love to hear how you write best. Are you wanting to start writing your own book? Here are some free resources to help you on your way
Travis Mamone September 27, 2011 (8:31 am)
Usually I do my writing during the weekends. I go to my local coffee shop, order a large white mocha, sit down at the table closest to a power outlet, take out my Macbook, slip off my flip flops (weather permitting, of course), put on some music (Nick Drake, Sara Groves, and Bon Iver are the best), and basically stare at my unfinished project until I finally think of something to say.
ed cyzewski September 27, 2011 (8:36 am)
One common trick to get myself writing is to edit my previous day’s work first. Sometimes it helps to leave for a cafe first thing in the morning (or mid-morning as in today!) and write for 3 hours. I view the drinks I have to buy as sort of an incentive to write. If I don’t write during my cafe time, I’ve then wasted the money I invested in those drinks.
If I’m stuck, that’s usually a sign that I need to do a bit of reading, outlining, or brainstorming to prime the pump. I also find that the afternoons are tough for working on serious creative work. Afternoons are great for working on book proposals, networking, outlining, brainstorming, and editing. A moleskine notebook goes with me everywhere, and I jot down ideas in there constantly. Some ideas just wither, while a few manage to sink in some roots and grow.
The chocolate bar idea is genius, though I’m sure having a kid about the house provides incentive enough to grab those free moments when they come!
Sarah Anne Sumpolec September 27, 2011 (8:43 am)
I tend to think about a project for a very long time before I sit down to write it, so by the time I do sit down, I find that “I must write, for the story demands to be told”. I know that sounds very ambiguous but it’s true. Writing is my art and engaging in it is a necessity.
Some specifics though – I must have time to jump into the pool, so I can’t do 15 minutes chunks. I find that if I have at least a 2 hour block of time I can accomplish something. I will give myself a page goal also if I am on deadline. (tbh – deadlines are very helpful to me, without them I…wander…)
Sarah September 27, 2011 (12:45 pm)
@Travis I love that you nailed this down to a science involving White Mocha and Bon Iver. I’m taking notes. :)
Sarah September 27, 2011 (12:47 pm)
@Ed Great points. A change of context can be the difference between the life and death of good writing. :) And yes! Reading is such a fuel for good writing. Great comments.
@Sarah I feel that with you — the story demands to be told.
Amy September 28, 2011 (12:04 am)
This is going to be something new for me this year. I have to carve out times to write with purpose. I try to write in journal every day, but now it’s time to take all those bits and pieces and put them together for something solid. I appreciate the insight from others.