Writing Routines
When it comes to my writing, I’m mostly a creature of habit. Monday through Friday I get up early, usually around 5:30. I spend about an hour in a coffee, meditation, yoga and keeping my numbers routine before I move into the business of the day.
I check email to see if there’s anything urgent and then move into the day’s writing projects.
On Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays I put together the writing job list, the newsletter and blog first about job postings. Then I go to our forum and around 8:30 or 9 I start on the day’s writing projects.
Tuesday and Wednesday it’s roughly the same, without the job lists. Additional blogging happens as I go along – I’m lucky that I can write short posts fairly quickly, making it almost easy to post blogs two or three times a day.
Of course, there’s variation. Monday’s also finds me spending two or three hours at a clay studio and usually doing my shopping.
Weekends I use for either catching up or just doing mostly nothing.
I thought about this because I was gone three days last week… a lovely trip visiting my daughter for Thanksgiving. I got back late Friday afternoon and didn’t do much more than check email. Saturday, I got started on one project, but mostly messed around. Yesterday, I spent a good deal of time on one project and a bit on another, noticing I felt behind.
Actually, what I felt was out of sync with my routine. Now that I’m back at it in my normal way, I realize how much I do count on the pattern of work I’ve developed… and I notice it’s also a good thing to break it up once and awhile.
What’s your writing routine?
Write well and often,
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POSTED IN: General Freelance Writing, Musings From A Freelance Writer, Notes from a Writing Coach
6 opinions for Writing Routines
Jul
Nov 27, 2006 at 1:03 pm
I’m trying to establish a writing routine for myself, but it’s still not quite in place. I tend to get more done when I wake up early and write first thing for a couple hours, so I think I will go back to that routine for December. Meanwhile, I’m still finishing up my novel for NaNoWriMo, which means I’m basically writing every free moment!
Tammy Takahashi
Nov 27, 2006 at 11:55 pm
Oh Anne, I’m SO jealous that you can have a writing routine.
One day, when I’m no longer a mama to three small children, I’ll make my writing routine.
As it stands, I write whenever I can catch a moment.
Sometimes, I just have to say to hubby, “I’m going to the library!” and leave in order to get anything done.
I try to find balance. When the kids get older, the balance will be different.
But I do know for sure that I’m not a morning person and I’m not a late night person. I’m a smack in the middle of the day person. So, if I have the choice, I’d prefer to get out in the morning and do errands, then spend the rest of the day writing until dinner. Write a bit after dinner, then read until I fell asleep.
alicia
Nov 28, 2006 at 6:39 am
Get up early (somewhere between 5-6 a.m.), feed livestock (two cats, one dog), drink coffee, check emails, catch up on blogs, begin work.
Most days I have two ongoing projects, so I’ll spend a couple of hours getting a certain percentage of one complete, and the rest of the day working on the other.
I have been breaking my routine (thanks to Thanksgiving, haha), and I’m grateful to be back in it ;)
Anne Wayman
Nov 28, 2006 at 10:45 am
Tammy… I remember well waiting for the three kids to go down for naps to write… and writing while they were doing other stuff, in fits and starts…
Alicia… another early riser!
alicia
Nov 28, 2006 at 10:51 am
Yep :) I forgot to mention that yesterday was a major break in routine. Because I was up late watching TV (I got hooked on this sort of Intervention marathon AE was having), I overslept (until, oh…way after 10 a.m.!) and spent the entire day unsuccessfully fighting off crazy distractions. I finally realized I wasn’t going to get any work done but for the new jobs I applied for.
Anne Wayman
Nov 29, 2006 at 10:26 am
sometimes that’s enough
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