Courage Igene Shares 4 Strategies to Meet your Writing Deadlines

Courage Igene, Founder and President of All Nations Church and a successful author, located in Richardson, Texas shares the four tactics he uses so that you can meet your deadlines every time.If you are working toward making writing your career, one of the most important things you can do is consistently meet your deadlines. Your worth as a writer (at least initially) is often tied up in how organized you are and how likely you are to meet your multiple competing deadlines. Meeting deadlines is one of the most challenging aspects of writing as a career, but it is not impossible.

1. Prioritize

It may be difficult at first, but one of the most important things you will have to do as a professional writer is prioritize your time. Focus on which writing projects have the highest earning potential, first — especially when you are just beginning your professional writing career. You should focus most of your efforts on work that will help build your credentials and offer the highest payout.

After that, you can focus on your ‘passion projects’, says Courage Igene. Passion projects include writing which you feel most passionate about, even though it may not be very lucrative. Never ignore your writing passions completely: rather, you should instead prioritize your time so that you can work first on projects that pay well, and then on projects that you feel excited about.

2. Create a Schedule

Gather up the information on all the deadlines you are required to meet and create a schedule. Allow yourself time to review your work and revisit it if necessary, says Courage Igene. Create a writing schedule you can look to each day, so you know what tasks you are required to accomplish before the end of the day. Creating a schedule also involves reflecting on lessons learned — when you don’t meet a deadline, for example. Ask yourself why you didn’t meet that deadline and what you can do to prevent it from happening again. Making mistakes is how we learn, and you will get better and better with practice.

3. Create the Proper Writing Space

If you write at home, be sure you aren’t distracted by chores or other tasks. It is an unfortunate reality, but it is very easy to procrastinate at home. Courage Igene states if you are prone to procrastination, it may be in your best interest to conduct your writing at another location — a shared working space, for example. This will help you stay disciplined and focused to meet your all-important deadlines.

4. Take breaks

If you do not schedule breaks, you may find yourself procrastinating even further. If you have a large and intimidating writing project, break it down into manageable tasks. If you do this, it seems much less overwhelming, and you are more likely to succeed. You can also set a timer and take a break when it rings. A break is a great opportunity to stretch your legs, refuel your brain (and body) and start fresh.

Courage Igene & His Final Thoughts

If you follow these simple tips, you will notice that you are more and more likely to meet your deadlines as a professional writer. Once you’ve worked long enough, you’ll notice your writing process becomes more efficient and polished, and you can accomplish much more in a shorter time, according to Courage Igene.