Mastering Time Management | 10 Tips for Aspiring Authors

Time management is a crucial skill for any aspiring author, and one I struggle with myself! Juggling writing with daily responsibilities seems almost impossible, but I hope that with the right strategies and tools you can learn to manage your time and reach your writing goals. Here are 10 fun and practical tips to help you get one step closer to writing that novel.

1. Set Clear Goals

This one might be obvious, but make sure you define what you want to achieve with your writing. Whether it's finishing a chapter, writing a short story, or completing an entire novel. Having clear goals will help you stay focused and motivated. I recently read BJ Fogg’s book Tiny Habits and it really made me realize I am great at setting up big goals but need to learn to break them down into smaller bits. If your goal is to write a novel you have to break that down into smaller more achievable goals, and I mean tiny! Maybe your goal is every night after dinner you sit at your laptop for 10 minutes. Or maybe you get up before your job or before the kids wake up and you write 500 words. Start small and you’ll see big changes.

2. Create a Writing Schedule

Consistency is key. Dedicate specific time slots each day to writing. Treat these slots as non-negotiable appointments. This ties in with building habits, the more consistent and habitual you are, the more success you’ll see. One of my favorite tools for writers is Scrivener if you want to stay extra organized and keep all your novel notes and writing in one place.

3. Use a Word Count Tracker

Tools like Pacemaker allow you to set daily word count goals and track your progress. Seeing your progress can be incredibly motivating and sets very specific goals. Remember to be realistic and try not to over do it, especially in the beginning. Just writing one sentence a day is better than nothing.

4. Eliminate Distractions

Stay focused by minimizing distractions. Apps like Freedom can block distracting websites and apps, helping you concentrate on your writing. You can also set this up in your iPhone settings. Settings > Screen Time > App Limits. Or keep it even simpler, and just toss your phone in the other room while you write.

Also finding time during the day when you don’t have any distractions will be helpful. I’ve always naturally been a night owl so that’s when I get my best work done, but you have to find that time for yourself. It could be early mornings, on your lunch break, late at night, right after dinner.

5. Use the Pomodoro Technique

Work in short, focused bursts using the Pomodoro Technique. Set a timer for 25 minutes, work on your writing, then take a 5-minute break. Repeating this cycle gives your brain a break and lets you feel less guilty about scrolling on IG because it’s designated break time.

My favorite tool to track this is the Forest app. You can set timers to help you stay focused on your work and off your phone, then when the time is up, you’ll take a break and see a new tree planted. It's a fun way to stay on track and make productivity visually rewarding.

6. Do the prep work

Always have your notes handy, create character profiles, and work through an outline before you start writing. Having all of your prep done beforehand will help prevent writers block and having to constantly stop writing to think about when your characters birthday is or what is going to happen in the next scene. Even if you totally change things later on, an outline will still be helpful.

I’ve created some helpful templates you can download here

Or there are tons of author resources on Etsy & on savethecat.com

7. Take Care of Yourself

Your creativity thrives when you're well-rested and healthy. Make sure to get enough sleep, eat well, and exercise regularly to keep your mind sharp. I have a stand up desk and a walking pad for when my legs get restless. It’s been so nice to get my writing and editing done but get my steps in too! Totally worth it.

I also highly suggest having plenty of water, taking breaks, and keeping healthy snacks on hand. I personally like having dark chocolate, dried fruit, and ranch cashews from Trader Joe’s! I’ve even started investing in a meal delivery kit because I’d rather spend time at my desk lately than meal prepping, grocery shopping, and cooking. This way I don’t have to think about lunch at all, and can think about my novel instead. I’ve tried out lots of services (Hungryroot, BlueApron, Hello Fresh, Dinnerly) and so far CookUnity is my favorite. They have tons of options and cater to many different diets and lifestyles. The meals have always shown up on time, are super fresh, and the containers can be put in the microwave or the oven. I also love that they come in a reusable bag instead of a clunky box, and they’ll take it back and recycle the freezer packs too for you. You can try it out for yourself and get $50 off with my code: 9513207328

8. Find What inspires you

Celebrate your wins! Do a little dance when you finish a chapter or tell yourself how proud you are of yourself. It sounds cheesy but you have to be your biggest cheerleader and trust me, it will encourage you to keep going.

Leave yourself notes, write lists, use your notes app, start the day off journaling. Read as many writing craft books as you can or read in the genre you’re writing and note down what you love about those books.

9. Find Your Optimal Writing Environment

Experiment to discover where you write best. I personally love having a few different options so I don’t get bored in one location. As mentioned above I have my desk set up with my chair or my walking pad. Some days I need noise and community so I’ll either spend a few hours at a local cafe, or I am also part of a women’s group and we have a lovely work space downtown that I’ll go to. I don’t always get the most work done there but seeing other writers and entrepreneurs gives me a good group of people to bounce ideas off of. Which leads me to my last tip…

10. Stay Accountable

Join a writing group or find a writing buddy to keep you accountable. Sharing your goals and progress with others can provide encouragement and accountability and sometimes it’s just nice to say things out loud. If you can’t find a local group of people to meet with in person, there are TONS of facebook groups and other indie authors on IG that love nothing more than sharing their experiences and writing goals.

xoxo,

-April Editorial