My Life As A Writer: Jon del Arroz on Time Management

I asked this question of Jon during one of his recent livestreams. He took the time to cut a video to answer it. Thanks, Jon.

The big takeaway here is that (a) he has a routine and (b) he measures by wordcount instead of time allotment. The first is important because it makes what he does a regular habit and not something to do when you're in the mood, and I consistently see successful people talk about their practices in terms of habits and routines. The wordcount works because it compels a writer to hone their acumen and come into the wordcount with a plan because the sooner you hit that goal the sooner you can move on to other tasks, and that practice is verified by past masters like Lester Dent.

In short, it's no surprise that the majority of masters are planners and not pantsers even if they started out as such. Mastering the craft, and achieving Pulp Speed, is no different than anything else: first you learn to work smooth, because working smoothly is working fast.