Goal Plan Success

Establishing a Writing Routine: My Best Tips

Establishing a writing routine can be a challenge for many newer writers.  There’s plenty of advice out there on how to establish a routine, so I decided to compile a list of the strategies that worked for me.

Make Writing a Priority:  If being published is your goal, then you must make writing a priority.  About a decade ago, when I was pondering the idea that became Angel of Mercy, I lamented the fact that I didn’t have time to make-a-go at fiction writing.  Then I was given some advice:  If it’s important to you, you’ll make the time.  For years, I only worked for my freelance writing clients Monday-Thursday, so I could work on fiction all day on Fridays.  Eventually, I began writing during the rest of the week as well.

Treat it Like a Business:  Treating writing like a business gives you the proper mindset and the kick in the butt to stop procrastinating and get working.  I have set hours that I write and very specific locations where I write as well.

Write Down Your Goals:  I commit all my goals to paper, not an electronic file.  I have quarterly goals and a daily to-do list in addition to calendars for social media and blogging/vlogging.

Plan Your Stories:  Many writers prefer to just “wing it.”  However, I have found that planning out my plotlines before I write them makes me more productive, prevents writer’s block and allows me to pick up right where I left off should I ever need to take a break.

Give Yourself a Deadline:  I never give myself a deadline for research or a rough draft.  However, I do give myself a deadline for each subsequent draft and when I feel the manuscript is ready, a publication date.  A deadline helps hold me accountable to the project and, ultimately, reaching my end goals.

Add a Ritual:  For some it might be mood lighting or a certain drink or snack.  For me, it’s music.  I can’t write without it.

Don’t Get Bored:   Writers can suffer a decrease in creativity if they get bored with their manuscripts.  To avoid this, I started working on multiple projects at once.  And guess what?  My productivity increased and so did my motivation.

My Writing Routine

My writing routine has been established for years.  I conduct two set writing sessions.

Day session:  During my day writing session, I first tackle client work.  When that is complete, I move onto historical fiction.  During the day is also when I pen blogs, format manuscripts and tackle social media.  This routine is kept Monday-Friday with weekends and holidays off.

Night writing:  Evenings and nights once were when I did research and wrote rough drafts by hand.  About a year ago, I switched from handwriting drafts to typing them.  Currently, nights are devoted to my contemporary fiction project.

Learn More About My Books

I’m a multi-genre author of numerous books.  I write contemporary fiction, historical fiction and nonfiction.

Curious about The Rock Star’s Wife series?  Click here to learn more.

Curious about The Unmarriable Kind? Click here to learn more.

Curious about Rose’s Assignment?  Click here to learn more.

Curious about Journey of Hope?  Click here to learn more.

Curious about the WWI Trilogy?  Click here to learn more.

Curious about my nonfiction books?  Click here to learn more.

Not sure?  Click here for an overview of all my books.

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