Writing on a Schedule
Schedules are funny things. We have them for so many aspects of our lives: work, deadlines, appointments, school, etc. We keep our lives orderly by keeping a schedule, but does keeping a schedule keep us happy? For some people a schedule is a heavy weight hanging on a thin thread ready to crash down. For others, it is a salvation that steers the ship through each day.
I was recently asked, “What steps have you taken, or plan to take, to put a schedule in place for your writing and publishing?” My reply every time is, “Nothing.” I hate schedules so when someone asks if I have one for my writing I really cringe at the thought of making one.
It isn’t that I can’t meet deadlines. Give me one and I’m there. Need a story tomorrow about widgets in the 20th Century? I’ll have to you early. Want a blog post about modern kitchens by January 30th? You’ll have it by the 25th. Ask me to creatively write on a schedule? Well, that’s a different animal indeed.
Writing creatively, on a schedule, is like asking a painter to have their masterpiece done by Tuesday. And, by the way, they have to paint on Wednesday from 6:00 am to noon and Friday 5:00 pm to midnight. Final touch-ups have to happen on Sunday, leaving Monday to let it dry. Really?
Creativity doesn’t happen on a schedule. It is more like a flow of energy that comes in waves and currents like the rapids and eddies along a river. It trickles through pebbles during dry spells and when the rains come it turns into a raging force that can’t be stopped just because it’s not on the schedule.
No. I won’t be making a writing schedule for 2018, but I do have some deadlines I want to keep. The Manx is long overdue for completion, and I have too many other projects zinging around in my head that are dying to get onto paper. So, my plan is to get The Manx finished, submitted, and published, without a schedule (dare I say this?) by the close of 2018.
BAM!
Many thanks to the Insecure Writers Support Group for their continued inspiration and support. You all keep me writing!!
Another thank you to our wonderful co-hosts for the January 3 posting of the IWSG who are Tyrean Martinson, Ellen @ The Cynical Sailor, Megan Morgan, Jennifer Lane, and Rachna Chhabria!
K.J. Scrim, Author 
All the best with The Manx! I can’t write on schedule, but I’ve discovered that deadlines work for me 🙂
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Have your read Gretchen Rubin’s books or listened to her podcasts? She outlines four tendencies of how people relate to inner and outer expectations, and you definitely sound like the rebel type. Rebels can be very creative, of course. Me, I’m more of a daily plodder, a busy worker bee. Some days I get a lot of creative work done, some days it’s just writing-related chores, but I feel like crap when I fritter away my writing time doing non-writing things–unless I’ve made a conscious choice to take a day off.
Best of luck with your writing goals in the new year. May 2018 bring you clarity and peace.
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I have not read her books. It sounds interesting. I’ll check it out. Thanks.
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I agree that creativity doesn’t happen on a schedule, but for me, the work of writing it all down and revising it does. My schedule isn’t “writing” it’s more… when is this getting typed?
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You make a good point Karen, and I think you are on to something. The research, editing, typing, revising etc., can definitely be done on a schedule. I like your added perspective.
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