are there other writers here? looking for advice/tips on how to keep a consistent writing and publishing schedule… especially for substack

Question

Soph · Answer

Write for one hour a day - timed: The trick for me is to stop when I still want to keep writing, so there’s something waiting for me the next day. Leave it unfinished. The momentum will still be there tomorrow. I get more done this way than I do trying to grind for four hours in one sitting. It’s healthier too. When the hour is up, I move my body and go do something else. Gotta protect the creativity. Obvi there are times in life I have to write for 6-8 hours every day, but this is at least my normal.

Jessie Magee · Answer

Jami Attenberg's 1000 Words: Jami Attenberg has a book on this (and she's a great person to follow, in general, for a writer) https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/1000-Words/Jami-Attenberg/9781668023617

sunset strip mall · Answer

make your writing time your favorite time of day and stick to it: at some point last year i decided that I would write for 3 hours a day first thing in the morning every day. the first month or so was challenging: suddenly, i had less time for other things, like answering texts or emails, doing freelance work, doing life admin, or exercising, and that was genuinely very stressful – but it also made me realize that because I was taking writing seriously, I was letting it take up time and space in my life. and even if there were new complications, I never wanted to give it up: my writing time quickly became sacred. i don't make rules about what i can or can't do during writing time – sometimes I work on longform projects; sometimes I work on my substack; sometimes I do research; sometimes I write in my diary; sometimes I read – but the key is that it's something specifically to nurture and nourish my writing self. that can even include things like yoga, meditation, or a brisk morning walk. i quickly found that i didn't want to sacrifice those hours for anything, even if it made some other parts of my life tricky in the transition period.

Jess · Answer

How to Write a Lot (Paul Silvia): This book summarizes the research on how to write regularly, copiously, and effectively. I've tested the methods described by applying them to myself, and it worked so well that I now use the same methods to train my students.

The single biggest change for me was thinking about how I end a writing session. I started ending my writing sessions sooner, so that I could stop while I was still feeling good. That helped me associate the experience of writing with positive feelings, which in turn made it easier for me to continue the next day. Combining that with leaving a note to myself about the first thing I should do tomorrow? Magic.

even*cleveland · Answer

Be your own assigning/managing editor: Create a publication calendar (can be a month, a season, or a year), figure out a publishing cadence, and working backwards, set cascading deadlines for each piece (first draft/revisions due/finalize/publish). Enter them in your calendar tool of choice, and STICK TO IT.

Pictured: Elizabeth Hardwick.