Project Management for Writing: Breaking It Down
A writing project is a set of tasks waiting to be completed. One of the most helpful tools I have in my writing toolbox is knowing how to break down any project and then estimate the amount of effort it will take to complete each task.
One of the many hats I wear at work is that of project manager. It's not my favorite job; when you're a project manager on a team, it means a lot of coordination and cat herding. However, it has given me a lot of good skills when it comes to managing my own creative projects.
At its core, and this is something I'm going to be covering in my Writing Plan for Hard Times class tomorrow, a writing project is a set of tasks waiting to be completed. One of the most helpful tools I have in my writing toolbox is knowing how to break down any project, whether it be an essay, short story, or novel, and then estimate the amount of effort it will take to complete each task.
Sample tasks for writing a short story (effort in parentheses):
-brainstorm three ideas (2)
-name the main character (2)
-map out the story arc for one story idea (3)
-write 500 words (4)
-write for 15 minutes (5)
-find and correct typos and spelling errors (1)
-cut down to 1,000 words (4)
-review the SFWA market report for potential markets (1)
-write the cover letter (3)
-make sure the story is formatted for the intended market (2)
-submit the story (3)
This is not an exhaustive list, but these are tasks I commonly add to my planner when I'm writing. Once I have the list, I then estimate the effort. For me, drafting often takes more mental effort, so drafting 500 words might be a 3 or a 4 on a scale to 5. Fixing typos is a pretty light lift, so that would be a 1. It's not listed, but for me, the hardest task in any writing endeavor for me is revision, so most revision tasks would be around the 4-5 range.
When I'm having a good day where I have expansive time and energy, I try to pick the 3s, 4s, and 5s from my task list. There are some days where I'm tired that I'll pick 1s and 2s. When I'm sick, I try to rest, but sometimes I'll still work from bed on my laptop or my phone on easier tasks.
Since I started applying this methodology to my writing, my productivity has soared. It's really helped me meet myself where I'm at on any given day.
