Is Your Schedule Ready For Professional Writing?

Over the years, I have seen a lot of writers come and go. For those who disappear off the face of the earth, it is often not because their writing was not good, it was a matter of the authors not being ready to take on the challenges of professional writing. Now they had to contend with required deadlines, marketing plans, website development/maintenance, and who knows what else.

So what happened to the writing time?

I always recommend that authors take the time to fully assess their schedules before sending those query letters out, or putting that book online if they are taking the self-publishing route. Authors have to understand that their commitment to their writing just doubled. Is there really time in their schedule.

I spoke to one author who made that jump. She had really thought things were going to work out great. She worked a swing shift and figured that 3 am would be a great time to get her writing done. While that might sound good, maintaining that pace WITH a full time job proved to be harder than she thought. And her writing stopped.

It is also important to consider a few more things when it comes to writing schedules. Do you have the flexibility in your schedule to accommodate those unexpected real life situations. Someone gets sick. The car breaks down. The computer crashes. The boss needs you for a larger project... I think you get the idea. Because here is the thing. When you were writing as a hobby, that story could always be put on the back burner. But now, your writing is a job, and just like that new project your boss gave to you, your editor is expecting you to also follow through with their project.

If you are a new writer, take the time this weekend to figure out that schedule. Decide now before you start sending out those queries. This does not mean you have to give up your writing career. It just might be that right now is not the time to make that move.