How to Develop a Time Schedule to Write

Writing is a creative art, but to produce finished, quality work on a regular basis, you have to add some structure. Developing a time schedule to write is an important first step. Here's how to make writing a routine part of your life. Steps: 1. Find a spot that you can call your own, away from noise or interruptions, that no one else uses and that you don't have to clear off if someone wants to set the table or needs a place to do homework. This place could be a workstation in the corner of the dining room, a spare room you can commandeer as an office or a card table in the basement. 2. Make a list of scheduled activities in your life and identify time slots available for writing. If Thursday and Friday evening and Saturday afternoon are filled, write in Sunday morning and Monday and Wednesday evening as your writing times. Treat scheduled writing time the same as an important business conference call or doctor's appointment, and don't skip it. 3. Turn off the TV. If you have family or roommates who object, then move to another room to write. While the rest of the household is in front of the TV, it's prime time for writing without interruptions. 4. Decide on a writing goal. Some writers find that a production goal works better than a time goal. Give yourself a deadline, whether it's an article a week or 3 pages a day, and stick to it. 5. Set a timer while you work. It's easy to get distracted and find yourself at the end of your writing time with little or nothing to show for it. Set the timer for 15 minutes (or 10 or 20 if that works better) and focus on nothing but getting words down. 6. Steal time to write. Carry your laptop wherever you go or keep a notebook and pen with you. If you're sitting in a doctor's waiting room or in your car waiting for the kids' soccer practice to let out, take that time to jot down notes and ideas. Even small entries add up, such as an outline for an article, a single paragraph or a character description. 7. Break writing projects into smaller steps. Instead of thinking about writing an entire book, think about writing a chapter or even a single scene. Outline your article first and focus on writing each part before putting it all together. 8. Multitask to avoid "writer's block." Work on more than one project at a time. Once you reach a stopping point on one project, or if your creative energy is flagging, start working on another. When you go back to the first project, it'll be with fresh eyes. Sources and Citations: * http://www.sfwa.org/2005/01/50-strategies-for-making-yourself-work/ * http://onlinewritingtips.blogspot.com/2008/11/how-to-make-writing-schedule-and-stick.html * "Amusing the Muse" by Rebecca Lyons in Speculations #10, August 1996. originated by: WRM, Carolyn Barratt Source: www.wikihow.com