Writing is Hard - Supernatural Fanfic Advice [Hiatus]

As Times Goes By - A Study in Time Management

This is more of a general lesson, but it applies to all writers. 

Time is critical. Too little of it and we feel rushed, crammed into a corner to meet deadlines. Too much of it allows us to procrastinate and push off important things. 

So, how do we manage our time as writers?

If deadlines work for you, go for it. It can make you strive to beat that deadline days in advance, or it'll help you get work done by the said time. Just make sure you're set on it and don't go past it if you're the type of person who hates being late. If you're an organized person, this may work out for you.

Give yourself some cushion. Things do come up (e.g. life, Netflix, shiny objects, etc.) that distract us from our writings. It's important to give extra time in case something comes up. It'll allow you to breathe easier too if you're the type of person who has a hectic day-to-day schedule.

Do not make impossible goals for yourself. Take my word for it. Nobody likes stress. You suffer from it. Your writing suffers from it too. Too high of expectations can really hurt you. Settle for reasonable goals.

It's okay to push deadlines back if you absolutely have to. This can especially be release dates. As long as you let your readers know the explanation behind it of course. Keeping your readers informed is always important.

If you need to take a break, do so. Working under stress doesn't do good (unless you're a person who works well under stress). Remove yourself, take a walk, eat, sleep, watch TV, something other than drive yourself mad from writing. Your sanity (what's left of it, let's be real here) will thank you for it. 

Until next lesson, dears.