Even after eleven (!! I'm so old) years of writing, I still haven't quite mastered it. But after ages of experimentation, filled with countless trials and errors, I think I've learnt a few things.
1. Stickers are fantastic motivators. Or any streak-counting system, really. Keep a separate, blank calendar somewhere within view of your writing space. Every time you meet your writing goal for the day, put a sticker on the corresponding day on the calendar. I found that the longer my writing streak gets, the less likely I am to break the chain. (I am super ridiculously competitive, so this works EXTREMELY well for me. I have a separate streak counter for this blog, as well.)
If you prefer to go digital, Goal Streaks is a good app for Apple products. (I haven't gone looking for apps for Android yet, so unfortunately, I can't help you there.) The Write Chain Challenge is also a great online community, if you're looking for partners in crime.
2. Flex those goals! Unless you have a super strict schedule that you absolutely do not stray from, every day--which, let's face it, you don't, so stop lying--then you probably aren't going to be able to write the same amount daily. I've struggled with this in the past; I didn't want to set a goal too high, in fear that I wouldn't be able to make it on busier days, but I also didn't want to set a goal too low, that I could easily surpass when I have a day off.
The solution? Change your goals. Earth shattering, I know.
Every day, I look at what I have planned, and what other commitments I have, and I set my writing goal based on the time I have left over after everything else is done. Where's the rule that says your writing goal has to be the same every day? Trick question; there isn't one. So be flexible with your goals, and let them change daily or weekly as your needs do.
3. Aim for a word count. For over a year, I tried to set aside time to write--half an hour when I had to work, a full hour when I didn't. This was good, in theory, but in reality? Not so much. I found that I would spend the majority of my half hour staring at a blank screen, or getting distracted with something on the internet or something sitting in my room along with me. Once my timer rang, I'd stop working. "Oh well, so much for that. Tomorrow will be better!"
I don't think I have to tell you what came next.
A word count goal gives me a more solid thing to strive for. Not only that, but it provides more motivation; if I finish my work early enough, I can work on an extra side project...or goof off and play Sims.
And the best part is, you don't have you give up your specific Writing Time if you don't want to. After a few months, I began to recognize what I could achieve in what given time. (For example: on my laptop, I can type 1000 words in half an hour. At work, I can manage around 250-500 words by hand, split between my various breaks.) So if you want to set aside half an hour for just writing, go ahead--learn what you can accomplish in that time, and set that word count as your goal for the thirty minutes.
You don't have to pick one or the other. You can choose both, if that's what works for you.
4. Clean your damn desk! Ok, I'll admit: I haven't perfected this one yet. But if there's anything I've learned over the last few months, it's that a clean and organized workspace can make a world of difference. Messy can be stressy! (So cheesy and cringe-worthy, I know. And yet, the phrase made me giggle as soon as I thought of it.)
Although I am super guilty of letting myself and my life get disorganized, I do make an effort to clean up every now and then (believe it or not). A clean workspace eases my stress and makes it so much easier to work.
Clean your workspace. Treat it like a workspace.
5. Dress the part. Pyjamas = Netflix marathon. Don't even try to deny it. I will admit: growing up, the idea of being able to stay in my pyjamas all day was one of the most appealing aspects of being a full-time writer. But actually staying in my pyjamas all day doesn't actually do much for my productivity levels.
If you want writing to be your job someday, then treat it like one. Take a shower, put on proper (and comfortable) clothes. Do your hair, your make-up, too, if you want. Dress like you would if it were any other day, and you were planning to go out to the store or to work. I've found that being dressed like a regular, productive member of society increases my ability to act like one.
You're not dressing up for other people; you're dressing up for you, and for your writing.
6. Take your work on the go. I find that limiting myself to one location is extremely inconvenient. While I'm not saying that you should try writing in the living room, with loud kids / spouses / roommates and a TV blaring in the background, you should definitely try to write when you have to leave your writing space behind. Learn to write at work, on the bus, at the Starbucks you guiltily go to every morning, anyway.
Don't limit yourself. You'll get so much more done.
7. Don't beat yourself up. So you sat in bed all day and watched Netflix--congratulations! I did that just the other day.
You are human. You have setbacks. Life gets in the way, and sometimes you just won't feel up to the task, and that's fine. You're allowed to call in sick to work every now and then, and writing isn't any different.
And if you catch yourself procrastinating in the middle of the day, don't get mad or disappointed. And for the love of God, do not throw the remainder of the day away, thinking that all productivity is lost. Just take a breath, re-examine your to-do list, and start over. It's not game over yet.
8. Know yourself. What works best? What works not so well? What have you had trouble with in the past? Know what conditions you work best under, and use them. Don't try and force yourself into and routine that doesn't work; you're only hurting yourself. Take every piece of advice--even mine, as fantastic and as fool-proof as it is--with a grain of salt. Take what you need, what works, and leave the rest. Don't be afraid to experiment and change things up, if you need to.
Don't worry about having everything figured out. Because I certainly don't.
Until later,
- Justyne
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