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Post by gerarddemarigny on Jun 9, 2011 12:49:50 GMT -5
I'm interested in knowing how prolific authors manage their time to write - particularly those of you who've been publishing for years.
Each of you, I'm sure must, daily, among other things, deal with writing other pieces, editing, social networking, marketing and selling your backlist, etc.
I'm curious to know - Do you block out time at a particular time of day/week specifically to write your works for publication?
What's your objective - a certain amount of time to write or an amount of words to write/per day/week?
And ... what time of day do you find to be most productive to write? Do you handle your other tasks earlier in the day or later? Do you break up your writing during the day?
I'm focused on Dean Wesley Smith's advice to consistently publish 3-4 novels a year. I've always gone about everything I do in a business fashion. I have deadlines set for my publishing and I'm already at a production level of three novel-lengths on top of my other writings but always looking to improve.
I'd appreciate your feedback.
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Carradee
New Member
A Fistful of Fire - Traditional Fantasy
Posts: 47
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Post by Carradee on Jun 9, 2011 17:24:17 GMT -5
I'm pretty much in your boat, but I'm finding the Freelancer Workweek scheduler helpful, from Productive Flourishing. Also helps me to set a timer for every 15-20 minutes or so, even when I'm browsing or checking e-mail, to avoid getting sucked down the rabbit hole and emerging hours later, realizing, "Hey, I have work to do." Anything less than a 10-minute timer hinders me, as does anything above a 50-minute timer. If I set a timer for 45/50 minutes to work, with the promise that I can take that last 10-15 minutes of the hour as a break, I get a lot more done. Music can also help me focus, especially when I can get a particular song mentally assigned to a particular project. For example, one WiP has "Born to Feel Alive" as the theme song. I start playing it, and it helps me get back into the flow. (When I'm not stuck, that is.)
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Post by antheal on Jun 9, 2011 23:08:30 GMT -5
Weekly word count goals help. Knowing that if I'm behind during the week that I'll have to give up more of my weekend is a powerful motivator! That said, I spend way too much time reading blogs these days -- but it's important to be educated and on top of the ever-changing landscape of publishing, right? (Ok, yes, more butt glue, less surfing...)
Steven Pressfield's THE WAR OF ART is full of good kicks in the pants, too.
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Post by jesterjoker on Jun 10, 2011 2:37:12 GMT -5
Yo, here from Smith.
I try to meet a word count per day - at the moment, it's 1000, because I have big events coming. I have 1500 at the highest.
I don't always manage it, but that's the ideal.
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Post by gerarddemarigny on Jun 10, 2011 10:03:49 GMT -5
VCool Misti! I like that idea of yours to write 45/50 then rest as a break - then reminder to get back to it.
Gonna give it a try and see how it works for me.
Thanks much! g
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Post by gerarddemarigny on Jun 10, 2011 10:09:47 GMT -5
(Ok, yes, more butt glue, less surfing...) Steven Pressfield's THE WAR OF ART is full of good kicks in the pants, too. Butt glue ... I love it Antheal! haha ... I'm gonna check out _ The War of Art_ too - it looks good! Thanks! p.s. Weekly word counts ... interesting. I'm adding that to my Excel worksheet now.
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Post by gerarddemarigny on Jun 10, 2011 10:15:07 GMT -5
... because I have big events coming. Yo Smith ... you leavin' us hangin! What big events broth?! haha ... p.s. I'm hovering right above that grand-per-day mark with you but want to amp that up to triple that. I think for me it's all about D-I-S-T-R-A-C-T-I-O-N-S ... <sigh> I'm on it though ...
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Post by Mark Neumayer on Jun 10, 2011 11:00:45 GMT -5
I have a spreadsheet to track my words per day and it includes a little pie chart so I get a nice visual as I get closer and closer to my target length.
I also have one of my good friends that I report to every week. If it is just me I find I can ease up on the writing sometimes. But if I know I have to tell someone else how many words I wrote that week than it gives me extra motivation to do well.
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Post by torimish on Jun 10, 2011 13:30:37 GMT -5
I use two things to keep me motivated. One, a daily word goal (2000). Lately I haven't been making it, but there it is. Two, obsession. I try to foster an obsession with my current project by thinking about it all the time, even when I'm not writing. Since I have natural obsessive tendencies it's not too hard for me to do, and it keeps me motivated. Oh, just thought of another one. The excitement of publishing another piece gets me going every day. Since I have a long way to go before I've got a big online footprint, I have a lot to get excited about!
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Post by lvcabbie on Jun 10, 2011 18:55:05 GMT -5
If you want to be a successful author, IMHO, you have to approach it like a job. You come to work at a set time, do your research and writing, take regular breaks, and end when you've done your day's work. I included research because I think that's as important as the part about getting the words down on paper.
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Post by jesterjoker on Jun 10, 2011 21:39:59 GMT -5
Just personal bits.
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Post by torimish on Jun 11, 2011 14:28:26 GMT -5
Not everyone can do their work at a set time. Some of us have to work around other obligations. Any way you get the words done is the right way.
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Carradee
New Member
A Fistful of Fire - Traditional Fantasy
Posts: 47
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Post by Carradee on Jun 11, 2011 17:53:09 GMT -5
Not everyone can do their work at a set time. Some of us have to work around other obligations. Any way you get the words done is the right way. Just don't write while on the clock for a day job—your boss would then have legitimate cause to claim ownership. (Not saying you're doing this—just getting the thought out.)
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Post by gerarddemarigny on Jun 12, 2011 14:28:39 GMT -5
a little pie chart I also have one of my good friends that I report to every week. Pie Charts! mmmm! (visuals are great!) I use my four boys for my report staff - you're right, their asking me each day where I'm at does kick me in the pants at times.
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Post by gerarddemarigny on Jun 12, 2011 14:32:53 GMT -5
I use two things to keep me motivated. One, a daily word goal (2000). Two, obsession. I try to foster an obsession with my current project by thinking about it all the time, even when I'm not writing. Oh, just thought of another one. The excitement of publishing another piece gets me going every day. Since I have a long way to go before I've got a big online footprint, I have a lot to get excited about! I use a backward count - i/o/w ... (using 80,000 words as the target) "I have 30,000 words to go. I also make the worksheet calculate and readjust my "words needed to writer per day" using a deadline too. I'm with you the rest - driven by wanting to have a body of work I can look back on and of which I can be proud!
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