Plan your writing
A writing plan should be a tool to help you with your writing. There are several approaches, and it's worth identifying one that works for you.
1) Writing schedule
A writing schedule looks at creating time to write. For your schedule, identify
- a regular time slot. Choose a time that fits your schedule, but also when you are most creative - are you a lark or an owl?
- a place to write. Ideally, this should be somewhere you won't be disturbed.
- tools for writing - ie longhand; dictating; a PC etc.
- Create targets
- If you don't know what to write in your writing time, then look at no 5 in this list.
You can create a schedule even if you don't know what you want to write about. It is about carving out time to write.
2) Goals
- Set goals for your writing - ie finish your novel this year
- Break that goal down into smaller tasks - chapter by chapter, page by page, word by word.
- Add a realistic time scale to each section.
3) Writing Content
If you chose to focus on what you write, then you can set targets based on:
- word counts - how many words
- specific scenes
- chapters
- editing
To use this type of plan, you need to have some idea of what it is you are writing.
4) Deadlines
If you want to submit your work to specific journals or competions, you can plan your work based on their deadlines. For this type of plan, you need to
- identify relevant markets & deadlines
- identify relevant competitions deadlines
- plot the deadlines on your calendar
- break the writing down into specific sections, and give each a deadline. (ie - write the first 500 words)
5) Inspiration and education
I firmly believe every writer should be a reader, and taking time to develop your craft by reading, and learning more from experienced writers will help improve your work. Stephen King includes reading time in his writing schedule, and reads a wide range of books. Of course, too many writing courses can be a distraction, so keep this in balance with actual writing. A really good course should help you write more, not less.
- Set aside to read and analyse the work of others, in your genre, and in others.
- Read a blog by another writer
- Read a book on writing
- Take a writing course
- Look for writing prompts to use when you're stuck
- Look for exercises to get you writing. I like the ones I wrote about here. My blog includes a previous series on Exercises to get you writing.
A writing plan is personal, and it should help get you writing. You may need to try different strategies, depending on where you are in your writing journey. I tend to include elements of all of the above in mine.
If you're still stuck, this site has free writing planners you can download.