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Finding the best planner for writers might mean different things to different people.
For example, some writers may want a digital space to track writing goals or character development. Someone else, however, may need a planner that allows them to keep track of expenses or manage their time more effectively.
What would the best planner for writers look like for you? It’s better to have more than you need in a planner than not enough.
Do you want to keep track of character development, have a place to store those middle-of-the-night creative ideas, or set goals for your writing journey?
Staying organized is crucial for any writer and, as a writer myself, I know what it’s like to have a million ideas and nowhere to jot them down.
Don’t Let Creative Inspiration Disappear!
Do you keep your phone on the nightstand or carry it with you wherever you go?
Of course you do! Who in their right mind wouldn’t? As long as you’ve saved your digital planner in a note taking app (Goodnotes, for example), you’ll be able to make quick notes wherever you are.
You’ll need to carry a stylus with you, however.
You’ll want the interactivity that comes with a note-taking app combined with a good planner for writers. I create PDF printable and digital journals that can be used in a variety of note-taking apps.
Instead of having to take notes that are later transferred to your files, a good planner for writers allows you to jot down those notes directly in the planner itself.
This way, you never have to worry about forgetting what you wanted to write.
Making The Most of a Good Planner For Writers
I think we all realize that all the digital planners, note taking apps, and hastily scratched handwritten notes we make won’t do us any good unless we make a commitment to use them.
Like anything, it’s just about creating a new routine.
Once you’re more familiar with the routine and get in the habit of using your planner to organize your thoughts, chapters, acknowledgements page, and so, it will quickly become second-nature.
Adjusting to a Digital Planner is Easy
You have to allow yourself time to adjust, especially if you’ve spent years writing impromptu inspiration on the back of your hand.
The best way to become a successful writer (i.e., one who completes a book from start to finish) is to keep everything related to your book in one place.
A good planner for writers can help streamline your writing process, boost productivity, and ensure you meet your writing goals. Personally, I love digital planners because everything is in one place, on one platform.
Looking For Another Side Hustle?
Writing is a wonderful way to express yourself and create new worlds nobody else has even thought of before. But until the money starts rolling in, you might consider taking on a side hustle. If that’s the case, I’ve got the perfect post for you to read:
49 Amazing Gigs and Side Hustles For People Over 50
Understanding Your Writing Needs
Before choosing a planner, it’s important to assess your writing journey and identify your priorities. For example:
- Do you need a planner with hour-to-hour scheduling of your usual appointments?
- Do you require a story planner to structure your writing projects?
- Are you looking for a writer’s planner that integrates to-do lists and a weekly calendar?
- Do you want a planner for writers that helps keep track of characters?
Ideally, you want a planner for writers that has you covered for EVERY situation. It’s better to have too many pages than not enough.
Types of Planners for Writers
There are several types of planners on the market these days. You can get standard monthly and yearly planners, or you can find more specialized planners designed for educators, people with ADHD, etc.
Paper planners are a great option for writers who enjoy physically jotting down their ideas.
The classic Moleskine Weekly Planner is perfect for tracking writing schedules and due dates. It’s a great way to keep your writing fully organized.
If you’d prefer a more detailed daily writing plan, the Day Designer offers a two-page spread for scheduling.
Digital Planners
You don’t really have to be “tech-savvy” to make good use of digital planners. Many digital planners are sold as PDF printables, which means you could print it out if you wanted to. Personally, I wouldn’t waste the ink and paper it would take to do that.
Goodnotes is Ideal for Saving Planners for Writers
If you don’t already have it, I suggest using Goodnotes. It’s an intuitive, easy-to-learn note-taking app.
Once you’ve purchased a good planner for writers, you can just save it to Goodnotes. Also, as a side-note, if you decide to go with a digital planner for writers for the first time, you’ll need a stylus compatible with your defice.
Key Features to Look for in a Planner for Writers
The best planner for writers should have a mix of useful pages inside. When shopping for a good planner for writers, look for the following pages:
- Writing schedule page
- Goal setting page
- Monthly calendars (or daily, weekly, and monthly – undated)
- Character sheets for character development
- Story arc section
- Notes section
- To do list pages
- Fully linked pages
- Build your world pages
- Brainstorm sections for your ideas
- Story outline section
- Chapter outline pages
- Track your daily word progress
- Revise your work checklist
- Final draft section
Customizing Your Planner for Maximum Efficiency
As you know, staying organized as a writer means having a system that works for you.
Some people love digital options and others prefer paper-based.
I love being able to write hundreds of notes in my digital planner without wasting paper. It’s so easy to just erase what you’ve written (using a stylus) or duplicate blank pages if you need more room.
A well-structured planner helps streamline your work by incorporating to-do lists and business plans, keeping everything in one place.
For those who like digital options, Goodnotes is a great tool for planning and organizing your writing. You can customize layouts, rearrange notes, and keeping everything synced across devices.
Summary
As I mentioned earlier, the best planner for writers is the planner that’s going to work for you.
Everybody is different.
Writing time doesn’t always come in scheduled chunks. Life gets in the way, and having the right planner nearby can make the difference between capturing an idea or losing it forever.
I’ve used simple, lined notepads to keep track of my writing before. Unfortunately, it never worked well because I could never keep anything organized and coherent.
You can always print your digital planner. If you think you might do that, just look for digital options that don’t use a lot of background color. That will save you a lot of ink.
Otherwise, there are beautiful options available that will look great in whichever note-taking app you use. Plus, they’ll help you stay on track!