For me, I really need a routine in order to maximize my writing time. Which hasn’t been possible lately with so much going on in my life. So instead of writing every day or having any kind of writing schedule, I’ve been trying to fit it in when I can. Some weeks I might write for three hours a day, six days in a row, and then it’s two weeks before I really have time to do more than write a quick blog post.

I can’t tell you how happy I will be once things have slowed down again and I can get back into a routine.

I’ve never really been one of those writers who writes a certain number of words a day. I mean, I’ve tried it, but it wasn’t long before I realized it wasn’t for me.

Just like plotting out a book beforehand isn’t for me. Writing has to be fun. It has to entertain me or else I lose interest and if I know everything that’s going to happen before I ever sit down to write, then what’s the point of writing the book? At least that’s the way I feel. I know there are plenty of writers out there who swear by plotting and would never dream of sitting down to write without having a detailed outline. And that’s great… for them.

I also don’t worry about word counts. I tried by then I would get discouraged if I didn’t hit my word count goal or I would fixate on that number and push myself to hit it no matter what. And then nine times out of ten I would end up deleting the stuff I’d written trying to hit that number because it wasn’t needed.

Now, I write as often as I can and I write at least a scene each time. I try for, and often end up writing, an entire chapter each time I sit down to write. I’ve also started reading through the previous one or two chapters before I start writing the next one just to make sure I know where the story is going. I’ve also started writing the first few sentences of the next chapter just so I can remember what I was thinking. That way, when I do sit down next I know where I’m starting from. For me, it makes it a lot easier to jump back into the story, even if it’s been a few days or weeks since I last worked on it

Part of being a writer is figuring out what works for you. There is no right or wrong way to write a book. If by the end of the process you have a book, then how you got there doesn’t matter. The finished product is all that matters. I’ve had people ask me for writing advice over the years. I usually tell them two things.

• Write. Which should be the obvious thing, but isn’t always. Some people seem to be so worried about doing it “right” that they never actually get around to putting words on the page.
• And trust yourself. If you’ve decided you want to be a writer, then the odds are you’ve read a lot of books in you life. So while you might not know the technical jargon or be able to pick out things like the rising action or know what a protagonist is, you still know how to tell a story. You still know what a story is and know the difference between a “good” story and a “not so good” story. You might not know why something works or doesn’t work, but you can usually tell either way. So trust that you can tell the story you want to read. Because while we love it when others like our work, we should always write for ourselves first and foremost. I guarantee that you are never going to write a perfect book. And your first drafts will always need work. But that’s what editors are for.

Part of being a writer is finding your own way. Figuring out who you are and embracing what makes you you.