It’s raining today. And, rain makes me pensive.
When I think too much, I generally come up with too many questions. Lately, my mind keeps cycling through the same topics, and I’m not coming up with any clear answers. So, my fellow writers, I’m putting my questions out to you.
It’s fall. The leaves are changing. The air is crisp. It’s harvest time.
And, in the writing world, the time is ripe for submissions. Several great literary magazines open their windows for unsolicited manuscripts or essays. Writing contests abound. Where do I start? How do I prioritize? How much quality writing time can I squeeze into my schedule? I formulate my writing plan on Monday. On Tuesday, I change it.
How do you plan? Or, maybe you don’t. Maybe you just write whenever the story strikes, about whatever rises to the surface. Maybe writing contests and calls for submissions never figure in to your plan.
Really, I want to know.
- Do you open your calendar at the beginning of the week and pencil in an hour or two of writing every day?
- Do you work up a stack of great stories you’ve written before you ever look at calls for submissions?
- Or, do you siphon through the list of writing contests and your favorite literary magazines or sites first, and then challenge yourself to write a story that fits?
Better yet, do you waste your precious writing time trying to figure out your perfect plan for writing?