Find the Writing Routine That Works for You

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It’s NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month), the time when authors commit to writing each day with the goal of completing a good chunk of their novel by the end of the month. Anyone participating this year?

I think daily writing goals are good. For a long time, I resisted. There was too much going on in my life to commit to being able to write every day. (And it took almost five years to finish my first novel.) I have picked up speed over the years, and that includes daily writing.

You need to find the routine that works for you and your schedule. This one is mine. I still have a day gig that starts at 7:30 AM, so I get up and write at 5:00 AM. I have always been a morning person, and I usually stick to my routine on weekends. I write during my lunch, and if I didn’t hit my word count for the day, then I come back after dinner to finish. On days that I work, my goal is 1,000 words. On weekends and days off, my goal is 3,000 words. I can usually finish a cozy mystery draft in about two to two and a half months. I have my major research completed and a pretty good outline of the mystery before I start. When I’m not writing a book, I use the time to network, market my current books, and update my social media platforms.

Here’s what I learned about having a routine:

  • Do your best to keep to your schedule. Figure out how much time you have and be realistic about your plans.

  • If you miss a day or so, don’t beat yourself up. Life happens. Try to get back on track. The longer you are away from your WIP (work in progress), the harder it is to find where you left off.

  • Just write when you are in first draft mode. Make notes of things you need to research later. Don’t go back and edit or revise. Just write.

  • If you’re finding it hard to carve out time, look at your daily schedule. Where can you find 30-60 minutes each day? What can you exchange for some writing time?

  • When we worked from home during the pandemic and lockdown, I committed my commuting time to writing. I was way more prolific than I’ve ever been. To me, it proved that daily writing time works.

  • Celebrate your victories. I keep a little sheet of paper with my daily word totals. You’ll be surprised how quickly it adds up.

Let me know what works for you. Happy Writing!