Authors: Can AI Help you Become More Productive

For non-fiction authors striving to balance creativity with deadlines, a high-productivity schedule is essential. Managing time effectively can be a real challenge, particularly when juggling multiple projects, and in my case family and the cats. Fortunately, AI tools can assist in creating a productive writing schedule tailored to our needs. Here’s how AI can help you get the most out of your writing time.

Personalised Writing Schedules

AI is adept at personalisation. It can analyse your writing habits, energy levels, and productivity patterns to craft a schedule that suits you perfectly. For example, if AI detects that you’re more productive in the morning, it can schedule your most demanding tasks for those peak hours.

Let’s say you’re working on a new book and typically write best after a good night’s sleep. AI will identify this and suggest you tackle complex chapters or intensive research in the morning. Conversely, if you’re a night owl, AI can organise your schedule to suit late-night sessions.

Take the case of John, a non-fiction author working on a complex guide about artificial intelligence. AI noticed that John’s most productive hours were late at night. It adjusted his schedule to reserve late evenings for writing and used the mornings for research and brainstorming. This shift not only boosted John’s productivity but also improved his overall workflow.

Crafting a Writing Schedule with AI: A Prompt to Get You Started

Struggling to keep your writing schedule on track? AI can be your new best friend in managing time effectively. To harness AI for creating a productive writing schedule, use the following prompt:

Prompt: “AI, help me create a writing schedule. I have [X hours] per week to dedicate to writing. My project includes [brief description of tasks, e.g., research, drafting, editing]. I prefer working in [morning/afternoon/evening]. Suggest a weekly schedule that balances writing tasks with breaks and other responsibilities.”

How This Prompt Helps

1. Specific Time Allocation: By stating the number of hours available, AI can suggest a schedule that fits within your constraints. For instance, if you can write for 15 hours a week, AI can break this into manageable daily sessions.
2. Task Breakdown: Including details about your tasks allows AI to prioritise and schedule them effectively. For example, if your project involves both drafting and editing, AI can allocate specific times for each phase.
3. Preferred Work Times: Mentioning whether you work best in the morning or evening helps AI align tasks with your peak productivity periods. If you’re more focused in the morning, AI will schedule complex tasks for those hours.
4. Balance and Breaks: AI will ensure your schedule includes regular breaks and doesn’t overload you. It can suggest short writing bursts followed by breaks, using methods like the Pomodoro Technique.

Example

Imagine you’re working on a non-fiction book about sustainable living. You have 10 hours per week to write and prefer working in the evenings. Your tasks include research, drafting, and revising.

Your Prompt: “AI, help me create a writing schedule. I have 10 hours per week to dedicate to writing. My project includes research, drafting, and revising. I prefer working in the evenings. Suggest a weekly schedule that balances these tasks with breaks and other responsibilities.”

AI’s Response Might Look Like This:

• Monday: 7-8 PM – Research (1 hour)
• Tuesday: 7-8 PM – Drafting (1 hour)
• Wednesday: 7-8 PM – Revising (1 hour)
• Thursday: 7-8 PM – Research (1 hour)
• Friday: 7-8 PM – Drafting (1 hour)
• Saturday: 3-4 PM – Break
• Saturday: 4-5 PM – Revising (1 hour)
• Sunday: 7-8 PM – Catch-up or additional drafting (1 hour)

This schedule fits your preferences and ensures that each task is given dedicated time, with built-in breaks to prevent burnout.

By using this prompt, you’re setting yourself up for a well-organised writing routine that leverages AI’s ability to optimise your time efficiently. Remember, a well-structured schedule is key to maintaining productivity and achieving your writing goals.

Task Prioritisation and Management

Authors often face a myriad of tasks: brainstorming, outlining, writing, editing, and marketing. AI can simplify this by breaking down tasks into manageable chunks and prioritising them based on deadlines and importance.

For instance, if you’re working on a book about personal finance, AI might help by listing tasks such as conducting interviews, drafting chapters, and revising drafts. It will then prioritise these tasks, ensuring you complete essential elements before others. If you need to finish an outline before starting on specific chapters, AI will schedule accordingly.

How AI Can Assist with Task Prioritisation and Management: A Useful Prompt

Struggling to keep track of your writing tasks? AI can help you manage and prioritise effectively. To get AI to assist with this, use the following prompt:

Prompt: “AI, I need help with prioritising and managing my writing tasks. My current project includes [briefly describe tasks, e.g., research, drafting, editing, and marketing]. I have [X hours] available per week. Please create a prioritised task list and suggest a schedule that ensures timely completion.”

Why This Prompt Works

1. Task Description: By specifying the tasks involved, AI can organise and prioritise them based on urgency and importance. For example, if you need to do research before drafting, AI will arrange your tasks accordingly.
2. Available Time: Mentioning how many hours you have each week helps AI create a realistic schedule. If you have 8 hours a week, AI can allocate time efficiently across all tasks.
3. Prioritisation: AI will generate a prioritised list, ensuring that critical tasks are completed first. For instance, if marketing is crucial before a book launch, AI will schedule this ahead of less urgent tasks like routine editing.

Example

Let’s say you’re working on a book about digital marketing. Your tasks include research, drafting chapters, editing, and preparing marketing materials. You have 12 hours per week to dedicate to this project.

Your Prompt: “AI, I need help with prioritising and managing my writing tasks. My current project includes research, drafting chapters, editing, and preparing marketing materials. I have 12 hours available per week. Please create a prioritised task list and suggest a schedule that ensures timely completion.”

AI’s Response Might Look Like This:

1. Monday: 3-4 PM – Research (1 hour)
2. Tuesday: 3-5 PM – Drafting (2 hours)
3. Wednesday: 3-4 PM – Research (1 hour)
4. Thursday: 3-5 PM – Drafting (2 hours)
5. Friday: 3-4 PM – Editing (1 hour)
6. Saturday: 10 AM-12 PM – Marketing materials (2 hours)
7. Sunday: 10 AM-12 PM – Final revisions and catch-up (2 hours)

This schedule ensures that essential tasks like research and drafting are prioritised, with ample time allocated for editing and marketing.

By using this prompt, you’ll get a well-organised task list and schedule that keeps your project on track. Remember, efficient task management is key to staying productive and meeting deadlines.

Balancing Writing with Other Responsibilities

Writing is just one part of many authors’ lives. Balancing it with marketing, networking, and personal commitments can be tough. AI can help by creating a balanced schedule that incorporates all your responsibilities without compromising your writing goals.

Imagine you have a book launch approaching. AI might reduce your writing hours temporarily to allow more time for promotional activities. Once the launch is over, it will help you shift focus back to writing. For authors with day jobs or family commitments, AI can optimise your limited writing time effectively.

Prompt for Balancing Writing with Other Responsibilities

Finding it tough to balance writing with other duties? AI can help you manage your time more effectively. Use the following prompt to get AI’s assistance:

Prompt: “AI, I need help balancing my writing with other responsibilities. My current schedule includes [briefly describe other responsibilities, e.g., a full-time job, family commitments, and social obligations]. I have [X hours] available each week for writing. Please suggest a weekly schedule that integrates these responsibilities with dedicated writing time.”

Why This Prompt Works

1. Description of Responsibilities: By detailing your other commitments, AI can create a schedule that realistically fits around these duties. For example, if you have a full-time job and family duties, AI can schedule writing sessions around these commitments.
2. Available Writing Time: Stating how many hours you can dedicate to writing helps AI plan a practical schedule. If you have 10 hours a week, AI can distribute these hours effectively across your writing tasks.
3. Integrated Schedule: AI will create a balanced weekly schedule, ensuring your writing time is well-allocated without neglecting other responsibilities.

Example

Suppose you’re a non-fiction author with a full-time job and family commitments. You can dedicate 10 hours a week to writing.

Your Prompt: “AI, I need help balancing my writing with other responsibilities. My current schedule includes a full-time job, family commitments, and social obligations. I have 10 hours available each week for writing. Please suggest a weekly schedule that integrates these responsibilities with dedicated writing time.”

AI’s Response Might Look Like This:

• Monday: 7-8 PM – Writing (1 hour)
• Tuesday: 7-8 PM – Family time
• Wednesday: 7-9 PM – Writing (2 hours)
• Thursday: 7-8 PM – Job-related tasks
• Friday: 7-9 PM – Writing (2 hours)
• Saturday: 10 AM-12 PM – Family time
• Sunday: 3-5 PM – Writing (2 hours)
• Sunday: 5-6 PM – Social obligations

This schedule helps balance your writing with job, family, and social commitments.

Using this prompt will enable AI to craft a well-rounded schedule that fits your busy life. Remember, effective time management helps you stay productive and maintain a healthy work-life balance.

Setting Realistic Goals

Setting achievable goals is essential for maintaining motivation as an author. Sure, we all think we can write a chapter a day… But the reality is far different. AI can assist by analysing your past writing performance to predict how much you can accomplish within a given timeframe.

For instance, if AI knows you can write 1,000 words per hour, it can estimate how long it will take to complete a chapter or a book. It will break down your goals into manageable milestones, such as completing a certain number of pages each week, which helps keep you on track.

Prompt for Setting Realistic Goals

Struggling to set achievable writing goals? AI can help you set realistic targets based on your actual pace and commitments. Use this prompt to get the most out of AI:

Prompt: “AI, I want to set realistic goals for my writing project. I need to complete [describe the project, e.g., a book, an article series] by [deadline]. I usually write [X words/pages] per week. Considering my current workload and personal commitments, help me set practical milestones and deadlines that will keep me motivated and on track.”

Why This Prompt Works

1. Project Description: Specifying the project gives AI context, allowing it to create relevant goals. Whether it's a book or article series, AI will tailor the goals to fit the project's scope.
2. Current Writing Pace: Mentioning how much you typically write each week helps AI set achievable milestones. If you write 500 words a week, AI will create goals that fit this pace.
3. Workload and Commitments: Including your current workload and personal commitments allows AI to set goals that are realistic and manageable. This ensures your goals align with your actual capacity.

Example

Imagine you’re working on a book and need to complete it in six months. You usually write 1,000 words a week and have a busy schedule.

Your Prompt: “AI, I want to set realistic goals for my book. I need to finish it in six months. I usually write 1,000 words per week. Considering my workload and commitments, help me set practical milestones and deadlines to keep me motivated and on track.”

AI’s Response Might Look Like This:

• Month 1: Complete the outline and write 4,000 words.
• Month 2: Draft Chapters 1-3 (approx. 12,000 words).
• Month 3: Draft Chapters 4-6 (approx. 12,000 words).
• Month 4: Draft Chapters 7-9 (approx. 12,000 words).
• Month 5: Complete remaining chapters and start revisions (approx. 12,000 words).
• Month 6: Final revisions, proofreading, and submission.

This plan ensures steady progress and makes the project manageable.

Using this prompt, you’ll get a clear, achievable plan that keeps you motivated and on track. Remember, setting realistic goals helps avoid frustration and keeps your writing on schedule.

Enhancing Focus and Minimising Distractions

Staying focused is vital for productive writing. AI can help minimise distractions by managing your digital environment. It can block distracting websites or apps during writing sessions, ensuring you stay concentrated on your work.

Some AI tools can even suggest techniques like the Pomodoro Technique, where you work in short bursts followed by brief breaks. For instance, AI might manage these intervals for you, keeping you focused during work periods and ensuring you take necessary breaks.

Prompt for Enhancing Focus and Minimising Distractions

Struggling to stay focused while writing? AI can help you create an environment that reduces distractions and enhances your concentration. Use this prompt to get actionable insights from AI:

Prompt: “AI, I need help enhancing my focus and minimising distractions during writing sessions. My main distractions are [describe distractions, e.g., social media, noise, frequent interruptions]. I write best during [mention times, e.g., early mornings, late evenings]. Can you suggest strategies or tools to improve my concentration and make my writing time more productive?”

Why This Prompt Works

1. Identifying Distractions: By specifying your main distractions, AI can offer targeted strategies to combat them. For instance, if social media is a problem, AI can suggest tools to block it during writing sessions.
2. Preferred Writing Times: Mentioning when you write best helps AI suggest strategies that align with your natural focus patterns. This ensures the solutions fit your working style.
3. Strategies and Tools: Asking for both strategies and tools provides a comprehensive approach. AI can suggest practical solutions, like productivity apps or techniques, to enhance your writing sessions.

Example

Imagine you’re easily distracted by social media and noise and prefer writing early in the morning.

Your Prompt: “AI, I need help enhancing my focus and minimising distractions during writing sessions. My main distractions are social media and noise. I write best during early mornings. Can you suggest strategies or tools to improve my concentration and make my writing time more productive?”

AI’s Response Might Look Like This:

• Use Focused Work Apps: Install apps like Freedom or Cold Turkey to block distracting sites.
• Create a Quiet Space: Use noise-cancelling headphones or find a quiet writing spot.
• Set Specific Goals: Break your writing into short, focused sessions with clear goals.
• Try the Pomodoro Technique: Work for 25 minutes, then take a 5-minute break.
• Schedule Social Media Breaks: Allocate specific times for checking social media, not during writing.

These strategies can help you maintain concentration and use your writing time more effectively.

Using this prompt, you’ll get practical advice tailored to your specific needs. Remember, minimising distractions and improving focus is key to productive writing sessions.

Automating Routine Tasks

Writing involves routine tasks that can consume valuable time. AI can automate many of these tasks, freeing up more time for actual writing. For example, AI can organise your research notes, compile feedback from beta readers, or even format your manuscript.

For non-fiction authors, AI can streamline the process of gathering research materials. Instead of manually searching for sources, AI can pull relevant articles and present them in an organised manner. This allows you to focus more on writing and less on administrative tasks.

Prompt for Automating Routine Tasks

Are routine tasks eating into your writing time? AI can help automate these chores so you can focus on what you do best: writing. Use this prompt to get AI to suggest ways to streamline your routine tasks:

Prompt: “AI, I want to automate routine tasks to free up more time for writing. My usual tasks include [describe tasks, e.g., organising research notes, formatting manuscripts, managing submissions]. Can you suggest tools or methods to automate these tasks efficiently and reduce my administrative workload?”

Why This Prompt Works

1. Identifying Tasks: By describing the tasks you want to automate, AI can provide targeted solutions. For instance, if you need help with formatting manuscripts, AI can recommend specific tools for that purpose.
2. Efficient Solutions: Asking for tools or methods ensures that you get practical, actionable advice. This way, you receive suggestions that can be easily implemented.
3. Focus on Writing: The prompt emphasises freeing up time for writing, which helps ensure the recommendations align with your primary goal.

Example

Suppose you spend a lot of time organising research notes and formatting manuscripts.

Your Prompt: “AI, I want to automate routine tasks to free up more time for writing. My usual tasks include organising research notes and formatting manuscripts. Can you suggest tools or methods to automate these tasks efficiently and reduce my administrative workload?”

AI’s Response Might Look Like This:

• Use Evernote or Notion: Automate note organisation with these tools. They can sync across devices and categorise your research efficiently.
• Try Scrivener for Formatting: This writing software can handle manuscript formatting, saving you time on layout adjustments.
• Automate Submissions with Submittable: This platform can manage and track your manuscript submissions to publishers or agents.
• Use Zapier for Task Automation: Connect apps and automate workflows. For example, automatically save email attachments to a cloud storage service.

By automating these routine tasks, you’ll save time and reduce your administrative load.

Remember, focusing on writing and letting AI handle the repetitive tasks will boost your productivity and keep you on track.

Tracking Progress and Adjusting the Schedule

A productive schedule needs to adapt as your project progresses. AI can track your progress and adjust your schedule in real time. If you complete a chapter faster than expected, AI can suggest moving on to the next task or taking a break.

AI can also provide detailed reports on your productivity, highlighting areas where you excel and where you might need to improve. For long-term or multiple concurrent projects, AI ensures you stay on top of your workload without feeling overwhelmed.

Prompt for Tracking Progress and Adjusting the Schedule

Finding it hard to keep track of your writing progress and adjust your schedule? AI can help you stay on top of your tasks and adapt as needed. Use this prompt to get practical assistance from AI:

Prompt: “AI, I need help tracking my writing progress and adjusting my schedule accordingly. I’m currently working on [describe project, e.g., a non-fiction book, a novel] and want to ensure I stay on track. Can you suggest tools or methods to monitor my progress and make real-time adjustments to my schedule?”

Why This Prompt Works

1. Project Specifics: Mentioning your project type helps AI provide relevant advice. For example, tools for tracking novel progress might differ from those for non-fiction.
2. Real-time Adjustments: Requesting suggestions for adjusting your schedule ensures you get advice on staying flexible and responsive to changes.
3. Focus on Tools and Methods: This approach will give you actionable solutions to effectively monitor and manage your progress.

Example

Imagine you’re writing a non-fiction book and want to track progress and adjust deadlines as needed.

Your Prompt: “AI, I need help tracking my writing progress and adjusting my schedule accordingly. I’m currently working on a non-fiction book and want to ensure I stay on track. Can you suggest tools or methods to monitor my progress and make real-time adjustments to my schedule?”

AI’s Response Might Look Like This:

• Use Trello for Task Management: Create boards for different project stages and move tasks as you progress.
• Try Toggl for Time Tracking: Monitor how much time you spend on various writing tasks and adjust your schedule based on this data.
• Leverage Google Sheets or Excel: Set up a progress tracker with milestones and deadlines. Update it regularly to reflect your progress.
• Use Habitica for Motivation: Turn your writing tasks into a game, tracking progress and adjusting goals based on your achievements.

These tools can help you monitor your progress and adjust your schedule effectively.

Remember, staying on top of your progress and being flexible with your schedule will keep you on track and reduce stress.

Final Thoughts on How Authors Can Use AI

AI offers non-fiction authors powerful tools to develop a productive schedule. From personalising writing times and prioritising tasks to minimising distractions and automating routine activities, AI can transform your workflow. By leveraging AI, you can maintain focus, set realistic goals, and ensure steady progress on your projects.

Whether you’re working on a complex guide or a straightforward how-to book, AI can help you create a schedule that maximises productivity and helps you reach your full potential. Remember, a well-organised schedule is not just about working harder; it’s about working smarter.

Sarah x