By Elizabeth Goddard, @bethgoddard
And check them twice. Just like Santa Claus! You know, from that old song, “Santa Claus is Coming to Town.” . . . He’s making a list, he’s checking it twice . . .
Oh? You don’t still believe there’s a Santa Claus? Well, no matter. Making a list and checking it twice is still a great way to make sure you achieve success in your writing.
Making a to-do list is especially important for creatives. Why? Because we have a LOT going on in our brains and, after a while, that mass of brilliant ideas can become a huge tangled web of chaos. That can put you in the unfortunate position of being unable to pull even one single brilliant idea out of your head when you need it the most.
But even as a creative person with too many ideas and not enough time, you can organize those ideas and get most of them done. I say most, because well, even superhuman writers can’t do it all. But within reason, you can get more done than you would have thought possible and that because . . . Making a to-do list frees your brain—let me say that again louder—making a to-do list FREES YOUR BRAIN.
Who couldn’t use extra space in their brain to come up with even more brilliant ideas?
I know I could use that space, and I’m making that space every day with my to-do list. Everything is written down, even goals I hope to meet in a year and up to five years or more. But let’s break it down so it’s not so overwhelming. Start with a month, then break down those goals to weekly goals, and then daily goals and turn those into LISTS.
Those daily and weekly lists can and should include your writing goals and deadlines. More long-term goals can be things like the book series you want to pitch and where you want to be as a writer. But for the purpose of this article, let’s keep the focus on the simple daily to-do list that includes all the tasks you must complete as well as those you hope you complete.
When you complete the task—scratch it off!
There’s no better feeling than the moment when you can look at your list and see the lines scratched through completed tasks and then you can celebrate all that you’ve accomplished.
One of the most encouraging experiences for me is to look back over the last few months and see the book ideas that I’ve written down that I had wanted to sell to a publisher and those ideas have been scratched off as not only SOLD but written and delivered!
A to-do list helps you to stay on topic and focused. For instance, I just received an email from my publicist that a magazine wants an article from me. No problem. It goes on the to-do list and I’m free to put my thoughts back to writing this article. I know I won’t forget, and I know the article will get written because it’s on the list. You can bet I’m going to check my to-do list more than twice. Try several times a day.
Have you made your list yet?
While there are numerous apps you can use on your computer and your phone, I recommend good old-fashioned paper and pen/pencil—something tactile. Maybe I’m old-school that way. I’ve used my computer for years, writing down my list and then using the strike-through feature for showing a completed task. But writing things down by hand engages your brain in a different way and triggers your memory.
I used to use a Franklyn Planner, and then more recently tried bullet journaling, but I’m using My Brilliant Writing Planner(https://www.mybrilliantwritingplanner.com) for this coming year. (Hey, it’s for writers!)
So you have no excuse to have a cluttered mind filled with ideas you can’t reach. Start making that to-do list today and see how much you can accomplish!
P.S. Jesus is the reason for the season! Be very blessed and have a wonderful, Merry Christmas!
Perilous reunion at sea.
A Coldwater Bay Intrigue story.
When shipwreck archaeologist Cora Strand is attacked and the research boat she’s on explodes, her ex comes to her rescue. Years ago, Kirk Higgins forfeited her heart, and now with no memory of who attacked her, Cora must trust him with her life. But at the risk of blowing his cover, can the NCIS agent stop a killer determined to put them both in a watery grave?
Elizabeth Goddard is the bestselling, award-winning author of more than thirty romance novels and counting, including the romantic mystery, THE CAMERA NEVER LIES–a 2011 Carol Award winner. Four of her six Mountain Cove books have been contest finalists. Buried, Backfire and Deception are finalists in the Daphne Du Maurier Award for Excellence in Mystery and Suspense, and Submerged is a Carol Award finalist. A 7th generation Texan, Elizabeth graduated from North Texas State University with a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science and worked in high-level software sales for several years before retiring to homeschool her children and fulfill her dreams of writing full-time.