Developing a Working Routine for Your Writing

As a writer I do find that a regular routine of work helps tremendously both in organising my work and in keeping me focused. The spontaneity of writing is a wonderful experience yet the business side of it must remain focused and professional. As an example I shall use the routine that I currently use for writing and publishing online articles.

Once my article has been written I then submit it to Triond for approval. Once published I then submit to other online writing sites including Ezine articles. This gives extra exposure to your articles and increase your earning potential. It is a great idea to have a personal website and a blog. You can then add your article to these and if you have a personal RSS feed you can give an update regarding your new article.

The next step is promoting the article. This can be achieved by submitting to article directories and using links to your article in places such as Yahoo answers. This is a great way of bringing traffic to your articles and increasing their exposure.

I then may take a break from the writing and go to more mundane yet just as important areas of my business. I ensure that any new business receipts have been entered into my accounting system and I make sure that any outstanding emails or letters are completed.

I always keep an ongoing tally on a white board of my articles and my projects. I set myself targets and ensure that daily goals are met and recorded. It certainly has helped that I have had a background in administration for this has given me the necessary tools to help me organise my working day and my working environment

As a break from all of this I might go to a coffee shop with a notebook and just sit, observe and absorb the environment about me. Any situations I might see that spark an emotional response within me I will write down in a small notebook. It might be an ambulance racing by, a child with a balloon, a flock of pigeons searching for scraps or a piece of music in the coffee shop that brings forth a powerful memory. When I return I then enter this into my journal.

I find keeping a writing journal a most valuable resource. It is used to record feelings and thoughts, both positive and negative, and can be referred to when looking for ideas for articles or stories. The lists are dated and I write down my location when I compiled the list. Looking back into past pages gives me great inspiration for my writings and I am often surprised as to the journal entries and to what moved me on that particular day.

Then returning home I will perhaps write some more or start some marketing techniques such as submitting my site to directories or perhaps answering some questions on Yahoo Answers, giving links to an appropriate article. I do like to write a minimum of three articles a day. This keeps me focused and on target for my yearly goals. As I write an article I enter into my tally chart which not only keeps my housekeeping up to date, it also gives me a great psychological boost as I see my work progress.

Obviously this is a very personal routine, yet it is something that I find invaluable. I used to work in a more free form fashion before which, although useful at the time, did not give me a psychological sense of running a business. My routine now keeps me focused, sharp and serious about what I do and what I wish to achieve.