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Making Progress in Your Writing
We all experience different levels of energy at a variety of times in the day. How can we make the most of where we are at right now? No judgement only practical tips and encouragement. 💙
Some days writing will go just the way that you want it to and the words will flow onto the screen from your fingertips. Other days it will not. It will feel broken and stilted. Frustrating and hard.
“Growth is an erratic forward movement: two steps forward, one step back. Remember that and be very gentle with yourself…. You are capable of great things on Tuesday, but on Wednesday you may slide backward. This is normal. Growth occurs in spurts. You will lie dormant sometimes. Do not be discouraged. Think of it as resting.”
The Artist’s Way by Juila Cameron – from p.74 – Growth
Managing myself is hard. I have to constantly assess what is most important and then spend time on those things. I have spent most of my adult life as a mom, homemaker, and homeschooler. I have been working hard at jobs without a paycheck. And now I am taking on writing.
In the last 17 years, I have learned that my energy and my time are the most valuable assets for me to keep an eye on. I only get so much time each day.
My writing time is precious. There is work involved to get that uninterrupted time alone. I have to make sure the kids will not need me for a chunk of time. I need emotional and mental space to put thoughtful words on the page. I must communicate and schedule my writing time or it does not happen.
This is hard!
My Writing Session Routine:
Each day will look different depending on my time, my ability to think, the number of interruptions, and how inspired I am. And that is okay.
Progress is more important than perfection.
My #1 Rule is – I will write every day.
This means that no matter the amount of time or my energy level I need to put words on a page or in a text document. It also means that I must be flexible with my expectations of what “writing” will look like each day.
High Energy & Large Chunk of Time:
(starting my Writing Session, in the zone, motivated and have something to say)
from scratch writing – Morning Pages Style, chase down an idea and get it on paper
finishing writing – flip through Evernote docs and work on a messy draft
formatting an article – the finishing work of an article in WordPress or Substack (set a timer)
Lower Energy & Small Piece of Time:
(ending my Work Session, short tasks, ready to move small things forward)
Blog administrative work – emails, formatting, tags, posting finished articles
tech knowledge – watching YouTube videos, learning WordPress, Google SEO, creating Canva images for social media or free printables
set a timer if needed – do what I can and then walk away.
Low Energy & Feeling Drained:
(end of the week, not much to say, feeling scattered, worn out)
Write the wisdom of others – my personal notes and learning
Take notes on webinars
Relax on the couch and read great books about writing
browse through Substack articles written by others
go listen to a podcast and fold a load of laundry – or take a walk!
Some days I can write for a few hours and the words come together well. Most days I only have an hour, my head is foggy, and there are many interruptions.
After each writing session, I note in my notebook what I was able to get done that day and what I hope to do next. This gives me an updated task list to keep going on projects and articles.
Reflection Questions:
– What kinds of energy levels do you have throughout the day?
– Do you have assigned times of the day for your writing? Does that work for your energy reserves?
– What time of day are you most productive? When are you tired and feeling drained?
– What about if you look at your entire week? Are there days that are more draining than others?
Final Thoughts
So, I do not waste my most productive energy and time checking social media. I write when I am able to focus. When I am feeling stuck, I have a list of other tasks waiting for me.
I assess my current emotions, my energy level, and my time. I choose what’s most important for that day, that block of time, and then I focus on that task. When something new comes up I put it on a list. (see: My Life in Lists)
Remember the math of perseverance!
small efforts made + showing up every day
= 350 (or more) days of progress!
I hope that you can apply these ideas to your creative life.
You can do this! Your words matter.
📝Keep going! – April
