Scheduling Blues

I'm in that horrible place between. I've finished up some projects. I'm polishing some other projects, and since I was more or less at the end of some things, I thought it would be a good idea to try writing out a schedule, because, you know, someday I'm going to be on deadline and all that.

I wrote it out. I prioritized all the projects currently on my plate (where did they all come from???). I laid out my plan like a big girl. I printed out a calendar to mark it up and everything. I marked how long this project would take, and the one after that. Then I printed out another year of calendar space so I could keep going.

I stopped the madness when I got to the third year.

Because, let's face it, I can't stay on schedule for more than a couple of months. I'm not saying I can't finish things. Nope, not at all--finishing isn't my problem. I have some sort of crazy MUST FINISH PROJECT gene lurking in my head somewhere. No, my problem is that no matter how hard I try I can only work on ONE project at a time.

Like for real.

I thought I could just swap between two projects in a week, but NOPE. I can do it under exactly ONE condition: I can swap if the project I'm leaving is done. D-O-N-E.

So my master schedule is already off the table (though, I think the only casualty was a short I was never that enthusiastic about). And I find myself feeling like an amateur. I mean, I should know better than to try to put my creativity on a schedule, but I hate that sort of fruit loopy writing process where people are all "I'll get it done when I find the inspiration." Except, I'm the one with fruit loops in my bowl.

I want schedules people! Nice organized lists with achievable goals I get to cross off everyday. I might be obsessed with efficiency. Clearly I need to make peace with my process, but I want some organization. How do you handle your writing schedule?

Good thing I decided to go into a field where everything is right on schedule, runs like a well oiled machine, and never takes longer than it should.*










*That was sarcasm, just in case you needed a calibration.