How to stay focused while writing a novel

I have an amazing student who shows up, produces good work, and catches every inconsistency and typo in my syllabus. If I forget to make the week’s assignments visible or accessible, she sends me an email asking where it is. She made a comment, “I hope I’m not annoying you.” 

I replied, “You are not annoying me. If I could hire you for my staff, I would be making you an offer right now.”

I am not a superwoman. I spend most of my time with my head in the clouds wondering whether my protagonist is too shallow, whether my next plot will include a disappearance, and if I am just writing the same story over and over again. 

The way I can do my job is to be as organized as possible about my time, my tasks, and my responsibilities. But sometimes things fall through the cracks and I appreciate when someone gives me a heads up to those things. 

That’s what a project manager does – keeps people on task, on track, and carries with them the attitude that if the deadlines are not meet, there will be consequences. Sadly, I cannot afford a project manager right now. Which means I have to figure out a way to be my own project manager. 

I will be writing a new novel soon. That means for the first time in a while, I'm starting from scratch. This is exciting, but I need to remind myself what it takes to really get going. And at times, what it takes is creativity, foresight, and dose of reality. When I start working on a novel, I need a plan. First comes the outline. 

When I have an idea for a novel, I open a Word document and I make a bullet point list of everything I think needs to happen in the novel. It’s loose and at times nonsensical. But it gives me a rough map as to what needs to happen. Next, I’ll open another document and start working on character sketches. I write down everything I can think of for the primary characters. Sometimes I will create a moodboard including inspirational actors, color pallets for their clothing, style choices, copies of books they have likely read, etc. 

I made a timeline of the events in the outline. I assign dates and pace out when things happen.

For my next project, I will be working with notecards again, which means I will sit down and write out my notecards and tape them to my wall. I like to see the full scope.

After I have an idea of the outline, I can start writing scenes. But I will also need to determine the time frame it would take to write all the necessary scenes. This means I need a calendar that is not my everyday planner. I need one that shows a full year and can be easily erased. An iCal or Google Calendar won’t work. The entry makes it too permanent. This is where I use Goodnotes. I have a perpetual calendar that I have drawn on grid paper. Certain dates are always blocked off: holidays, when final grade uploads are done, the weeks before and after my birthday, Then I mark off two days a week for teaching days. If I am lecturing, I am often not writing much. Sometimes I can commit to a lunch break write in session, and those are more viable in the Spring. But in the Fall, if I am on campus, students are pulling at my sleeves and I cannot write if someone is pulling on my sleeves. 

I count out the number of scenes I need to write and determine how many days, weeks, months it will take me to finish the project. I mark that as my first draft deadline. Sometimes I think I’ll be ballsy and get everything finished in a month! Three months! Six months! Inevitable, it takes longer than that. But no matter how long it takes, I know that with a path set out for myself, I will accomplish my goals.

Next, I get out my official calendar. I look at my week ahead and I schedule writing time. Usually I try to see what I can get accomplished in an hour. Either an hour after breakfast if I am working from home or an hour on my lunch break if I am working on campus. If I am lucky, an hour will lead to two, but I don’t hold myself to a rigid standard. Some writers have word count goals but I have always felt more comfortable with timed goals. 

And little by little, the project is done. 

And while I have this plan and system of getting things done, what I don’t have is someone who makes sure I reach those times goal writing deadlines. I don’t have someone checking in with me on when things fall through the cracks. I don’t have someone like my student to let me know if there are consequences for slacking off, even if those consequences are only the frustration or disappointment of another person.

Which is one of the frustrations of being an indie author; I’m only accountable to myself. 

How do I keep myself from giving up, slacking off, or petering out over time. 

1. I tell myself any movement counts. As long as I am putting words on the page, that is enough.

2. I make my writing sessions luxurious so they feel like a indulgence. Sometimes I will make it into a wine and cheese affair or apply eye masks while I work.

3. I remind myself to put myself first sometimes. My kids are fine entertaining themselves for an hour. I will explain, how I need some time to myself, but I will be back at 5 pm to hang with them.

4. I call in accountabilities buddies. I will call on other writers to meet me for write in sessions or I will promise deliverables to them by a certain date. Nothing motivates like a deadline. 

5. I remind myself that quitting is not an option. More than once I’ve been frustrated with the process only to have a friend, loved one, or therapist pose the question, “So are you going to just stop writing now?” And without hesitation have responded, “No!” So if quitting is not an option, why whine about it?

Stay posted for when I start my next project. In the meantime, join the pre-order list for the forthcoming Pretty Girls Get Away with Murder soon to be releases in March!

Read Books. Wear Boots.

XOXO,

B.