I am busy writing my new book, after a month off after finishing my last book. That month has been spent renovating my newly bought house and moving. Not that restful 
. But now I’m back in the swing, and the one thing I love to keep me on track is a schedule.
I created one in Excel for book 2, and it worked really well, so I’m using it again for book 3. It keeps me honest. I can write all morning, but because I delete and edit as I go, I may write 4 pages but only be 2 pages along from my original page count at the end of it. I can only claim 2 pages on my schedule, which means, given my 5 page a day rule, I have three more to write.
I know this doesn’t work for everyone, but for me, its a good way to keep me from slipping behind, and most important of all, keeps me focused on my progress. I find a schedule makes me think about my work and my page count more. When I need to focus, this is a good thing.
What about you? For whatever task, do you like a schedule or do you prefer to wing it?
Michelle,
For too many years, my life was dictated by a Lesson Plan Book. The habit has stuck. I set up monthly and yearly goals, then weekly ones and identify, Each day I log in what I hope to accomplish and where I stop. Sometimes I make the daily count; if not, I must make it up. Otherwise I fall behind.
I’ve found writing is like teaching in a way. You have your goals, you figure out how to get it done, and it will get done. If not, you don’t teach very long. For a writer, you won’t get the damn book finished, to paraphrase an oft-repeated Jennifer Crusie comment.
Michelle, congrats on settling into your new home! I’m so happy that you’re back on schedule too. I don’t keep a written schedule, but I always know if I make my goals or not. Daily writing is pretty much my goal and if I miss a day, I know I need to pull a long one to make up for it.
Summer is always a piece of chocolate, floating before my eyes.
The lure of sunny days, makes me come up with creative ways to keep on track. Maybe early morning writing, or evening writing gets juggled around. But at the end of the day, I know intuitively if I kept my part of the bargain. It isn’t always a pretty outcome, but I face it. Now, professional deadlines, those I’ll keep…sunny days or not!
Yeah, Michelle. Congratulations on getting settled. Major goal right there.
I’m definitely a winger. If I tried to put myself on a schedule I’d probably explode.
Michelle, I do try to keep to a schedule, but for the first half of my last book I felt like I had to wrestle the first half. After that, I was able to keep my schedule. And I did have to take out whole scenes. I try not to beat myself over the head when that happens. And I don’t always make it up either.
Mary Jo, I agree. If I don’t have a clear goal, the days slip past and I don’t get anywhere. I like to know I have to do X number of pages.
Thanks, LaD. We are still not 100% there, but we are making progress, and it definitely feels like home, which is the main thing
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Liz, winging it works for you. I love how different we all are, yet we still end up with a finished book in the end
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Edie, we also have to be kind to ourselves. Something I have to remember. LOL. I think I’m better at cutting myself a break these days.
I have just learned first hand how well this goal setting works for me. As usual I had thrownd down those first 20,000 with excited ease. Then began to stall.
My local RWA chapter, every few months, does C2C = Cheeks to chair for one week. When you sign up, you set your own goals. Everyone reports at the end of the day and share tidbits of their day, writing or otherwise. They’re a great bunch of ladies. We cheer for each other or give cyber hugs where needed.
Then last month, I joined BIAW (book in a week) with KOD Kiss of Death Chapter of RWA and set a much bigger daily goal of 3000 words and stuck to it.
I finished my ms 89,000 on the next C2C run and have decided that this is an incredible motivator.
Without this kind of goalsetting, combined with a little social support, I’d likely be bumbling along at the 50,000 word mark!
I will be checking out your group as well as another I just heard about on Twitter #1k1hr.
happy writing!