How To Create a Writing Schedule that Works

Creating a writing schedule is a key strategy for any writer who wants to increase productivity and achieve their long-term writing goals. Over the course of my writing career, I have learned that she who fails to plan gets no words down. Whether working on a novel, maintaining a blog, or writing for a competition, a good writing schedule can mean the difference between success and failure. In this post, as part of my step-by-step writing guide, I’ll explore the benefits of having a writing schedule and show you how to create one of your own, tailored to your specific goals and needs.

The Benefits of a Writing Schedule

Consistency: Writing regularly helps develop a habit. Consistency leads to progress, and progress fuels motivation.

Time Management: Set aside specific scheduled times for writing and then stick to those times. Scheduling helps to manage your day and ensure that you don’t put writing off for something else – another task, or worse, the mindless social media scroll.

Goal Achievement: Set smaller goals within the framework of your larger project. Breaking things into manageable chunks is a sure-fire way to develop a sense of achievement which, in turn, encourages you to keep going because you’ve already proved you can do this.

Stress Reduction: There is nothing worse than a last-minute frantic rush. Knowing when you are writing alleviates the stress of trying to find time in an already fully booked schedule.

Steps to Create a Writing Schedule

1. Assess Your Current Schedule

Take a good, hard look at your current weekly schedule (or lack thereof!) and identify times that could be carved out for writing sessions. Be brutally honest with yourself and admit if there are spaces that you could free up by eliminating or cutting down on gaming or mindless scrolling. The key is to make writing a routine, so you want to be fairly consistent.

2. Determine Your Writing Goals

Do you want to write a book? A short story? Start a blog? Are you wanting to enter a writing contest? At the end of the day, your writing goal will determine how much time you need to set aside, and will greatly influence your writing schedule so you should have them clearly defined.

3. Choose A Time Of Day That Works For You

We all have a certain time of day that we feel most productive. For me, it’s in the evening, once the kids have gone to bed and the house is quiet. It’s when I can think and plan in peace, without having to worry about fetching kids, sports matches, sending emails, or taking that important call I’ve been waiting on. Experiment with writing at different times of the day and see what works for you. Remember, you want to maximize creativity and productivity.

4. Set Goals That Are Realistic

When setting goals for each writing session, make sure they are achievable. Whether your target is a word count, a page count, or a specific time, just be sure that you don’t benchmark yourself out of the game and become despondent.

5. Block Out Time

Block out time in your calendar dedicated solely to writing. Treat these as non-negotiable appointments, just as you would a dentist appointment or your child’s soccer game. Even better if you are able to schedule these sessions at the same time each day or week because again consistency is key!

6. Create a Writing Space

Over the years my writing space has changed, but I am finally happy with it. A standing desk, two screens (research on one, writing on the other it’s a game changer!), magic keyboard, digital timer, noise-canceling headphones… I have never felt so organized and it has done wonders for my productivity. Create your space, and make it free fro distraction. Write there as often as possible, so your brain associates the space with writing. Thank me later 😉

7. Be Flexible

Life is unpredictable, and sometimes your schedule may need to change. Be flexible and adjust your writing schedule as needed. The important thing is to return to your routine as soon as possible.

Examples of Writing Schedules

Example 1: The Early Bird

Goal: Write a novel in six months.

Tips:

• Make the most of the quiet time in the morning
• Prepare beverages/snacks the night before to save time
• Plan your writing goal in advance

Writing Schedule:

Monday to Friday	06h00 am – 07h30 am	Short writing session (1000 words per session)
Saturday	09h00 am – 12h00 pm	Long writing session (2000 word per session)
Sunday	REST DAY
	Total Weekly Word Count:	approx 7000 words

Example 2: The Night Owl

Goal: Maintain a blog with two posts per week.

Tips:

• Complete all other daily tasks before settling down to write
• Focus on creating a good writing atmosphere with suitable lighting and background music.
• Avoid distractions (stay off social media!)

Writing Schedule:

Monday, Wednesday & Friday	21h00 pm – 23h00 am	Writing session for blog posts
Saturday	13h00 am – 15h00 pm	Editing and scheduling blog posts
Sunday	REST DAY
	Total Writing Time:	8 hours

Example 3: The Weekend Warrior

Goal: Complete a non-fiction book in one year.

Tips:

• Do all of your research and outlining during the week
• Free up time on your weekends and minimize other commitments (aka excuses)
• Utilize tools (a timer works wonders for me!) to stay focused during long sessions

Writing Schedule:

Saturday	08h00 am – 12h00 pm	Writing Session (2000 words per session)
Sunday	08h00 am – 12h00 pm	Writing Session (2000 words per session)
	Total Weekly Word Count:	approx 4000 words

Maintaining Your Writing Schedule

If none of the above works for you there are dozens of writing schedule examples online. You could even create one yourself, but as we know, creating a writing schedule is one thing… sticking to it is quite another. It takes a great deal of discipline, but we do have some tips to help you to maintain your schedule:

1. Set Reminders. Whether you use a calendar app or an old-school diary, make sure to set reminders for your writing sessions so you don’t forget about them. I am a huge ‘list-checker’ so writing tasks like this down and then ticking them off once completed is a great way to keep me on track.

2. Track Your Progress: Keep a journal or use a tracking app to monitor your progress. I use Scrivener which shows me my word count per session, but I also have a spreadsheet to track all the different projects I’m working on, and the progress I make every month. Seeing how far I’ve come helps me stay on track.

3. Be Held Accountable: Share your goals with friends, or fellow writers, or join a group – whether IRL or online. Having someone check in on you is a great way to stay on track.

4. Reward Yourself: Celebrate your achievements. Reward yourself for hitting milestones to keep yourself motivated.

5. Stay Inspired: Read books (I cannot stress this enough!), attend writing workshops, and engage with other writers to stay inspired and motivated. We started a local writers group and our monthly meetings are a great way to keep the energy up.

Dealing with Challenges

Even with a watertight schedule, challenges can arise. Make sure you have a plan to handle them.

Writer’s Block: We all know that I don’t believe in writer’s block, but when the words are being tricksy, take a break. Go for a walk, or shift into a different part of your project – character sketching or mind-mapping, world-building. Sometimes time away from your manuscript is all you need to clear the cobwebs.

Interruptions: If something comes up that you have to deal with then and there, don’t self-persecute. Life happens. BUT… reschedule your writing time. Slip, don’t slide. Don’t let one life disruption derail your entire writing schedule.

Lack of Motivation: Fatigue and disinterest can happen to the best of us! If you’re feeling unmotivated, go back to the beginning and remind yourself why you started writing in the first place. Cement your goals by writing them down (I highly recommend keeping a journal for this exact reason!). If that fails, go read one of your favorite books or one that you have highly anticipated. Not every reader is a writer, but every true writer is a reader. Reading will rekindle your passion for the written word.

Adapting Your Writing Schedule

Circumstances change, that’s just life. Your schedule might have to change accordingly. Don’t be afraid to switch things up and adjust your schedule if it no longer serves you well. Here are a few tips to stay on top of it:

1. Re-evaluate often: At least once a month, you should evaluate your progress. If you are not meeting your goals you may need to schedule more writing time or set goals that are more realistic.

2. Make Adjustments: Based on your evaluation, adjust your schedule. You might need to change your writing times, your word count goals, or simply take more breaks. You will streamline the process as you go, but you have to keep going.

3. Be Flexible: Life changes, and so should your schedule. If you start a new job, move house, or have a major life change, be prepared to adjust your writing schedule accordingly. Give yourself grace, or you could burn out trying to do the impossible.

And that’s it, that’s the assignment. My aim with this guide is to remove the obstacles in your way by removing the excuses. Whether you are an early bird, a night owl, a weekend warrior, or a fly-by-the-seat-of-your-pantSER, there is a writing schedule that can fit your lifestyle. Set goals, schedule time and commit. If you stick to it, you’ll develop consistent writing habits and before you know it, you’ll be launching that book or that blog, and the dream will have become a reality. And I am here for it, I’ll be your biggest cheerleader!

Until next time, Write Hard!

MD x