How to Decide Which Writing Project to Focus On

You need to decide which writing project to work on next.

How do you do that?

Decide Which Writing Project Tip 1. Make a Commitment to a Select Number of Ideas

Writers are great at coming up with new ideas, and we looooove those new ideas. They’re so exciting and so full of promise, it’s easy to want to chase this idea and then that idea and then another idea.

But this rarely makes us productive.

If you’re struggling because you have all sorts of ideas for new projects and you don’t know which to pursue, write them all down and give them a good, hard look. Then force yourself to choose a set number to start with.

To help you make that choice, ask yourself, “Which of these can I commit to now? Which can I live with for the next year at least?”

This question often works well because many ideas look shiny initially, but after a day or two that shine wears off. Give yourself a few days to think on your list, and see which idea lingers in your mind as possible long-term friends. Then pursue those.

2. Realize You Don’t Have to Stick with Just One Thing

Often we’re told that to truly be productive, we have to focus on just one project at a time.

That’s true in any given moment, but when you’re looking at your schedule as a whole, it’s a myth.

At the same time, if you’re scattered in your approach and trying to focus on everything at once, you’re going to fail to get anything meaningful accomplished.

There’s a middle ground that works for each person—a set amount of projects you can keep going at the same time. That may be different for you than it is for me or for another writer, but we can all learn to manage multiple projects we’ve committed to.

So don’t feel like you have to lock yourself into just one project, but realize that you do need to create a concrete schedule that will help you to keep all your projects moving forward. Going at it in a sporadic manner won’t get it done for you.

Decide Which Writing Project Tip 3. Define Your Core Projects

Though you don’t have to limit yourself to just one project, you do need to identify those that are most important for the next four weeks or so.

These will be your core projects and the ones you need to be sure you set aside time for.

For most people, five is the highest number they can manage.

To choose these core projects, usually it’s best to go by urgency—which ones need to be done sooner rather than later?

But there are other things you should consider, too.

Things to Consider When Deciding:

Do you have at least one marketing project on the list? (Important for continuing to build your readership/clientele.)

Example: I’m regularly working either on guest posts, public appearances, or new giveaways to attract new subscribers.

Do you have at least one project you’re super passionate about and love working on?

Example: I keep my novel on my list of core projects regardless of deadline, as writing fiction helps me keep my creative muscles strong—and because my novels are the projects closest to my heart.

Do you have at least one project that will take your writing business to the next level—something that challenges you or that takes you out of your comfort zone?

Example: My next online course will be my first—it’s definitely a challenge for me.

By making sure you have core projects that fit each of these criteria, you continue to grow professionally while maintaining your motivation and creativity.

You can use your own methods for determining your core projects. The important thing is to make sure you always know for sure what your core projects are.

4. Use Calendars

Studies show that using calendars to establish times for working on various projects helps you to be more productive than using to-do lists by themselves.

Lists can be helpful too, but when you’re managing several projects at once, you have to schedule times to work on them all.

You can get as detailed as you like with whatever type of calendar you prefer. The important thing is to have specific days and times when you will work on each of your projects.

I start by making a table in Word that has all my core projects (and a few others as well) and my planned efforts on each over the next 90 days.

Then I choose a day of the week to focus on each one. So Tuesdays I may work on my writing workshops, Wednesdays my non-fiction book, Thursdays my new one-day writing events, etc.

Then I have some projects—like my novel—that I work on every day, in the mornings before heading off to do freelance work.

I love this approach as it helps keep me on task, but it’s also flexible enough that I can make changes each week as I need to without throwing everything off track.

What works for you? Find your best method, and then make sure you have designated times and days to work on each project on your core list.

5. Be Ready to Ditch Projects

Sometimes we continue to work on projects beyond when we should.

A marketing project that you’ve been doing for a year or two may no longer be working as well for you. Maybe a project you thought would boost your writing business turns out to be less promising than you thought it would be.

Regularly examine your core projects to be sure they should stay on the list. Questions to ask include:

• Why do I need this project?
• Why do I love this project?
• Why do I want this project?

Think about your long-term goals, and where you want to be a year from now, or five years from now. Those projects that no longer pass muster need to be jettisoned as soon as you can. Your time is too valuable to spend on activities that aren’t going to benefit you or your career.

Anytime you’re ready to add a new project to your core list, that’s also the time to think about getting rid of an old one. Try to keep the number of core projects you have on your list to less than five.

You Can Keep Up with Your Writing Projects

Follow these tips and you can manage all the many writing and writing-related projects you have to do on a regular basis. Better yet, you’ll have a lot better chance of enjoying yourself while doing it.

How do you determine which projects to focus on?