Passing Work Along

Most writers don’t even think of passing work along when they get swamped. But it’s good business to do just that. Instead of saying “No” as noted in last week’s blog, it might be a good idea to consider farming out some tasks. But which ones?

Obviously, you want to do all the writing. That’s only natural. But there are other more mundane jobs that could be done by someone else. Passing a task along to someone else in a more appropriate position to do it can maximize the value of your time—and help you make more money in the long run.

As the owner of a one-person business, you have only so many hours in a day to get things done, and that includes your writing and other household chores. So let’s begin with business tasks.

Whether an expert who knows something you don't, somebody under you whose time costs less, or a colleague with time to spare when you're in a crunch, delegating to the right person can be more efficient all around than taking on every task that crosses your path. To delegate work is not to dump, instead, it’s a way to assign a task in a clear, productive way.

Other tasks that could be delegated to someone else include doing background research, typing final drafts on another computer, taking photographs to accompany articles, sorting mail, and filing. The person you assign to take photos must be adept enough at photography to provide good results. However, the other tasks can be done by high school or college students looking to earn some extra money or seniors who are looking for something to do.

Either way, you need to pay these people. “Won’t that cut into my bottom line?” you ask. Yes and no. Paying them minimum wage to take care of these extra tasks will enable you more time to work on writing and thus to write more, increasing your income. Calculate what your time is worth and compare it to the cost of hiring out. It’s just good business.

So when is the right time to pass a job along? Usually, it’s when you face routine, technical, or short tasks or those you don't have time for.

An expert, such as a professional photographer, can often do specialized jobs better. And though they charge more, they can do the job faster and better than you can, saving you both money and time.

Tell the person who will be doing the task exactly what you want done. But unless you're teaching a brand-new skill, don't dictate how to do the job, itself. People learn more and are better motivated when they can figure things out for themselves. Communication is very important when you're delegating. And be sure to ask if the person understands what they are to do.

Tell the person exactly how much authority you're granting. In other words, how much they can do in your name. Is there a dollar limit to the job? A decision point at which you must be consulted? Defining authority helps the person perform the task within the bounds you consider appropriate.

Lastly, you have deadlines, and so should any person doing tasks for you. Set a deadline for any job you farm out and find out if the person can do the job within that time before they begin. What they’ll be doing for you may also affect your deadline, as in the case of outsourced photography. If you have a deadline on your end, make sure their due date is earlier in case they need extra time or you need to correct something.

Procrastination—An Evil Lurking

To make any headway in writing, you have to get started, and often starting is the toughest part of the job. For many writers, perhaps you, procrastination is a force to be reckoned with. It can slow down or stall even the most creative of writers. Procrastination can be a deep psychological situation involving fear of failure or success, or a natural result of overload. Sometimes you simply don't know where to start.

In order to fight this monster, you must first know what it is. Procrastination refers to the act of replacing high-priority tasks with those of lower priority, especially if the lower priority ones provide enjoyment. Writing can be stressful at times—let’s face it, lots of times. Deadlines can loom overhead like giant alien spaceships. Generally, those lower priority tasks are things that you can do later or perhaps not at all.

Just because you procrastinate doesn’t mean that you don’t have the motivation or willpower to complete a writing project. Perhaps the project is too big or maybe your skills aren’t developed enough to handle it. While you may be motivated to write a particular book, for example, you may not have the resources or knowledge to do so. This leads to putting it off as long as possible. Simply trying harder won’t do it. You must understand what triggered you to procrastinate in the first place.

One of the most common triggers for writers is the fear of rejection. Every writer, from novice to experienced professional harbors this fear at some time or another. Too prevent the fear of rejection from overwhelming you, the best thing to do is have several projects going at once. If one fails, you’ve got the others as backup. And who knows, the rejection of one you had hopes for may cause you to put more effort into another which may go on to be a bestseller. Let’s face it. Not all writing projects are meant to be successful.

When battling procrastination, consider whether you tend to do better when working with other people or relying on yourself. Then choose your technique.

There are four ways that you can call on other people to help you do what you ought to be doing.

First, tell someone what you're going to do and by when. Accountability is built into an office work environment when you work for someone else, but when you work for yourself, you don’t have anyone to remind you to get to work. Tell your spouse or your best friend what you’re planning to do and by when. Ask either to check on your progress.

Second, if you procrastinate because you don't like or know your task very well, simply swap jobs with someone. Perhaps you can ask a friend to do some research for you or maybe some accounting while you get on with your writing. If each person does what he or she does best, you’ll both win.

Third, collaborate with someone on a project. Working with someone else can help get the job started and done faster because you now have a shared commitment and two minds and pairs of hands. Writers often collaborate on a book with an expert or another writer, especially if it’s a particularly difficult subject.

As the sole owner of your writing business, you can do only so much. There are only so many hours in the day. Why not ask for help? Delegate tasks to a student intern seeking experience or pay someone to do clerical work for you like filing.

Other things that may cause you to procrastinate are distractions. Is your office cluttered with papers that need to be filed? Does your house need cleaning? Does your garden call out to you to be tended? All of these can keep you away from your work. To make sure you don’t spend all your time on them, schedule each for specific times during the week. By doing a little each day of any of your chores, you’ll not only get them done but get your writing done, too.

If you need or prefer to lean on yourself to beat procrastination, there are plenty of ways to do that.

You can jump right in. Kids do that when they’re swimming at a pool. Most just jump in. The faster you get to work, the faster you’ll get finished.

You can also take it one step at a time. Any project can be achieved the same way, one step at a time so take a small step and beat procrastination.