Becoming a Disciplined Writer

After creating the post Stress: The Creativity Killer, I went on the hunt for suggestions about how to become a more disciplined writer. I was hoping for a template, I suppose, of how to set up my new schedule.

I didn’t find one, per se, but I did come across this article, which is more helpful than just a blank template. After reading it, I’ve decided to make some adjustments to the plan I laid out in my previous post.

First off, I’m not going to find a writing buddy. In hindsight, I realized that idea would only add more stress to myself and the other person, burdening each other with yet another obligation. So, I’ll hold myself accountable by tracking my new schedule in a spreadsheet. It’s much harder to lie to myself, at any rate, since I already know the truth.

And as the article suggests, I’m going to set my goals closer rather than going for the full six months right out the gate.

I still know it takes six months to change habits, but that doesn’t mean I need to wait half a year before evaluating or celebrating my goals. Plus, having closer end dates will allow me to scale up sooner if I need or want to.

I’m all about progressing forward right now. I have many projects to accomplish, so my new schedule will reflect those. New installments need completing, and revisions need editing finished for republication.

The dates for some of those republications have already been decided upon, and I’m determined to keep them. In short, we all have different needs and availability when it comes to our goals. So, this is only what I plant to do, not a recommendation. If you want to attempt being a more disciplined writer, you’ll have to set a schedule that matches your needs and calendar.

My new schedule will be:

• For 1 hour a day, I will work on new content. Not writing revisions of old material, but brand-new words that either move an unfinished story closer to the end or belongs to a new book.

• For 2 hours a day, I will work on revisions or editing revisions. I’m giving myself more time with this simply because it’s more time-consuming.

• I will do one thing a day that’s not related to writing but helps me achieve household/life goals to relieve those stressors.

• I will do all of this for the next 2 weeks, starting today—because we all know that tomorrow never comes. 🙂

I’ll be continuing to share this new phase of my writing journey here as often as I can. I thought about adding blog posts to my schedule, but I don’t want to bite off more than I can chew at the start. Once I’ve reached the end of the first 2 weeks, I’ll see if I can add blogging to the list.

♥ Again, if you have any ideas or similar experiences, please feel free to share them in the comments below.