SATURDAY 26th October – DAY 2
Open Discussion My Writing Day
My Writing Day
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My Writing Day 
The early part of the year saw a different kind of writing day. Back then I was still working and had to schedule my action plan around my job. Time wise this was much more manageable but energy wise it sucked.
I made the decision to let the job go and recreate my earning potential through a mixture of avenues. I spent the summer taking a much-needed breather, in lieu of a real holiday as we had just moved house.
By the Autumn I found myself back on track with both the world of writing and job interviews and agencies.
I tend to have two times a day when I can write – the morning and night. The afternoons are full of distractions and partly finished jobs and chores.
I know that the MOST important parts of any writing schedule are;
Discipline
Time management
Organisation
Commitment
I am now freelancing in my day job as well as writing so my plan goes one of two ways – it works (if I get no calls) or it doesn’t (if I’m working)!
A Typical Writing Day Looks Like This
I do not get up at the crack of dawn and make some hours up before breakfast, I did do this when I was at work full time, but I am not a morning person and often I lose more than I gain by working at this time before my brain has started to function.
I usually start between 8-9, I may write about what I have dreamt in my notebook (bedside) I try my best to complete a 5 –10 minute free-write in that lovely, dreamy morning moment when you have just woken and the world and your mind is lucid and only beginning to process reality. This is a practise I promoted at the beginning of InkSpill and it is one in which, I firmly believe.
Often you may end up with pages of unusable trails of words and sometimes you will struggle to read your handwriting, but you are also building up a treasure hoard of ideas and one liners that may see the light of day at some point. And more importantly you are ACTUALLY WRITING.
I usually start between 8-9, I may write about what I have dreamt in my notebook (bedside) I try my best to complete a 5 –10 minute free-write in that lovely, dreamy morning moment when you have just woken and the world and your mind is lucid and only beginning to process reality. This is a practise I promoted at the beginning of InkSpill and it is one in which, I firmly believe.
Often you may end up with pages of unusable trails of words and sometimes you will struggle to read your handwriting, but you are also building up a treasure hoard of ideas and one liners that may see the light of day at some point. And more importantly you are ACTUALLY WRITING.
I check my action plan* and start working on my daily tasks, usually split across a few projects.
I may stop at 11 or 12, depending on other commitments that day.
I eat lunch and then usually spend some time catching up with social media, emails, blogs.
This is where I need to be disciplined and careful. All too often I am still doing this when Mr G arrives home from work. I attempt to use an hour and return to this task later in the night.
Then I fit the rest of life in.
At 7pm or sometimes 8 I may write some more depending on the schedule.
9pm –11 I usually spend on the internet researching, communicating, reading and connecting with social media.
At the least I write 8a.m –11a.m morning slot.
* I have kept action plans for a monthly writing schedule as I find it an effective way to manage the written work load and it is a style I am familiar with from work.
Sometimes I don’t manage to accomplish everything that has been planned for the day, it just rolls over into the next one.
I find them an effective way of meeting deadlines as work is always scheduled to be completed before the deadline, allowing me to at least submit it within the deadline, usually a few days later.
I can balance writing, admin, research and editing time and easily see the proportions of each easily, by using different colours on the grid.
I have learnt that the most important thing is to GET INTO A RHYTHM and your rhythm may not be the same as someone else’s. I read how other writers’ divide their time and will often experiment to see what works for me. This is what works for me. Doing it all first and not punishing myself when I spend the whole day writing and let the chores and paperwork vanish from the TO DO List in my mind!
awritersfountain 