Do you write when the project is assigned, or do you wait until the writing assignment is due?
Are you finding yourself stuck at the last minute forcing yourself to put words on the page?
I have been thinking about this a lot as I work on setting and meeting my writing goals, especially because I know I can do better than my eleventh hour efforts.
I wonder why I wait for the pressure of a deadline to force my writing.
I am afraid just as we sabotage our writing efforts when we edit too soon, we sabotage our editing efforts when we write too late.
And while freewriting can help eliminate the problem of editing while you write, it won’t buy you back the time you need for editing if you have waited until the last minute to tackle your writing assignment.
These are strategies I have come up with to help me start my rough drafts sooner and produce cleaner, clearer final copy.
Freewrite your ideas about a writing assignment as soon as possible.
Often you will have a first flush of ideas about a topic, yet if you don’t commit them to the page you risk losing them and then trying to recreate them later.
Take a few minutes after that client phone call to jot down all the thoughts that come to mind, even a rough outline if it comes to you. You can always change it later.
As you arrange your thoughts in advance you can plan your research as well.
Take your research notes directly into a mind map.
I have become a huge fan of my Mind Meister (affiliate link) maps. I can spread my notes as big as I need. I can hyperlink to online resources. And I can rearrange everything when new ideas present themselves.
My mind map is like the index cards I used to shuffle in college, but there’s never a danger I’ll leave my mind map in a coffee shop or drop it all over the ground.
Schedule a rough draft for your writing assignment well in advance of your due date.
This is the tricky part. You have to create that sense of a deadline. Find ways to make and keep commitments to yourself. Maybe find an accountability partner who will help you stay on track with doing the work before it is due.
Life will intrude, pleasures will beckon, sheer disgust with your first draft will push you to drop the task and leave your writing assignment for the last minute. Resist the urge, force through the rough draft.
Then take the time off to relax and let your words (and inspiration) simmer. If you have taken the time to do the early work, the last minutes should not be as stressful and the final product will be better than the deadline drama yields.
Do you have any tips for creating advance deadlines and pushing yourself to produce before your writing assignments are due? Please share them in the comments.
I usually jot down ideas after I’ve collected information from a client or if I’m writing for my blog.
These ideas are generally a backbone of what the article will be about. I try to break it up like a book (title, chapters, sources).
After that I actually sit on the idea for a day or two so it can work around in my mind.
I think it’s really easy to get TOO excited on a writing assignment and jump right in only to miss out on some juicy tidbit of information released at a later point which could change your entire perspective.
Mind Meister is a really fantastic program. At home I use FreeMind but here at work I’m usually mapping out ideas with MM instead.
You made me think a lot about putting more effort in preplanning. I like to free write once I’ve got the backbone down but I think a more strategic battleplan could make it all the bit better.
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Hi Murray – I think the amount of time we spend preplanning is related to the time we can afford to spend on the writing job too. I’m always looking for the system that works to keep the fingers moving across the keys and delivers the product on time.
I personally love deadlines. But my writing isn’t high stakes, either. Nothing bad happens if I rush something.
whenever someone contacts me for help with their writing, however, I tell them almost exactly what you’re saying above.
You’re a great writer, Tammi. I hope you know it!
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I’m blushing, Josh. Thanks.