Robert Ausura Writing

No matter what people say, sometimes there aren’t enough hours in the day. I just surfaced from eleven days during which I wrote a 12-minute video script, an 18-minute speech, and a two-minute laser/multimedia show, attended a script planning meeting, supervised three days of video editing, designed and edited a four-panel newsletter (pro bono for my son and stepson’s middle school PTSA), turned down two writing jobs (unusual opportunities the likes of which will not likely come again, but exhaustion won out), and had a romantic night out with my wife. I worked 14-hour days, including the weekend, and crawled out of bed at 4 am three of those days. Right now (noon of my first day off in twelve), I am mentally toasted and physically drained. And I just have to tell somebody about it. So, naturally, I’m writing this article.

Weeks like this don’t happen often. I’ve learned to pace myself, spread out the workload, and manage my assignments. Yet once a year or so, I found myself with the [Check one: __ opportunity/ __ cross to bear] of too much work in too little time. "Only once a year?" I hear other successful writers say. Yes. And here are the guidelines that keep me (mostly) free from the crunching Jaws of Time:

Block Time. Block out whole days for projects, instead of half-days and few-hour slots. Once you get rolling on a job, it's much easier and more efficient to keep going on it than to suddenly switch gears into another job and then switch back.
Establish a Routine. Schedule meetings only for one or two days a week. I prefer Tuesdays and Wednesdays, which gives me Monday for writing (a great way to start any week) and Thursday and Friday to end the week calmly. Stick to your routine as closely as you can. Let your clients know your routine, so they can schedule meetings, research trips, speech rehearsals, etc. accordingly.
Multiply Time Estimates by 1.5. I have been writing for 30 years, and still I tend to underestimate the number of hours it will take me to finish a job. When charging by the hour, I let clients know up front what my maximum number of hours will be, and I use the "1.5 Multiplier" rule to estimate that number. If I come in under, I am a hero. If I use all the hours, I am still within budget and a reliable professional. If I come in over, I eat the charge. It’s good business, and it makes me more careful.
Take Breaks. When you work hard, be good to yourself. Treat yourself to lunch, a long walk, or a romantic evening—every week if possible. Years ago, I was a writing machine, churning 60 hours a week. A divorce taught me me to wise up. Now I refuse to work more than one weekend a month, and I take time to enjoy the things that enrich my writing. It's made all the difference.
Be Firm with Clients. Clients are important. They give us business and pay the bills. But their money doesn't buy our lives. Be generous and reasonable in what you give them in terms of time and attention, but remember that your life is your own.

The writing life can be a lucrative and enjoyable one. But you have to protect yourself. After all, what the client is buying is you—your talents and perspectives. If you don’t continually develop that self, you will soon be overtaken by younger and more current competitors. And you can’t develop yourself if you're always chained to your desk.