Why Writers Should Operate From a To-Do List

Please welcome Steve Sears, who has generously proffered this great guest post about the importance of using a to-do list. You can find more great stuff from Steve at www.SGSWrite.com

Not operating from a To-Do list?

I know of a few freelance writers who operate minus setting goals, and they are successful. However, I have yet to meet a successful freelancer who doesn’t follow or work according to a To-Do List or some sort of daily schedule.

I’ve tried not utilizing one, “winging” my writing day. Sorry folks, but when you juggle various assignments as a freelance writer (and I average roughly 10 – 15 per week), not creating some of sort of sense of what should be done when is simply, to me, non-sensible.

Consider an average day for yours truly. I always ensure that I have at least 1 – 2 paying assignments that I’m working on daily, so those get written. Also, I do marketing every day as well, including checking jobs boards, making cold calls, writing query letters, make appointments and do interviews, check into business matters like invoicing, and also allow for an occasional rewrite or emergency project. At the end of each business day, I then prepare the next day’s list, which I call my “Daily Schedule”.

The above all being said, you can see why a To-Do list is in order. And speaking of “in order,” I don’t follow my To-Do list exactly every day. I normally like to write my articles in the morning, when my mind is more awake, and hold my marketing post-lunch when I have some down time and want to relax a bit. However, I may occasionally deviate from the norm by moving my marketing to the morning and my article writing to the afternoon.

The main thing is that I have committed to paper – or computer screen, if my printer isn’t working – what I need to do daily in order for my freelance writing career to thrive.

And for that to happen, a To-Do list is highly recommended.