Tips to Organize Your Writing Life
I don�t care if you�re a freelance writer, nonfiction writer, novelists or something of a hybrid. The truth is that you have to wear a lot of hats to find publishing success. You have to be able to write on a deadline, plan marketing campaigns, utilize social media, and of course, write.
The increase pressure to do it all has led to frustration and burnout in a lot of writers I come into contact with. But even with the downside, there are those of us to whom writing is like breathing. Without it, we�ll die.
We have come to a point the mad juggling skills are a requirement for today�s writers. But don�t give up hope. There are some things you can do, some ways to organize your time, that will help you accomplish more than you thought. Beyond that, you can make a conscious decision to give yourself a pass on some things.
Tips that keep me sane:
1. Make a list. Now I have to confess, I�m not a rabid list maker. I�m just the opposite. Lists make me feel pressured�at least they used to. But I have learned that lists can be my best friend. Because truthfully, I just cannot keep up with everything in my head. Not every list is a to-do list. Many of them are reference lists. Here are some ongoing lists I keep:
- Blog post schedules. I write a lot of blog posts for my site, and also for other sites. I have a second Tuesday here, and a fourth Friday there, mixed in with a first Sunday on another site. Believe me, the list goes on. I have developed an ongoing list of the due date of every blog post I owe someone�including myself.
- Due date list. This can be due dates for articles, books, edits, even my own self-imposed goals.
- Submission list. If you do a good bit of freelance writing, this one�s a must. It�s also important if you�re submitting queries or proposals to agents, looking for representation.
- Special events list. Each event gets its own list. If I have a book signing, or a book launch, or I�m promoting a conference, I have a list for that. I include a goal of what I�d like to accomplish. Then I map out things I want to do to help me achieve that goal.
- Social media list. I keep an ongoing list of websites and blogs that I check regularly for possible social media updates. This is where I get a lot of the Tweets and FB posts that I share.
- Idea lists. Yes lists. I keep ongoing tickler files on blog post ideas, article ideas, book ideas, book launch ideas, etc.
2. Set goals. I�ve learned that I don�t get very far down the road when I don�t know where I�m going. So I have goals. I know where I want to be in 3 months, 6 months, 1 year, 5 years, etc. These incremental goals are mandatory for me. Even if I don�t have an official contract with a deadline, I work better when I have a plan.
3. Take a Sabbath�if you�ll forgive the pun�religiously. I�ve learned, the hard way, that I�m no good to anyone if I don�t get a regular, weekly time off.
4. Look at the year ahead. This is one that has helped me a lot. I look at the things I know I have upcoming�about a year in advance�and use that to plan ahead. If I have a book releasing in September, then I know August, September, October and November are going to be heavy marketing months. I co-direct the Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Writers Conference in May of each year, so I do my best not to take any out-of-town speaking engagements or deadlines that month. Sometimes it doesn�t work that way, but I try to control what I can.
5. Ask for prayer support. I was messaging back and forth with a writer today who is on an almost impossible deadline. She was asking for suggestions that would help her succeed. One of the first things I told her to do was to call in the prayer support. Ladies and gentlemen, we are on the front lines in today�s society. Words have power and when we wield that power for good, we can expect to encounter resistance. So often writers tell me they�re hesitant to ask non-writer friends for prayer support. They feel like their writing is unimportant. I say POPPYCOCK! I also recommend you have a group or team that prays regularly for you.
6. Be accountable. This is another biggie for me. If I don�t have someone who is expecting me to report back to them, I can let things slide. I have someone I exchange texts with daily, for prayer and accountability. I also have a group of writers online that I�m accountable to, as well as a couple of local writers I meet with regularly.
7. Ask for help. I have an ongoing agreement with several writers. We can borrow blog posts from each other without first asking permission. This means that at 2am, when I wake up in a cold sweat because I forgot to write a blog post, I can visit one of their sites and voil� a guest post. I always link back to the site where I got the post, and include a bio. Believe me, this arrangement has saved several us on several occasions.
These are the things that I do to juggle the things necessary to succeed. What would you add to the list? Be sure to leave your tips in the comments section below.
Don�t forget to join the conversation!
Blessings,
Edie
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