Best-Selling Author, Staci Hart, Talks Writing Process + Time Management Tips
So often when we talk about writing, we talk about craft. We talk about the art of creation, the nuts and bolts of story, the sentence polishing and character development. But in my experience, the thing we struggle most with isn’t that. In fact, that’s the easy part, as hard as it is.
What we don’t often take into account is process.
It took me years to develop a process (which changes a little bit with every book), not only for creation, but for time management. So here are my tips on creating a process that works for you.
Time Management
Create a work schedule
Whether you have a full time day job or are writing for a living, creating a schedule for yourself is key. Work on the same days every week, at the same time. If you work a job with flexible hours, block off two days/times to work. If you make space for your work, you will be happier. If you only work when you have time, there is a constant pressure, a little voice in your head whispering that you should be working, that you’re lazy if you don’t. You could be playing with your kids or hanging with your partner, and your brain will still tell you you should be at your computer. Scheduling days/times to work eliminates this. You’ll be able to enjoy the time you’re not working to the fullest, knowing that you have time carved out for your story.
Decide how much you will write every workday and do it.
The key to this is making realistic goals. What’s your average word count per hour? How much can you comfortably write in a day? One of the biggest changes I made in 2020 was to start writing a chapter every time I sat down rather than 2500 words (my original benchmark). I’m now writing much more per day than that on average, and it’s been so much easier that I’ve been able to write two chapters two days a week. My word count has skyrocketed, and the best part? I barely even look at my word count. Before? I used to quit the day the second I hit 2500 words. But again—don’t promise yourself you’ll write the amount you did on your best day, or even on good days. Aim low. You will be much happier for it.
Work backward
It helps me immensely to work backward from the date I want the story to be finished. Think about how many days a week you work and count backward from that date. Give yourself a week’s worth of flex days to account for life. A great website to help you track your progress is Pacemaker. I wasn’t able to use it for writing by chapters (I made a spreadsheet, or you could do like Jacqueline and make a little checkbox grid that you can color in every day), but if you write by word count, that website is PHENOMENAL.
Create a space in your house just for you
It doesn’t have to be an office, doesn’t need to have a door (although these things are wonderful), but create a space in your house where you work. Not in bed where you sleep. Not on the couch where you relax. But a space all its own, just for you. Your little nook where you work. If you consistently use this space, your brain will click into work mode the second your butt hits the chair.
Writing Process
Who even are these people?
One of the first things I do is think about who my characters are, and one of the tools I use to flesh them out is Enneagram. If you’ve never heard of it, Enneagram is a personality construct like you’ve never seen before. One of the most useful things about it is that it tells you what each type’s FEAR is. This is so valuable when writing—their fear is directly connected to your conflict. Check out enneagraminstitute.com, and I would suggest starting by learning about it for yourself so that you can apply it to your characters. The RHETI test is 12$ (and it’s the best test out there), and I would recommend grabbing The Complete Enneagram by Beatrice Chestnut. This construct is guaranteed to help you flesh out your characters and conflict!
Plot or pants?
Everyone knows where they fall, and nothing about it is black and white. I’m somewhere in the middle: I plot out my characters and a few chapters, then I write them and talk to my people. Then I plot out the rest of the act, then stop and get feedback. Then act 2, then 3. But it doesn’t really matter if you plot or pants, as long as you’re somewhat consistent. If plotting is stopping you from being able to move forward, challenge yourself to spend a writing day without a plan. If pantsing is making it impossible to write, consider sitting down with a notebook or a friend and just map out that one scene. What do you want to happen? Where are they at? What do you need to accomplish with the scene in order to move it forward? The answers are in you, and many times, if you can figure out even a loose sketch of a scene, you’ll be surprised at how much faster you can write. Even if it changes as you go! It got you writing, and that’s what’s most important.
Feedback
I just heard your collective groan from across the internet. Everyone has a threshold for feedback. How many people should you have? Really it’s up to you. I would say 2-3 readers is about average. You should be looking for people who are able to give constructive but kind feedback. These are your most trusted allies, which leads me to …
Work wife/husband
Everyone needs a Work Wife. I have three, and they are my cornerstone. We work together every day, read each other’s work, help each other plot and get unstuck. We motivate each other, inspire each other, support each other. I could not do this without these women. But how do I find one? you ask. The best advice I have for this is to utilize Facebook groups. Find something relatively small, something with writers specifically in your genre. Make friends. Engage with them. If you’re all in the same place in your careers, even better—you will learn and grow together. These are the most valuable relationships you will ever make in your career. Our loved ones mean well and try hard, they really do, but no one understands what you go through day to day like other writers. Finding them will be unlocking one of the most important achievements, so get out there and find your people.
Keep going
Someone once told me: The best way to succeed is to be here in five years. Don’t give up, even when it’s hard. Even when it feels like you’re spinning your wheels in two feet of mud. Even when your books don’t perform. Do this because you love it, and keep doing it because you love it. The more books in your backlist, the more people will read, the more money you’ll make. So just keep going. Keep learning. Don’t burn out. Don’t hustle too hard. Just be patient, have faith, and love what you’re doing. You won’t always succeed, but when you do, you’ll discover the place every writer yearns for.
Happiness.