Writing Schedules and why they’re important

‘Schedule’ can be a scary word. There’s something corporate-like about it, something that implies business, a job. But our whole world works on schedules. Our own, other people’s, nature itself. We all live by patterns and cycles and sequences. It’s as much a part of our biology as breathing, eating, sleeping (all regular schedules your body keeps!)

So, with that said, why would your creativity be any different? Human beings thrive on a sense of continuity, in security, and your writing could be the same!

What is a writing schedule?
A writing schedule is a set day/time that you dedicate for writing. This might look like an hour every day, or three days a week. It doesn’t matter how it looks—only that it works for you.

Why do we need one?
A writing schedule is a great way to help you achieve your writing goals and to prioritize your writing. If it’s important to you, then it’s worth making time for, even if it’s not for any particular reason.

Allowing yourself a set time to write boosts inspiration, productivity and acts as a form of self-care.

How does a writing schedule look?
This will depend entirely on you and your already existing schedule. Famous authors notably vary greatly in their daily word counts. Here’s a few examples;

Ernest Hemmingway- 5000 words per day
Stephen King- 2000 words per day
Tom Wolfe- 135 words per day
Michael Crichton- 10,000 words per day
Mark Twain- 1400-1800 words per day
Kate DiCamillo- 600-900 words per day
Ian McEwan- 600 words per day
Brandon Sanderson- 2500 words per day

Bear in mind- these authors all write for their day jobs, but you get the picture of how greatly an average number of words can differ from author to author. And this is only what they aim for. It doesn’t mean they actually manage this in a day. Some days it might be less, others it might be more.

Personally, for me, I am able to write over 1000 words a day happily- but I have droughts in which I will go a few days at a time with producing nothing other than research or mulling over characters. I have done writing challenges that ask for a set amount of words to be written every day for 30 days. I manage it then, but it’s simply not sustainable for me long term.

Your writing schedule needs to be something you can achieve. It needs to be realistic for you. Whether it’s 300 words a day, or 1000 words three times a week, it all depends on what is workable for you.

Here are some examples of how your schedule could look:

Word count- Aiming for a specific number of words per day/week/set amount of days
Day count- Aiming for a certain amount of days per week that you’ll spend writing
Tasks- Designating writing time for all writing projects, such as writing, editing, research etc
Time- Focusing on reaching a set amount of day daily/weekly for writing

How do you start one?
First thing first, you need to figure out what your goal is going to look like. Are you aiming for daily? Five days a week? Are you focused more on wordcounts, or the time you spend writing? Do you want to designate time for specific projects? Deciding how you want your time spent is step one.

Next, grab out your calendar. Whether this is a desk, wall, phone or computer calendar doesn’t matter, but it should be the calendar you usually use for writing down your other commitments. This will give your writing schedule more permeance. It will feel more like you’re booking an appointment, and it should feel as important as that hairdresser appointment or coffee catch-up, if not more.

Look at your calendar. What does your average week look like? Where are places that you have more time than others? Is there a particular time of day where you have a bit of time you could utilize? Is there a couple of days in your week where you have a larger gap than you do on others? Determining these openings in your schedule will provide you with the prime opportunity to utilise these for writing. It doesn’t need to be much, or even the same from day to day. 15 minutes on a Tuesday, an hour on Thursdays, every little bit counts.

Or, you can consider multitasking. If you have your cup of coffee and usually flick through the paper, maybe you can use that time to write instead. If you spend 30 minutes readying before bed, maybe you can read on some nights, write on others.

For example, my writing schedule looks something like this;

Write every morning upon waking up, if schedule full then move writing to evening after dinner
Mondays from midday to evening are used for a 4 hour writing session.

I don’t always stick to this, either. Sometimes things come up. Sometimes I really, really don’t want to be writing. That’s okay, I am just aware that the schedule is there, and I return to it as soon as I can.

·       If you have yet to determine what your average word count is, then try this simple task. Write for 20-60 minutes everyday or a few times a week for two weeks. Look at what you manage to write within that specific time frame to determine what your average word count is.

What to think about when it comes to a writing schedule

·       Your schedule should be determined by your goals. Do you want to write a novel? Then your schedule is going to be intensive and require more from you. Do you write short stories? Then you’re not going to need to write 1000 words per day- 300 would suffice. Writing for your own personal enjoyment? Then write to a prompt daily. Understanding why you want to implement a writing schedule will help you determine what it needs to look like.

·       If you ARE wanting to write a novel or novels, then every day can help you obtain this in a timely, structured manner. This isn’t a rule, you don’t have to, but it can help elevate productivity.

·       Every day is also helpful if you’re someone that thrives on routine. This allows your body and mind to ready itself for your writing time. If your muse knows when to show up, it’ll start showing up.

·       Different projects will require different schedules. Editing will look different from actually writing your first draft. Be mindful of this. 15 minutes might be fine for writing, but you won’t make much headway if you’re editing.

·       Be sure to schedule different times for different tasks too. Maybe you write Monday through to Thursday, but Friday is your editing day. This just ensures you maintain time to be creative.

·       Stick to your schedule! Like an exercise regime, you get more from regularly working out your body than you do going to the gym for three hours and then not returning for two weeks. You’re strengthening your writing muscles here, and do to that, you need to work them regularly.

·       An intense schedule, like 2000 words a day, might help you get the first draft of your manuscript finished quickly, but it simply isn’t going to be sustainable for you long term. If you have a deadline, then an intense schedule can work great. But long-term utilization of it can lead to burn out, which in turn triggers writer’s block. Be mindful; give what you can give.

·       Use a rewards system. Positive reinforcement works wonders. What rewards you use will again, be determined by you, but could be something as simple as eating a square of chocolate for every 300 words you write. Or if you hit your word count for the month, you buy that book you’ve had your eye on. Or, are the end of the week, if you’ve written for your designated amount of days, you take yourself off for a little treat at your favourite café.

·       Use prompts! If you’re someone who isn’t working on a particular project, such as writing a novel, then prompts are amazing for productivity. You can do a web search for writing prompts, or you can flip open to a random word in the dictionary, or you can select an item from the room you’re in. Writing prompts are like warm ups- they get the blood pumping and the oxygen flowing.

·       If you get easily discouraged or overwhelmed with deadlines, wordcounts, etc…then worry only about WHEN you’re going to write and less about HOW MUCH or WHAT.

·       When you write is as important as where you write. Find yourself a space that can become your writing nook. If it’s a room you can close the door to, even better, because this symbolises to your brain that you’re putting a barrier between the rest of the world and yourself; this your time. Your place. Your world.
If you’re don’t have a space you can use, use the space you work from, and find a way to physically signal to yourself the transition between it being your office to your writing space. This could be lighting a candle before you start writing, and blowing it out when you’re done. Or you could move your desk to face another direction, or pick another chair to sit in. It doesn’t matter what this looks like, as long as it means something to you.

·       Prioritize yourself and your writing. You need to prove to yourself that your writing, and you, are important, and deserve having time made specifically to indulge.