Time Management Skills for the Aspiring Author on the go
© K.L. Hall and www.authorklhall.com. 2019. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this site’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to K.L. Hall and www.authorklhall.comwith appropriate and specific direction to the original content.
As you’ve probably heard me say dozens of timesby now, I’m a full-time marketing specialist & national bestselling author. Over the past six years, I’ve published 30 books to date, became a number one bestselling author in two separate genres, & launched my first online course to help aspiring authors, all while WORKING A FULL-TIME JOB. I keep saying it because I want you to know that YOU can do it, too!
Life is all about balance
I don’t know about you, but I love me some “Me Time.” Although six years may seem like a short amount of time to write and publish over two dozen books, I have not spent every one of those days clicking away at keys. In fact, not even half. I DO NOT write every day. I know how to listen to my body and I know what burnout feels like. Therefore, if I cannot get into a scene, or I just don’t want to look at my laptop, I won’t.
As important as it is to know when to say no, it is important that you still make the most out of the writing sessions you do have. You’re an aspiring author, and you’ve got to get into the groove of writing for semi-long periods of time.
What I do:
Schedule my sessions (set a daily alarm and calendar blocks)
Take a look at your calendar and block off a time that works best for you. This can be anywhere from 20 (minimum) to 90 minutes a day that you’ll dedicate specifically for writing. If writing a book is what you seriously want to do, then you have to make time for yourself. Making time for yourself means making time for your goals.
PRO TIP:If you’re a morning person and want to write first thing in the morning, do that. If you’re a night owl and prefer to wait until there’s peace and quiet, you may want to write at night. Choose something you know you can stick to. (i.e. don’t block off 6-7am on a Saturday to write if you know you always want to sleep in)
Take baby steps
Depending where you are with your writing, sometimes the first step is just putting pen to pad or fingers to keys. It could be as simple as writing one paragraph or simple dialogue between two characters in your book.
Regardless of the timeframe, think about what you’re going to write about BEFOREthe time comes so you’re not sitting there staring at a blank word document or sheet of notebook paper. (I don’t know about you, but that taunting, blinking cursor is EXTREMELY annoying to me when I can’t get in my zone.)
PRO TIP:Don’t let perfect get in the way of good enough. (Whatever you write doesn’t have to be perfect. It’s the first (of many) drafts.)
Tips for the aspiring author on-the-go
Again, I know the struggle of juggling a full-time job, a part-time job and then coming home to work on my own goals. It’s hard to stay motivated after a long day when your energy is already low.
What I Do:
I try to write anywhere I have the slightest bit of free time (i.e. riding on the vanpool home, my lunch break, during meetings, in a lobby/waiting room, in line at the grocery store, etc.)
I am an AVID USER of the Notes and Reminder apps on my iPhone. I truly don’t know where I’d be without them. Nothing worse than driving or trying to go to sleep and my mind is suddenly flooded with plot twists, character mannerisms and dialogue and I have to try and remember them until the next red light or the next morning if I can’t get to my phone.
(NOTE: If you know of more apps you use, comment below)
Battling procrastination?
I get it. We’ve all been bitten by the lazy bug. Again, it’s okay to not write EVERYDAY, but if you begin to see your procrastination taking over and sending you in the opposite direction, then this is where you need to refocus and have a serious conversation with yourself about your priorities and how serious you are about achieving your goal.
Combatting writers block?
Check out my Seven Tips I Use to Get Over Writer’s Block blog post.
Feeling discouraged?
Explore my daily affirmations printable for FREE below! Post it somewhere where you’ll see it every day!
Happy writing!