Writing Mixtape - What Does Your Writing Time Look Like?

I’m often asked by readers and newer writers about what my writing time looks like. I still have a day gig, so my writing time revolves around that.

I’m an early bird. I start my day at 5 AM, and I write until it’s time for work.

On days, that the words just don’t flow, I work on blog posts or other marketing tasks.

When I’m ready to start a new writing project, I clean my desk. I like it organized, but it often gets crazy when I’m writing and researching.

I am a plotter (one who outlines the entire book before writing). I do an outline where I highlight romantic, comedic, and mystery elements, so I can see that they are spread throughout the book. Since my daily writing time is limited, it helps me to stay focused if I have already worked out the mystery and the plot. It usually takes me two to three weeks to complete my outline. I also do any research that pops up during this time, too.

When I start writing, I try to do 1,000 a day on workdays and 3,000 words on holidays and weekends. If I stick to this schedule, I can usually write a complete first draft in two and half months. Life gets in the way sometimes, so I try to give myself some grace if I don’t always stick to the schedule.

After all the writing and research, then the real fun begins. I spend another couple of months editing and revising before the manuscript goes to my critique partner and eventually my agent.

What does your writing day look like?