My Writing Schedule (Method Mondays)

    There are so many resources one will find on "how to become a writer", but one of the most common (and unfortunately hardest to follow) is to just sit down and WRITE. If you're like me and get distracted super easily (phone, Internet, TV, whatever that sound just was what did the cats break this time?), sometimes that can be a bit difficult. What I find helps is setting out specific times throughout the day that you make a concentrated effort to sit down and work, whether that means research, planning/outlining, or actually writing. Having a dedicated task and a dedicated time to complete it, I find, is really beneficial to me and helps me be more productive. Everyone has different times they can work and different amounts of time at their disposal. I'd say, however, if you're really serious about writing, do your best to have an average of an hour of writing time a day. It doesn't have to be all at once; two half-hour blocks, a handful of 15- or 10-minute blocks. As long as you're getting your butt in the chair and putting some words down, that's what counts. This is just an example, but here's a simple calendar I'd use.

    This calendar, for the most part, doesn't really change from week to week besides the details of what I need to do, although I'm not afraid to admit I don't stick to it nearly as often as I probably should. You might notice that I don't have any time blocked in for Mondays, or that I only have a half hour planned on Saturday. Does that mean I absolutely won't do any writing on Mondays, or absolutely only a half hour on Saturday? Of course not. If I have spare time and I get the writing bug, I'll absolutely write in timeslots that aren't listed here. Sometimes I'm busy and miss a timeslot that is listed here. It happens.
    One of the most important things to do is not let yourself succumb to pressure. Push yourself to make a schedule that works for you and stick to it, yes, but don't neglect other areas of your life either. Work, family, friends, and self-care are all important as well. You're not a "bad writer" because you missed a day or two, or had to cut a writing session short because of another commitment. The point is that you tried, and whether you put down 20 words or 2000 in the time you wrote, that's still 20 or 2000 words that didn't exist before, that ONLY YOU could have written.
    Not everyone has the luxury of writing full-time. Not everyone wants to. The idea of being a novelist and dreaming of quitting your day-job is pushed hard and romanticized, but that's not what makes you a writer. Some people can't quit their day-jobs, either because of finance or family or other reasons, and some just don't want to. You can have a passion for your day-job and a passion for writing and do both. You may have to get up a little earlier, or give up a bit of free time in the evening, or find some other way to make writing fit into your life, but it can be done. If you dream of quitting your day-job, well, here's hoping someday you're able to. If you don't, don't let anyone tell you you should. If you're willing to make the time, you can still be a writer.
    "Writing" doesn't involve just writing, either. It also involves planning and research. Planning might just be thinking up a plot while you shower, or mulling over a character while you lay in bed waiting to fall asleep. Research could be online, or reading books or magazines, or talking to someone who has some expertise to share. If you have a long commute, download some writing podcasts to listen to, or if you take public transport rather than driving, maybe read something, either a book in your target genre, a magazine on writing or publishing, or some online resources.
    Here's a link to the blank calendar I used above, in case anyone would like a copy. Fill it in on the computer, or print it to fill out by hand. Maybe post it above your desk, or just keep it somewhere where you can check it easily before you start writing for the day.
   Here, also, are some good articles on writing without being a full-time writer. Disclaimer, though: I'm in no way saying any of these articles are perfect. All have good and bad points, but it's just some extra information from other sources to help you develop your own opinions on this idea. I'm also not affiliated with any of these blogs/sites, so I can't testify to the quality of their other content. I just liked these articles in particular.
http://maryrobinettekowal.com/journal/debut-author-lessons-should-you-be-a-full-time-writer/
https://www.thecreativepenn.com/2017/01/11/full-time-writer-tips/
http://positivewriter.com/prolific-writer-day-job/
    Thanks for reading!