Janet asked how I keep the books separate in my head when I'm working on simultaneous projects.
This depends on what the projects are. It's easier if they are totally different in nature. For example I'm currenty working on Animal Instincts which is romantic comedy, first person, chic lit style and All She Ever Wanted (naff title) which is third person, womens fiction, totally different style.
To give an example:
Sat - write 1k on AI and 500wds ASEW
Sun - finish chap of AI send to Jess, my cp.
Mon - think about AI and add some layers to earlier chapters.
Tue - Work on first chapter of ASEW
Fri - edit returned chapter of AI from Jess and write 500 words of AI
This was this week, slower pace than usual as I've just returned to work but you can see I move in and out of the two projects.
If the projects are similar then I separate the workload. I'll complete one chapter on project A and send it to Jess then the folowing week i'll complete a chapter of project B and so on until finished.
Keep the questions coming.
Showing posts with label writing schedule. Show all posts
Showing posts with label writing schedule. Show all posts
Saturday, February 23, 2008
Wednesday, February 20, 2008
By Request
A few people have asked me to blog about writing more than one book at the same time. Everyone I know who does this tackles it slightly differently. I can only talk about how I work.
The key to writing more than one project is time management. Which sounds boring and probably isn't the answer you all expected. Most people are actually working on more than one thing at once if you think about it.
Don't believe me?
Well, how many times have you been half way through book A and had a stonking idea for book B? You may not actually write anything on book B as you might be focused or be on a tight deadline for book A. So you might think, I can only write one thing at any one time.
Wrong - in your subconcious book B is slowly taking shape, the idea is growing and lurking.
Does that sound familiar?
For me, what I do when managing more than one book is time management. I have a deadline for book A so I plan a comfortable target each week that I need to fulfil in order to reach that deadline. I try and build in extra time in case of life interfering, holidays, illness etc.
I may also have book B, same process. I know how much I can write in a week and I know how fast I can go if there's a crisis.
For example if book A is a light, bright rom com my chapters tend to be around 2.5k in rough draft, then increasing to 3+k after editing. So I'll aim for one chapter a week, two if it's the only project I'm working on.
Book B might be longer chapters, deeper more intense, 5K, so again I aim for one per week.
Total per week is aprox 7.5K for two books which is only 1k and a bit per day. Not too scary - if real ife is busy I may only do 500 per day.
This is to complete my rough draft, I underwrite my books and add in layers when I edit/adit.
Edit/aditing is a whole other post.
Please ask any questions in the comments and I'l try to answer.
The key to writing more than one project is time management. Which sounds boring and probably isn't the answer you all expected. Most people are actually working on more than one thing at once if you think about it.
Don't believe me?
Well, how many times have you been half way through book A and had a stonking idea for book B? You may not actually write anything on book B as you might be focused or be on a tight deadline for book A. So you might think, I can only write one thing at any one time.
Wrong - in your subconcious book B is slowly taking shape, the idea is growing and lurking.
Does that sound familiar?
For me, what I do when managing more than one book is time management. I have a deadline for book A so I plan a comfortable target each week that I need to fulfil in order to reach that deadline. I try and build in extra time in case of life interfering, holidays, illness etc.
I may also have book B, same process. I know how much I can write in a week and I know how fast I can go if there's a crisis.
For example if book A is a light, bright rom com my chapters tend to be around 2.5k in rough draft, then increasing to 3+k after editing. So I'll aim for one chapter a week, two if it's the only project I'm working on.
Book B might be longer chapters, deeper more intense, 5K, so again I aim for one per week.
Total per week is aprox 7.5K for two books which is only 1k and a bit per day. Not too scary - if real ife is busy I may only do 500 per day.
This is to complete my rough draft, I underwrite my books and add in layers when I edit/adit.
Edit/aditing is a whole other post.
Please ask any questions in the comments and I'l try to answer.
Wednesday, September 12, 2007
My day
Since a few people have left me nice comments and I've been asked before about my schedule, I thought I'd tell you about my day. Trust me, I really am not some kind of wonderwoman but I am the queen of multi-tasking lol
I get up half an hour or so before the kids, make breakfasts, pack lunches, find uniforms, sign homework books etc. I have my laptop on and read emails, check in my groups and often write this blog while I eat my cereal.
Then, by quarter past eight, I get the kids to school, if it's my turn to do the drop offs. Older one to the high school then the two littles to primary school. If I stop at the primary school I invariably see clients. (I work 9-5ish 5 days a week, some evenings and some Saturday mornings if I have a lot on.)
My typical workday would be doing development checks with under fours in the morning - usually I schedule 8 of those or I'll be out visiting new babies or clients with other problems. Lunch is usually eaten at my computer in the office, ten minutes while I check emails, then afternoon is clinic, followed by more developments or paperwork.
I get home just after five and supervise homework, make tea, do a load of washing, tidy the house. In between all this once I'm home I check my email, groups, etc and gradually switch my brain over to writing. About seven I start to write - my target is anything from 500 words to 2000 words depending what I'm working on. Blue Remembered Heels was a 2k per day target. I also need to get the girls supper and into bed, talk with my teenager about her latest angsts.
So, my day is pretty much like any other working Mom's. I am very disciplined in that when I'm working on a project I set strict but realistic goals and writing is my second job. To me, I treat it the same way I treat my day job - as a professional.
I read, but don't watch much TV, and my family come first but writing is up there with my day job in my priorities. I think the key is I write every day, I set goals, and I plan ahead.
So, blog about your writing day - I'm curious - is yours different to mine?
I get up half an hour or so before the kids, make breakfasts, pack lunches, find uniforms, sign homework books etc. I have my laptop on and read emails, check in my groups and often write this blog while I eat my cereal.
Then, by quarter past eight, I get the kids to school, if it's my turn to do the drop offs. Older one to the high school then the two littles to primary school. If I stop at the primary school I invariably see clients. (I work 9-5ish 5 days a week, some evenings and some Saturday mornings if I have a lot on.)
My typical workday would be doing development checks with under fours in the morning - usually I schedule 8 of those or I'll be out visiting new babies or clients with other problems. Lunch is usually eaten at my computer in the office, ten minutes while I check emails, then afternoon is clinic, followed by more developments or paperwork.
I get home just after five and supervise homework, make tea, do a load of washing, tidy the house. In between all this once I'm home I check my email, groups, etc and gradually switch my brain over to writing. About seven I start to write - my target is anything from 500 words to 2000 words depending what I'm working on. Blue Remembered Heels was a 2k per day target. I also need to get the girls supper and into bed, talk with my teenager about her latest angsts.
So, my day is pretty much like any other working Mom's. I am very disciplined in that when I'm working on a project I set strict but realistic goals and writing is my second job. To me, I treat it the same way I treat my day job - as a professional.
I read, but don't watch much TV, and my family come first but writing is up there with my day job in my priorities. I think the key is I write every day, I set goals, and I plan ahead.
So, blog about your writing day - I'm curious - is yours different to mine?
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