Scheduling Creativity

Full Time creatives are not typically 9-to-5 type people. In fact they’re usually working from 12am to noon and then from noon to 12am. It’s hectic to be a working creative in an era of rising housing costs, inflation, and exploitation by streaming giants. But I digress! Let’s focus on the thing that brings us the most joy: the act of creation. More specifically, let’s address the question of how to schedule your creative time properly.

The question of scheduling needs to address a more personal question: “How often should I write?” Some folks are built for a 9-to-5 creative beat in which they take on two sessions a day. Others of us, are more inclined to write once or twice a week. The key is to find a rhythm that works for you without getting burnt out. The business of music wants songwriters penning day-in and day-out with a religious conviction for workaholism. That does not always align with the creative spirit. Your goal is to optimize the time you spend creating by ensuring that you show up with your whole self to the write. 

Experimenting with writing schedule is one way to figure this out. Try a few weeks where you write every day. Try a few weeks where your writes are Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday with a four day weekend. Try a few weeks with a more spread out schedule where you’re writing Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. Through the process of trial and error, you’ll discover what works best for you. Honor your creative spirits capacity without overextending yourself. 

Being a songwriter is not just about showing up for an initial write, but ensuring that you finish songs and put them out. This is especially true if you’re also pursuing an artist career. Setting deadlines and sticking to them needs to be a part of your schedule. Release dates, dates to send out songs to mastering, dates to finish unfinished songs are all important dates! Practice the art of finishing your art as often as you practice your art.