Agile Project Management for Writers David R Slayton 1
What is Agile? Agile Project Management was developed to speed up software development. Rather than creating an entire application and delivering it wholesale, Agile ships working components in sprints (one to two week blocks) so that testing is iterative. Agile is designed to be flexible and incorporate changes with little notice. Agile emphasizes self organization and responsibility (with a daily stand up meeting led by the team members as opposed to a Project Manager dictating the day s tasks). www.davidrslayton.com 2
Why Agile for Writers? What can it do for you? When I started writing, I struggled with putting my writing into a structured plan. By not taking a managed approach I had a hard time making deadlines. I sat down to make word count every day, but quickly realized that a fully structured process was too rigid for my writing style. I felt like a failure because my attempts to make word count weren t working and that often left me unmotivated. I was blowing deadlines, losing any joy in writing, and burning out. www.davidrslayton.com 3
Why Agile for Writers? A light bulb went of when my day job adapted Agile to offer our clients a faster way of implementing software I saw how I could apply it to my writing life and three years later, I ve completed dozens of software implementations using Agile, written four novels and completed multiple rewrites and edits. By breaking my writing down into sprints and weekly (instead of daily) goals, I m able to ship between 5,000 and 10,000 edited, readable words a week.* In this workshop I ll convey some of the methods that worked for me. *Your mileage will vary and improve with practice. www.davidrslayton.com 4
What is Agile? In short, Agile is flexible, adaptive, and approaches project management by working in building blocks called sprints to construct a final product. Agile made it possible for me to balance writing, my day job, and my life so I didn t burn out and still enjoyed writing. www.davidrslayton.com 5
Agile Methodology: Capacity To use Agile, the first thing you need to understand is your capacity, or how much time you can dedicate to your writing during the project not on a daily, but a weekly, basis. For example, you might plan to start writing during a period when you have fewer personal or day job commitments so you can increase capacity and writing time. www.davidrslayton.com 6
Agile Methodology: Capacity Know Thyself, and Thy Limits: avoid burnout by not trying to do too much too quickly. www.davidrslayton.com 7
Agile Methodology: Capacity When I plan a project I look at all of my calendars: personal, day job, and writing. I try to kick off a new book when I know I ll have the capacity to focus on it. Even then, I have to be flexible, accounting for changes like a increased day job focus or edits from my agent.* The key is to be realistic and not beat myself up over a deadline. If I need to, I take a breather week (though I try not to. It slows my momentum). www.davidrslayton.com 8
Agile Methodology: Plotters, Tweeners, and Pantsers Knowing your writing process is a big part of adapting Agile to your style. Are you a plotter, a tweener, or a panster? www.davidrslayton.com 9
Agile Methodology: Plotters, Tweeners, and Pantsers Plotters thoroughly outline. They start writing with everything laid out. Tweeners: know the big moments or the five point structure, but discover the ground between them. Pantsers: make it up as they go, enjoy discovering the book as they write it. For example, I m a Tweener. I plot the big moments before I sprint and outline as I write, making a line or two for each chapter that eventually becomes my synopsis. www.davidrslayton.com 10
Agile Methodology: Plotters, Tweeners, and Pantsers Agile works best when you ve planned your project, outlining your novel and knowing what happens when, so Plotters have a distinct advantage. Tweeners have an advantage of flexibility and the ability to go with the flow. Pantsers may find it useful to stretch their sprints to two weeks in order to have time to work through the plotting while they write. www.davidrslayton.com 11
Agile Methodology: Sprints The key to Agile is breaking your work up into sprints (shippable segments or blocks). Each sprint should have one or two stories: tasks which you can complete in a week or two without overwhelming yourself (be realistic about your capacity). Changes, as they arise, should be incorporated if possible, and if not, added to a backlog (a list tracking outstanding changes or tasks). www.davidrslayton.com 12
Agile Methodology: Project Planning Before you begin writing, plan your project (not your novel, but the time you ll spend writing it): Set a goal for the project, such as completing your novel. Divide the work into stories (tasks you can accomplish in a week). Then assemble those stories into sprints (one or two week blocks of time) with one or two stories per week. Remember that you want a shippable item at the end of a sprint, whether that s three chapters, a synopsis or 10k of polished writing. www.davidrslayton.com 13
Agile Methodology: Sample Sprint List This is a sample sprint list that aligns to my process (Note that I work in weekly sprints). GHOST DRAGON SPRINT PLAN April 3 - Sprint 1: Write the Synopsis April 10 - Sprint 2: Write and Edit 10k April 17 - Sprint 3: Write and Edit 10k April 24 - Sprint 4: Write and Edit 10k May 1 - Sprint 5: Write and Edit 10k May 8 - Sprint 6: Write and Edit 10k May 15 - Sprint 7: Write and Edit 10k May 21 - Sprint 8: Voice Edit May 29 - Sprint 9: Dialogue Edit June 5 - Sprint 10: Pacing Edit June 12 - Sprint 11: Line Edit www.davidrslayton.com 14
Agile Methodology: Sample Sprint On Monday, set your goals for the week. For example, your first week of full writing might have one story. Such as Write 10,000 words. Mon Tues Wed Thurs Fri Sat Sun Review Review Review Review Review yesterday s yesterday s yesterday s yesterday s yesterday s writing writing writing writing writing Story 1: Write 10k Story 1: Write 10k Story 1: Write 10k Story 1: Write 10k Ad hoc task: adjust synopsis Story 1: Write 10k Story 1: Write 10k Story 1: Write 10k Close out: Compile and review the week s writing Ship to critique group From there, check in each morning, review the previous day s writing, then execute against the story. Keep the story agile (don t try to write all 10k on Monday for example, just work toward having it all done by the end of the week. www.davidrslayton.com 15
Agile Methodology: Sample Sprint As you review your writing, make edits, but don t try to make large changes, like introducing a new subplot, unless you have the time. If your sprint goal is to get to 10,000 words, that s your goal. Put the item on your backlog. You don t want to lose momentum by trying to change everything on the fly. Be confident in your plan and trust your work. www.davidrslayton.com 16
Agile Methodology: Momentum "The act of setting a goal and achieving it is a way to empower yourself. Each day, you grow. One day you look back and realize what you've managed to achieve thanks to those goals and achievements" - Danica Winters www.davidrslayton.com 17
Agile Methodology: Momentum Build momentum in your writing by working every day to your capacity. Strive for a balance between the different parts of your life and devote your time accordingly. Nothing will derail your writing like burnout. Find a realistic balance that works for you. www.davidrslayton.com 18
Agile Methodology: Backlog Your backlog is a list of your outstanding tasks/changes that won t fit into the current sprint. As feedback comes in, track the changes you agree to in a spreadsheet, with post-its, etc.* Date Item Status 03/03/2017 Check that Vali s eyes are the same color in all mentions. Done 04/01/2017 Take the wings off the dragon so it s less western. Open 04/03/2017 Up the romance between Vali and Xin. Give them at least three more flirty scenes. Open *There are a lot of great, free to use back log tracking tools online like See Now Do. I use post-its on a board or break my edit letters into punch lists like the above. www.davidrslayton.com 19
Agile Methodology: Backlog Another reason to not make changes right away is that different beta readers may offer conflicting opinions. I reconcile my lists (agent trumps beta, editor trumps agent) and clear it all with my gut and check my defensiveness before I incorporate changes, so having my edits in later sprints gives me time to compile the feedback. Tip: When you have some control over your deadlines, add a few weeks of padding in case something comes up. www.davidrslayton.com 20
Agile Methodology: Backlog When you are ready to incorporate changes, look for places in your schedule when you have capacity to make them. If there isn t room in a sprint, tack on sprints specific to making those changes: www.davidrslayton.com 21
Agile Methodology: Scope Creep Remember that Agile is meant to be flexible. Bend the schedule when you need to. However, beware of scope creep, where your project keeps growing and you blow your deadlines. If your back log gets too big (larger than twenty items), ask yourself: Do all of these items belong in this book? Do I agree with this change? Did I short change the planning process for this book and should add a few planning sprints to better nail down characters, setting, etc. www.davidrslayton.com 22
Handling Big Changes That said, sometimes it just isn t working. You might find that your plot is broken or you re starting your story in the wrong place. Don t hesitate to adjust your sprint plan to correct your course. Take the time to re-plot and lay out a new plan. Don t let the plan become the goal. www.davidrslayton.com 23
Practical Application Think about your capacity in a realistic manner: How much can you write in a week? Is it realistic to write and edit 10 in a single sprint? Are you a Plotter, Panster, or Tweener? Based on that answer, how would you draw your sprint plan? For example, should you plan to start sprinting when your outline is complete? www.davidrslayton.com 24
Practical Application: Process You may think how you write is the way others have told you it must be, but that doesn t make it true. Also important: when your process isn t working, you need to evolve it. Your process isn t one thing forever just as you aren t one person forever. Challenge it. Change it. See the river and go with it. Chuck Wendig www.davidrslayton.com 25
Some Tips for Daily Writing Plan before you write Ask yourself, and answer: What do I want to accomplish in the time I have today? Approach your writing with focus and avoid distractions (news, email, social media, etc.). End your writing session on a cliffhanger or high note so you re engaged when you return to it. www.davidrslayton.com 26
Q&A www.davidrslayton.com 27
References and Suggested Reading 2K to 10K: Writing Faster, Writing Better, and Writing More of What You Love by Rachel Aaron Fourteen Observations of Good Scrum Practice by Carlton E. Nettleton www.davidrslayton.com 28
The End Thank you! www.davidrslayton.com https://www.facebook.com/david.r.slayton @drslayton www.davidrslayton.com 29