A Writer’s Schedule & A Couple of Helpful Books

I’m working on a dream
Though sometimes it feels so far away
I’m working on a dream
And i know it will be mine someday

Rain pourin’ down, i swing my hammer
My hands are rough from working on a dream

Bruce Springsteen Working on a Dream

I took the time this past Monday to create a weekly writing schedule to better structure my time. I think of it more as a guideline than a rule, but it’s something I can use if I feel adrift or am not getting the writing done that I want. A schedule also breaks down the day into manageable chunks of time. The small hourly goals are easy to meet and provide a sense of accomplishment and momentum. This morning’s task is writing this blog entry, followed by hammering away on the 2nd draft of Shadow of the Black City.

Along with writing my novel, I’m also reading two writerly books:

1. Booklife by Jeff VanderMeer – VanderMeer lays out ways to make your life as a writer more manageable. For unpublished writers like myself, this is a good tool to keep my eyes wide open as I strive for publication. If you follow VanderMeer’s blog, Ecstatic Days, you already know the premise. There is also a companion website, which is handy. Even though the book is light on writing advice (it’s meant to be), managing your time/life better can do nothing but help you be a better writer as well. VanderMeer covers everything from choosing how to construct a writer’s platform that best fits you to relinquishing your writing fetishes (and, thus, your excuses not to write). In the age of the global writing community and self-marketing, do yourself a favor and read this book.
2. Writing the Blockbuster Novel by Albert Zuckerman (1994 version) – I didn’t know what to expect when I got this nearly 20 year-old book for Christmas. I’ve been pleasantly surprised. The forward is by Ken Follett. Last I checked, he’s pretty good and successful. Perhaps the most valuable thing Zuckerman presents in this book is the series of outlines Follett developed for his novel The Man from St. Petersburg. As a writer who is in the revision process, having the opportunity to see a method that works for a successful author such as Follett is extremely helpful. Zuckerman goes into the elements he considers necessary for a blockbuster novel. In the end, it is still up to you as a writer to execute these things, but it never hurts to have professional insights in your hip pocket as you go along.