Over the last ten years, I have worked with many successful authors, from New York Times bestselling novelists to successful indies who are making small fortunes from their writing. One thing they all have in common is a system of organization. They don’t all have the same system, but they all have a system.

A system provides an advantage. It can help you stay organized, create a plan, and help you work from a place of joy rather than a place of duty and obligation. To help us with organizing our writing, I spoke with Susan May Warren, who has created a fabulous system for authors.

She is a USA Today bestselling author who has written more than 75 novels, so she knows how to write productively. Susan has won many awards for writing, including the Christie Award, the Carol Award, the Inspire Award, and the Rita Award. She’s also run a school for novelists for over a decade. I’ve been very impressed with the success her students have had with getting published, staying published, and building brilliant careers.

Why is planning important for Christian writers?

Thomas: Why is planning so important for Christian authors? Why not just go with the flow?

Susan: Planning is important for everybody, not just a Christian author. It’s especially important for Christians and authors because we want to make an impact in our world. Perhaps everybody wants to make an impact in their world, but Christians particularly have a desire to see themselves fulfill their purpose and make a lasting impact for Christ and his gospel.

If we want to live an intentional life, we need a plan to make that intentional life happen. As a Christian, I know the Lord is in charge of making my life intentional, and I just have to follow him. But there are strategies and tactics I can use to partner with him as I work to make my life efficient and flourishing.

We want to talk about how you get from a desire to write and make an impact to a joyful, flourishing life in which you have no regrets.

Thomas: It’s easy to say, “Those who fail to plan are planning to fail.” But most Christian authors don’t have much of a written plan.

Why do so many authors struggle to put a plan together?

Susan: There’s a fallacy that we have to “follow the muse.” But we also know the Lord’s in charge of the future, and sometimes that makes us think we don’t need a plan. While there is some truth to both of those, we need to be active in that plan.

God told Abraham, “Go, and I will show you where to go,” but Abraham had to be moving along. The Bible also talks about considering the costs before you build. You can just “follow your way,” and the Lord can still lead that way. But sometimes, we don’t always know where we’re heading. So, how can we be more intentional and responsible with the time, talents, and energy the Lord has given us?

Thomas: In the Old Testament book of Judges, we read the story of the tribe of Benjamin behaving badly. The other tribes decide to go to war against them. Feeling like they have God on their side, they launch an attack on the Benjamites but are defeated. They attack again the next day, only to be defeated once more.

Realizing their mistake, they finally seek God’s guidance, something they probably should have done sooner.

Seeking God’s direction leads them to develop a plan for the following day. It’s not just about trusting God to supernaturally bring down fire from heaven to destroy their enemies, which God does at times, but in this case, being obedient meant coming up with a better strategy. The next day, their plan involved pretending to flee, as they had done the two previous days. However, this time, they had soldiers hidden in the bushes, ready to sneak into the town and take control. This plan ultimately led to their success and the near destruction of the tribe of Benjamin.

Judges is weird, so make sure you read it within the context and with the help of scholars. But the reality is that following God doesn’t mean we don’t plan. Planning is very compatible with a spirit-filled life. God can speak to you as you put together a plan, just as much as he can speak to you when you’re working spontaneously.

Susan: Christians often make a list or plan and then ask God, “Is this okay with you?” But that is not the way. When we’re planning, we need to involve God in the process. He’s given us internal tools to help us understand the way we should go, but sometimes we don’t realize it.

When I started planning, I began to focus on the talents and abilities God had already given me to help determine the direction and steps I needed to take to put my life together. I just want to emphasize that when we sit down to write a book, we need proper training. We can’t just rely on intuition. You might be able to get away with that for your first book, but it likely won’t be published. You need to have clear strategies for creating tension, building a compelling story world, and developing powerful characters.

Every book has a structure, and it’s crucial to understand what that structure is.

Once you’ve finished writing your book, you can’t just leave it sitting on your desk. No one is going to call and ask if you have a book ready for publication. That simply doesn’t happen. You need a strategy to get your book published. Whether you publish through traditional or independent means, both approaches require action. God can guide our steps in writing and publishing. He can inspire you during the writing process and direct you toward a path to publication. However, without a strategy and concrete tactics in place, none of this will happen. So, having a plan is a very biblical approach. It’s also something we can do in partnership with God, allowing Him to guide and direct us.

Without a plan, we won’t make progress toward the goals and purposes God has for our lives.

How did you learn to plan your writing?

Susan: I was a seat-of-the-pants person, but when I got into college, I became more of a planner because I wanted to succeed at college. You have to show up at class and do your homework.

After college, I was called to be a missionary, so my husband and I went overseas to the mission field. There, I learned more about planning because I had to start communicating with our supporters regularly.

When I was overseas, the small seed of desire that God had planted in my heart to become a novelist when I was 14 years old began to blossom. I went before the Lord and asked, “What should I do with this?” And He said, “Write a book.” I replied, “But I don’t know how.” He reassured me, saying, “I’ll teach you.” So, I went to my library, where I had brought several books with me, and began to read. I prayed, “Lord, teach me.” With my degree in English from the University of Minnesota, I wasn’t clueless about literature, but I had never written a novel before.

I sat down and started writing my first novel, using a very “seat-of-the-pants” approach, without really knowing what I was doing. It took me about a year and a half to finish, and by the end, I had an 800-page novel that was unpublishable. Undeterred, I packed it up and sent the entire manuscript to Bethany House, asking for their feedback. That wasn’t the best idea. However, they were very kind and replied, suggesting, “Could you write something a bit shorter, perhaps? And maybe next time, don’t send us the whole manuscript at once.”

At that point, I realized I needed a better plan. I knew I could write a book; I just had to figure out how to do it effectively. That’s when I learned to sit down and develop a strategy for writing. I also created a plan for submitting my work to publishers. Fast forward a bit, and I was homeschooling, teaching English as a second language as part of the ministry, handling various responsibilities as a missionary, and writing. I had to learn how to manage my time effectively.

At that time, I developed a system called power blocks. It’s a method of dividing your day into focused blocks of time dedicated to one specific project. I discovered that multitasking is not truly multitasking; it’s more like “multi-failing” because you end up doing many things poorly. However, if you concentrate on doing one thing well for a shorter period, you actually accomplish more. I began using this power block concept for my writing. As time went on, I realized I needed to integrate my planning and strategies from other areas, like lesson planning, meal planning, and communication with our supporters, into a cohesive approach that included my writing time.

Initially, my weekly to-do lists were overwhelming, and I often found myself wondering how I would manage everything. I realized that there had to be a system to make it all work, and I needed to figure out how to implement it effectively. In short, after ten years on the mission field, we returned home, and the Lord allowed my career to blossom. I started writing full-time while continuing to homeschool and launched an academy. I realized I needed to help others not only manage their time but also start living lives focused on what they truly wanted to do.

That’s when the idea for the planner came about. A few years ago, people started asking me how I managed to get so much done. So, I put together a planner to show them my system, and I uploaded it to Amazon. It sold like crazy! From there, I developed and refined the planner, and it really took off. I began teaching some of the techniques I use to help me reach my goals, which is how the planning system evolved.

It’s a structured approach for getting things done. It’s also versatile. You don’t have to implement every aspect of it. You can pick and choose the parts that work best for you. The most important thing is finding a planning method that suits your unique personality and needs. That’s the key. Our goal is to provide tools and help you discover what works best for you.

Thomas: Having a plan and being organized is not the same as being an outliner, as opposed to being a discovery writer. There are very organized and successful discovery writers who are very successful in their writing. Stephen King is a good example of an organized discover writer.

We’re talking about a way of structuring your day, week, and year so that you can be a more effective discovery writer. You’ll have a block of time for discovery writing. If you’re trying to discovery write while managing your marketing, sending out an email newsletter, and writing a blog post, you’re not going to be nearly as creative as you could be. To really discover a good story and get to know your characters, you must be focused.

You can’t take up the plow and look back. Jesus used a metaphor that says, “Anyone who takes up the plow and looks back is not fit for the kingdom of God.” Plowing doesn’t require a lot of mental energy—if that’s true for pushing a metal plow through a field, then how much more focus do we need when we’re writing something that’s never been written before?

Could you walk us through the concept of a power block and how it relates to time management?

Susan: I’d like to start with why we’re doing what we’re doing. People plow the field because they want to have crops to feed their family. Their vision isn’t about plowing fields but about providing for their family. All great planning actually starts with the vision.

Planning is a system with different parts. Using the metaphor of a field and plants, authors are like farmers growing a crop. This crop represents our vision. In this metaphor, the nutrients that help the crop grow are the tactics we use, while the sunlight symbolizes our strategy, guiding us toward our goals. But beneath it all are the roots, representing our values—the foundation we build upon. When it comes to planning, starting with these foundational values is essential.

Every planning system is unique because each person has a different set of values. I’m not just talking about general Christian values like the Ten Commandments but about what makes you uniquely you. These could include things like family, personal interests, health, time spent on vacations, community involvement, or charitable work. These values form the fabric of our lives and should be the basis for what we aim to achieve.

For example, one of my core values is family. Since my children now live all over the world, it’s important for us to take time to be together. To do this, we need to block out time each year and make sure we have the resources to afford it. One of our goals is to have a vacation home. If buying one isn’t feasible, we might rent a place for a week. To afford a vacation rental, we need to generate enough income, and that’s where the daily work—our “plowing”—comes in. Our value is family time, our vision is to spend time together, and our actions are what make that vision a reality.

Another key value of mine is sharing the gospel. I want to tell people that Jesus loves them and can save them from their sins. This is one of my deep personal desires. During my time as a missionary, I actively shared that message. Now, I use my gifts and talents to write books that focus on themes of second chances and grace. I love adventure and romance, so I write epic romantic adventure novels. The fruit of my work is that people read these stories because they enjoy them, and through these narratives, they also encounter messages about grace and second chances. If I want those books to be out there and make an impact, I’ve got to plow the field.

When we plan, we start by identifying our values, understanding who we are, and determining what matters to us. Next, we consider our vision and ask ourselves what kind of fruit we want to produce. Once that’s clear, we think about the seeds we need to plant and how we’ll go about planting them. This is where the actual planning comes in. After establishing our roots and vision, we must define our strategy: what kinds of seeds are we going to plant, and what tactics will we use to tend our field?

Power blocking is one of those tactics. It involves breaking our day into focused blocks of time dedicated to different tasks. As a writer, these blocks might be for writing, editing, managing social media, or other marketing activities. You might also need time for finances, but you still have to live your life. You need to eat, care for your family, and occasionally clean your house.

So, how do you fit it all in? You do it by not stressing over having everything to do at once but by assigning tasks to specific blocks of time. When I was overseas, one of the things I found both frustrating and valuable was the unpredictability of my day. As a missionary, I’d be going about my tasks when suddenly, there’d be a knock at the door from someone needing to talk. If I were a rigid planner, this interruption might throw me off, but being there for people is one of my core values. So, I learned to balance my desire to minister to others with my need to accomplish tasks by maintaining a planning system.

Think of power blocks like LEGOs. Each color represents a different type of task. When an unexpected situation arises, you can move these blocks around. If you were supposed to be cooking dinner or writing, you could shift that block to a later time and move your “meeting with people” block into the current moment. This way, you haven’t derailed your entire week; you’ve simply rearranged it.

This approach allows you to say, “My day is ordered by the Lord,” while still maintaining structure. You can put your LEGOs together, knowing that God might rearrange them, but by leaving enough blank space so that you can adjust as He leads. This method enables you to plan effectively, remain open to God’s guidance, and still plant seeds and bear fruit that align with your values.

Thomas: I love what you’re saying about not needing to fill every spare minute with a scheduled task. Many people swing from one extreme to the other. They go from having no organization, where everything is chaotic, to trying to bring order by planning every single minute of their day. The overly rigid approach often falls apart and leads them back to chaos.

I prefer your hybrid model, where you allow for some spare time to handle unexpected situations because life is unpredictable. If you don’t plan for the unexpected, those events can become a wrecking ball in your life. But with some flexibility built into your schedule, you can handle surprises more smoothly.

Susan: This approach also brings joy because you can say, “I got an unexpected phone call from a friend who needs to talk. No problem. I’ll just move what I was going to do into this blank space.” Now, you can spend an hour with your friend, responding to the Lord’s leading, and do it with joy, knowing that helping others is also one of your values. This method is perfect for driven people who like to get things done. It allows them to breathe and realize that everything will get accomplished, even if it doesn’t happen exactly as planned. It will still get done.

Thomas: Proverbs 16:9 says, “The heart of a man plans his way, but the Lord establishes his steps.” The Lord is in those day-to-day changes and tweaks.

One of the habits of highly effective people is to begin with the end in mind. Ask, “Why am I doing this?” You’re so busy chopping down trees in the jungle that you’re not thinking about whether you’re even in the right jungle in the first place. One of the benefits of being values-driven with your organization and planning is that it helps you know when to say “no.” If someone asks you to volunteer with something in church and you haven’t established your values, you’ll make your decision based on whether you like the person asking and not on your vision and values. That approach leads to saying “yes” to everything, and then you’re letting everyone down, and everyone’s miserable. It’s no good, and your book is not written, so your publisher is miserable too.

Knowing your values helps you know when to say no and then decline in a more graceful way. You’re not saying no to volunteering at church. You’re saying yes to your values and what God has called you to do, which is writing.

It might be that in this season of your life, you need to set writing aside for a while and focus on ministering to real people, recharging yourself so you have something meaningful to write about later. I’m not suggesting that everyone should stop volunteering at church. I’m saying it’s important to seek the Lord’s guidance. Understanding your values is a process you go through with God. He’s directing your steps and helping you discover who He created you to be because you’re unique. Everyone has a different role in the body of Christ and different contributions to make.

So, don’t think it’s a choice between planning and walking in the Spirit. If you’re surrendered to God, He’s present with you all the time. Your purpose is not just about what He has called you to do but even more about who He has called you to be. As you embrace who He has made you to be, you’ll find that His burden is light. Jesus’s burden is light and leads to a restful journey with Him, unlike the heavy burdens we often place on ourselves.

Susan: Sometimes the Lord calls you to say no to certain things at church, and other times He calls you to say yes to something you might not want to do, but that aligns with your values. You might think, “I feel like I should do that, but I don’t know how I’ll manage it or if I even have the time.” However, because it aligns with your values and you feel the Lord nudging you, you can trust that He will make the time for it. When you step into these opportunities, you may find amazing growth and flourishing in areas you hadn’t considered because you initially thought, “I don’t have enough time.” But since it aligns with your values and who you are, you suddenly find the time.

For those who feel their plate is too full, it might be necessary to let go of things that don’t align with their values. To help with this, we have a values test in the planner that can help you identify what your values truly are. Many people who have taken this test found it transformative, changing the way they make decisions and plan their lives.

What have you learned about God as you’ve learned how to plan, specifically as you plan for your next year?

Thomas: What have you learned spiritually in that process?

Susan: For one, I am more aligned with who I am and what I’m doing in my life, especially when it comes to seeing God at work in me and through the things I do.

I’m also aware that even though God has called me to do these things, and they align with my values, that doesn’t mean they are easy. However, this alignment gives me peace because when I’m struggling, I know that this is what God has called me to do, and He who called me will also equip me. I trust that He is with me on this journey. I’ve seen Him show up time and time again.

Now, this doesn’t mean that God doesn’t show up when we’re not doing things related to our core values. He absolutely does. But when we are doing things that are hard but still align with our values, we can really feel His presence. For example, during our time as missionaries in Russia, we faced many challenges. We loved Russia and its people, and it was a very fulfilling time for us. We knew we were doing what we were meant to do, but it was difficult. Even in those tough times, we felt God’s presence, which gave us the strength to keep going because we were certain we were doing what He had called us to do.

So, when we know we’re aligned with our values, even the tough moments can become joyous because we recognize that God is with us in the midst of those challenges.

The second benefit is that I’ve been able to say no to things that don’t fit me without feeling guilty. I can simply say, “I’m sorry, I can’t do that.” It might be a perfectly good idea or activity, but it doesn’t fit who I am.

The third benefit is that it helps me distinguish between what’s good and what’s truly great. At the beginning of each year, I look at all the opportunities available to me and think, “Okay, I could do all of these things, but not all of them are the best for me to do right now.” So, I look at my values, what brings me joy, and other factors to determine what rises to the top. That’s how I determine what I need to focus on. Other things can wait for another year, or perhaps they aren’t a good fit at all.

This process of figuring out how to spend my time effectively has been revolutionary for me. I bring everything before the Lord. He’s already provided me with great tools, and through prayer and reflection, I gain clarity. This allows me to chart my course for the year. Of course, everything is in the Lord’s hands, but at least I’m heading in the direction He is guiding me.

Thomas: I used to work with 40 Days For Life, and I would help organize peaceful, prayerful vigils at abortion clinics. I’d visit churches to recruit people to come and pray for an hour. I remember being at church one time when a man came by our booth and said, “I totally support what you’re doing. I can’t get involved myself because I’m busy with prison ministry, which takes up all my time, but I fully back your work.” Of all the people who had told us “no,” his “no” felt the most genuine and affirming. I found myself thanking him for the work he was doing because I wasn’t involved in prison ministry—I was focused on this.

Since he knew who he was and what God had called him to do, he could say no to us without any guilt and without making us feel bad. He understood his focus, and he could affirm others in their calling. Prison ministry requires a lot of time, focus, and a certain mindset to effectively engage with those individuals. It’s different from standing outside an abortion facility and praying. His understanding of his calling gave him the grace to extend that support to us. That was a powerful lesson for me.

Susan: Some people haven’t figured out it’s okay to say no to the things that aren’t a good fit for you. As a missionary, I went to Russia, taught English as a second language, and hosted kids’ clubs. I wasn’t called to stand on a street corner or preach. I have a friend who is involved in a ministry that does evangelism in the form of a rock concert for the unchurched youth of Europe. It’s an amazing ministry, but I would never want to do that ministry. It’s so out of my comfort zone. But we support and pray for him, and that’s how it should be. Everybody is called to do something, and it’s okay for you to say no to the things you’re not called to do. When you have the opportunity to say “yes,” then jump into that.

What are some tools that help make planning easier?

Susan: The first step is to review your strategy and determine your goals or dream projects for the year. From there, you decide what to focus on and break it down over the course of the year because you can’t accomplish everything in January. It’s essential to spread out your projects.

Learning to divide your projects into manageable chunks throughout the year is crucial. After breaking down your yearly projects, take the tasks for January and organize them into weekly goals. As you move to daily goals, there are many strategies you can use to make your days successful.

One technique that helps me achieve my daily goals is habit stacking. If you’re not familiar with habit stacking, it’s an excellent tool you can learn about in the book Atomic Habits (Affiliate Link).

The concept of habit stacking is based on the idea that we all perform certain tasks unconsciously every day. For example, we get up, brush our teeth, make our bed, do our Bible study, do laundry, go for a walk, make breakfast, and have our coffee. When we do these things habitually, it frees up our brains to think about other things.

For instance, I might listen to a podcast while doing these routine tasks, which can enrich my day because I don’t need to focus on the tasks themselves. I leave my mind free to do other things, like engaging in praise and worship or thinking about my next scene. By turning these tasks into habits, I’m able to accomplish them efficiently while keeping my mind open for more meaningful thoughts. This is the essence of habit stacking.

Miracle Mornings (Affiliate Link) by Hal Elrod is another fabulous book. The book suggests spending an hour every morning on various activities. It’s similar to habit stacking, but not quite the same. My “miracle morning” routine is integrated into my habit stacking. It includes activities like reading my Bible, praying, journaling, listening to praise and worship music, stretching, and doing affirmations. These activities help me get my mind focused at the start of the day. So, I have a habit stack for my morning routine and another habit stack to prepare for work, and another that helps me wind down after work to get some things done. Then, I have an evening habit stack, and all of these habits allow my brain to rest because my body is on auto drive.

We teach that in the course that comes with our My Story Matters Planner. It also helps you integrate these tactics into your life.

We also use a concept called sacred rest, based on the book Sacred Rest (Affiliate Link). Sacred rest is a way to wind down after investing a lot of energy into various areas of your life, especially when you feel stressed about them. It helps you identify where you might be expending too much energy and how to restore that energy. It’s a technique to incorporate sacred rest back into your daily or weekly routine.

We even have these cool stickers that can help you with this process. This is just one of the tools we offer. We use habit stacking, power block timing, and, of course, our top three priorities for each day. Every day, we help you identify the three most important tasks you should complete. You focus on those first. If you accomplish those three tasks, you can consider the day a success. The rest of the tasks are “should do’s” and “could do’s.”

We focus on celebrating victories. Another feature I love about our planner is the section at the beginning of each week for inspiration. It’s like a journal where you can record your prayers, inspirational thoughts, or anything meaningful to you. I have a friend who writes down what she accomplished the previous day and why she’s proud of it. It could also be a place to note your gratitudes. You can tailor it to suit your personality and needs.

I’ve kept a journal and a planner for probably 20 years, and I still have all of them. I love being able to look back and see what was important to me at different times, the things I was dealing with, and the personal growth I experienced. It really chronicles my life. I think it’s important to document our lives, to have a record of the things we’ve accomplished, the relationships we’ve built, and the ways the Lord has been at work in our lives. One of the great things about our planner is that it helps you chronicle your life in this way.

The planner is designed for creative individuals who want to be mindful of how they spend their time, whether they are entrepreneurs, writers, or anyone else. You don’t have to be a novelist to benefit from it. You could be a teacher, a blogger, a podcaster, or even someone who doesn’t write at all. The writing components are actually minimal and are located in the back with our story-building sheets.

Most of the planner focuses on everyday life. It includes sections for meal planning, water intake tracking, a habit-stacking chart, and a reading log. There’s also a weekly spread for organizing your tasks and goals. It’s designed to cater to everyone, not just writers. However, it does appeal to those with a creative spirit, helping to bring out that creativity in everyday life.

Do you have any final tips or encouragement on organization and planning?

Susan: The key is to figure out who you are and what truly matters to you. Once you have a clear understanding of that, you can start making meaningful decisions about your life. Life doesn’t have to be a rigid set of to-do lists; it can be fluid, allowing you to follow your energy. However, having a strategy, setting goals, and writing them down can provide direction. When you also pray about these goals, you’ll begin to see how God brings them to fruition.

It’s exciting to realize that God is actively and intimately aware of you and involved in your life. Tracking this involvement can be mind-blowing, making you feel loved and helping you recognize your purpose in this world. Trusting Him and working toward this purpose is not only fulfilling but also a wonderful and exciting journey.

Sponsor: Christian Writers Institute

The Course of the Week: Deeper: Spiritual Formation for the Writer

Explore the Deeper Life of the Christian Writer.

A strong spiritual life is the foundation upon which a writer can build their writing. It is important that every writer think deeply about this. God’s word is a powerful source of strength and comfort.

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