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When I think about a writing plan, it is something I might do at the beginning of a year, when the unknown wonderland of 365 days stretches ahead. This is a conditioned response, as there is a strong sense of possibility at this time of year. New diaries are purchased, key dates are marked out, and it looks like there may be all the time that you need to accomplish what really matters.

But, as with most plans, there are unknown variables that require recalibration. Life gets busy, additional obligations and responsibilities take time and energy, and the creative intentions which were so clear at the beginning of the year seem to fade into the background.

Writing plans have been on my mind lately as I have an unexpected stretch of time when I will have more time to write than usual. For so long, writing has been slotted in around other things — work, family, life in general — and it ends up getting scant attention or energy. I am keen to make the most of the time that I have now, but am also wary about wasting this opportunity.

Then I realised what I needed to manage the simultaneous excitement and overwhelm: a writing plan.

I know what I want to work on during this timeframe, but how to approach it in a way that keeps me curious and excited, rather than turning it into a creative chore? There needs to be flexibility to move things around to work with other demands on my time. I also aim to take advantage of when I’m in the thick of something complex and simply don’t want to return to reality until it’s done. Those flow states really are the best, and I hope to experience more of them with the usually loudly ticking clock dimmed a little for a while.

My revised writing plan is simple. I have outlined what I want to work on over the defined period, then broken it down into monthly, weekly and daily goals. There is some flexibility added in, allowing for days off and those breaks that are necessary for perspective, especially on larger projects. I have diarised a writing plan check-in on my calendar at the start of each month so I can make adjustments as required based on what’s working well, and what needs to change. The daily and weekly goals will help maintain momentum, and I’m using my writing diary to keep track of these activities so I can track my progress.

By putting it down on paper, and scheduling blocks of time in my calendar to do the work, much of the noise and sense of overwhelm has reduced in my mind. The writing is much more likely to happen now I have a plan in place.

Do you have a writing plan?

Photo: On Writing Plans

Writing resources:

There is a great step-by-step guide to creating a writing plan on S.J. Siedenburg’s website. I used this as the basis for my new writing plan.

The Novel Factory also have a comprehensive article with some great suggestions, including not being too rigid with your writing plan. The focus is on planning to write a novel, but it could be used for any large project.

The benefits of having a writing schedule, which include completing projects that have been living in your head, are outlined on this post from Masterclass called How to Create a Consistent Writing Schedule: 10 Tips for Writers.