Organizing Your Writing With To-Do Lists

I use a to-do list software that can go across my devices. I have it on my computer and my phone. It’s called Wunderlist. I use it to make a list of things that I want to do each day. It works well for me. I can add dates to the items on my list. So I have deadlines. I use it to control my writing tasks. I set myself little deadlines, using it.

That’s key. If you have a writing project that you want to do, set yourself a deadline. Remember, you set your own deadline, so if you don’t think you will make that deadline, move it. Be flexible. What I do is set a hard deadline. Then I set subtasks, Wunderlist allows that. It’s a good program. It isn’t fancy, but it does give you reminders — if you choose to set them.

Reminders are good for prodding you to finish the task. I set them for many of the items on my list. I use the To-Do list to remind myself to take my vitamins and the software allows me to set up a recurring item on my To-Do list. That is good. I check them off the list and they go back on, with a due date of the following day. That’s useful. It reminds me and I only had to actually add the item to the list once. That’s good. I don’t forget the task and I don’t have to keep adding it to the list every day.

My To-Do list is like a living thing. I do have to take care of it. I can check off what I have done and get it taken care of. I use it to write my blogs, especially the Feline Freedom League series. I have begun writing those as stories for each cat. I put the task as write the cats story, adding subtasks to write each blogs. Each sub task was to write each individual blogs. That makes the task easier to do. I have a task to write these blogs that recurs each week. It makes it easier to write them. I even put in a monthly task to brainstorm ideas for my blog.

The use of a To-Do list works for me. It might work for you. It might not. I use it to control my writing life and blend it with my working life. The work is lighter as a result. I know what I need to do and when I have the time to do it. That is vital. If your time is limited, a To-Do list may be the solution. You be the judge. You are the only one qualified to judge how something works for you. Just remember to make your deadlines realistic. You aren’t going to revise a novel in a week. When setting your deadlines, make them far enough in the future to be workable.

About pebblepup

I am not one who is comfortable talking about myself but here goes. I enjoy writing, family history, and reading. I decided to do this blog because I wanted to try something new. I decided to make it a weekly blog because I wasn't sure that I could keep up with a daily one, and monthly seemed like I was writing a magazine. I think I did ok with my choices. You'll notice that there are not a lot of graphics on my site. That's because there are graphics plastered everywhere on the Internet and those sites sometimes take forever to load. This blog is a place where you can kick back, relax and be ready to be amused. At least I hope I willbamuse you. This blog is on a variety of subjects from my ficitional cat agency, the FFL, which is monthly, to instructional blogs to editorials, which are my opinions only. I admit that I don't know everything and could be wrong -- I frequently am. Now, stop reading about me and read what I have to say!