Enacting the Plan
Last week I wrote about having a plan, now this week let’s talk about sticking with it. Because I’m an overachiever who likes having everything detailed in front of me, I have created a few tools or guides to assist me in my Summer of Submissions.
1. Created a Spreadsheet
In the picture above, you can see that I have created a spreadsheet to help keep track of my submissions. This lets me know when something is due but also when I submit things. I also have columns for Response and Comments, so I can add feedback from the literary magazines as well as my own commentary on the process/experience. However, this is not set in stone and I can alter it as I go throughout the summer to assist me in the best way possible. This is just the starting point.
2. Made a Weekly Schedule
In this picture, I have created a schedule with Canva to write down my day. The way I am using the schedule is by writing down what activities I did per hour. This way, I can see what the current day looks like and plan accordingly for the following day, by referring to the previous day. However, because it’s all blank, I could also plan out what I want to do in advance and ensure I stick to that schedule for that day. So you can use it however you like or not at all.
3. Find a Space to Write
I have a space that I use as my home office. If you don’t have a space or extra room, find some place to use for your writing. It could be a spot at the kitchen table from 2-5pm or you could go to Starbucks or the local library or the park, just find some space for you to do your writing. Once you have that space, make sure you don’t have a lot of excess in that space. For me, because it’s my home office, a lot of laundry ends up there as well as mail and arts and crafts supplies. Thus, I went through all the mail, threw away what I didn’t need and organized the rest; folded all the clean clothes and put them away and bought more laundry baskets for the dirty clothes; and lastly, put my art supplies in totes and put them in the closet. Now, I have a clean space to work with, thus the writing can begin.
4. Take Care of Yourself
As an overachiever/worker bee, I don’t take breaks when I'm working. Which means I won't eat or drink water or go to bed on time, etc. DON’T be like me. So I speak from experience when I say keep a bottle (or two) of water next to you. I have a Stanley cup that holds 40 oz, so I fill it up in the morning and drink from it for the whole day. Also, I try to keep healthy snacks near me like dried fruit or even regular fruit that comes prepackaged. I also love chocolate covered pretzels, while not the healthiest, they aren’t as bad for you as eating a whole bag of family sized chips. Lastly, remember to get up every once in a while to stretch, go for a walk, use the restroom and replenish any food and water. Just some tips to help you through the writing process.
As always, thanks for reading.
