Know to rescue your writing life

Know to rescue your writing life

^{By Karen Brown Tyson}

You were off to a great start.

Determined to write every day, you got up early and stayed up late.  You joined a 500-word 30-day challenge.  You were on a roll … for about two or three weeks.  

And then you got off track.  

Someone filled the time you set aside to write every week with work assignments, Facebook videos, fantasy football, Fortnite tournaments, fundraisers and a This is Us marathon. Your busy schedule sucked up your time and energy.  Getting up early and staying up late was out of the question.  

And now you are at the end of the year wondering what happened to your writing life.  

It’s not too late to turn things around.  You can rescue your writing life by making a few changes to the way you approach writing.  Below are seven tips to consider.

#1 Be open to change

Unfinished writing projects are a sign of a bigger problem.  But what?  Only you know the answer.  If you want to write every day or finish writing your book, consider changing your writing process. Don’t expect people in your life to make changes so you can write.  You will need to decide what you will change to protect your writing time.

#2 Take A.I.M. at your writing habits

To understand what changes to make, you must take A.I. M. — analyze, improve and manage — at your writing habits.  First, analyze your writing habits to understand at what point you lose interest or become discouraged in your writing projects.  Next, identify the steps needed to improve your actions, mindset or behavior.  Finally, determine how you will manage your new approach to writing.  

#3 Unpack your schedule 

What happens when you pack too many things in your suitcase?  You must take something out.  If you want to finish your writing projects, consider unpacking your daily schedule to make room.  Identify the activities you can remove from your current schedule to make room for your writing time.  

#4 Like a job, schedule writing meetings

In the same way, your calendar includes meetings with coworkers and family members, your calendar should have writing meetings. Schedule time to write and don’t let other assignments or non-emergencies distract you.  Try to schedule daily writing meetings. Before each writing meeting, determine what you would like to accomplish.

#5 Learn to finish what you start

It’s exciting to start a new writing project.  But just as excited as you are to write something new, be just as enthusiastic to finish it.  Using SMART writing goals - specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and time-bound — map out a timeline for your writing project. From your start date until your projected deadline, decide how you will complete each step.

#6 Give yourself a reward

At the end of each day, assess what tasks you accomplished and what you will work on during your next writing session.  Reward yourself each time you accomplish a goal or reach a milestone. 

#7 Audit your progress

As you work to keep your writing life on track, it is important to audit your habits.  Assess your progress to determine what’s working and what’s not working.  Don’t be afraid to adjust as you go along. 

Imagine the next time you start a writing project.  Instead of tread, you look forward to finishing your article, or blog post or book.

Everyone gets the same number of minutes every day.  If you are a writer, it’s your responsibility to make time to write.  Don’t let anyone or anything stop you from accomplishing your goals as a writer.

You’ve got a new way to deal with your writing life - now all you must do is write.

Karen Brown Tyson is the author of, Time to Refresh:  A 21-Day Devotional to Renew Your Mind After Being Laid Off, Fired or Sidelined.  

Karen works online, in person and by phone as a communication and writing coach. Karen helps her entrepreneurial clientele focus on business and nonfiction writing.