It doesn’t matter if we’re always at home now or not, it’s always hard to find time to write. There are too many distractions: paying work, family, home improvement projects, laundry, dishes, dinner, Netflix, YouTube, Pinterest, Instagram, piles of books. So many lovely excuses keeping you from the page. Heck, that blank page is often enough to prompt bouts of irrational cleaning. Anything instead of doing the work.
It’s not always about finding the time. It’s about creating the right mindset so you want to write and then carving out time to do just that.
We all have the same hours. It’s what everyone says, right? But we don’t all have the same obligations. Some of us may have second jobs or go to school while working full-time. Others may have evenings available, while some may use that time caring for their families. It’s not fair to imply that time not spent writing is the result of laziness. That doesn’t have to be reason you are not writing, even though it often is. You must decide if it’s obligations or laziness or procrastination that is holding you back.
In this time of COVID-19, it seems like time has either contracted or expanded. If it’s the latter, try to harness some of those bonus minutes to write. If your writing time has disappeared, try to steal a tiny bit of time each day to keep up your practice. Even five minutes a day will help keep your skills alive and get you closer to finishing your story.
Only you can determine how much time you legitimately have to dedicate to writing. Only you can create a reasonable schedule for your craft.
Here are my top 12 tricks to find time and actually write:
1. Identify your best times of day (or night) to write.
For me, that’s in the evening or late at night. I’d much rather write from 10pm to 2am than from 6am to 10am. I am not a morning person. At all. My mind doesn’t kick in until at least 10am. Before that, I do administrative tasks, read emails, tick things off my to do list that have nothing to do with creativity. I save those tasks for mid-morning on. Knowing what times are best for you will help you grab the right time to write. Most likely you won’t need as much time to accomplish your goals. The right time will be far more productive than trying to force yourself into getting up at 5am to write, if you are anything like me. I’d rather stay up an extra hour than get up early. That’s me. What would work for you?
2. Identify your available times.
Is there any overlap between your best times to write and the hours you have available? If so, problem solved. If not, try to be creative. Is there any way you could take a ten minute break during your best time to write? Could you adjust some other obligation to take advantage of your best writing time? Or is there another time frame that would be nearly as good? For me that would be early afternoon. It’s not nearly as good as evening or late at night, but it is still good. Your writing time doesn’t have to be perfect to be productive.
3. Assess your energy level and commitment.
You’ll need both to make this happen. If you pick a time to write when you are exhausted, it will show in your work. It will be lackluster and tired. Likewise, if you are not committed to spending your time writing, it won’t happen, especially if you try to write when you have no energy or enthusiasm for it. Make sure this is something you want to happen before you adjust your schedule to accommodate it.
4. Identify obstacles.
We all have them. Things that get in the way of our writing. Family. Work. School. Netflix. Your bed. Video games. Books. Movies. Friends. What is getting in your way? How do you spend your free time? Could you cut back on something to free up time to write?
5. Figure out what works for you.
Analyze those times when you were successful finding time to write. Think about those times when your writing seemed like it came easier. What conditions were present? What worked? Can you recreate that experience? Sometimes certain routines help or a specific place that you reserve for writing only. Play around with the conditions around your writing to see if you can help trigger your writing zone.
6. Prepare.
It’s easier to write when you know what you are trying to say. You don’t need to know the entire plot or outline, though it does help. You could simply figure out the key plot points to guide your work. Knowing the point of your work helps too. The through line that pulls the character from the beginning to the end of the story. Work on the purpose, the change, the character arc. Knowing the theme or ending helps too. Preparation will help guide your work and prevent you from feeling lost.
7. Get the facts.
When in doubt, do some research so you have facts and ideas percolating while you write. It is impossible to write without ideas. Feed them. Read. Research. Learn. Observe. Explore. Get out in the world. Imagine how your characters would move about the world. Draw maps of their towns, homes, schools and work. Pick out their wardrobe. Draft character profiles. All of these exercises will guide your writing and fill in important details for the reader.
8. Make a plan and commit to it.
Writing doesn’t happen by chance. It takes effort and dedication. Make a plan for your writing and stick to it, even if it means missing out on Zoom margaritas with the girls or having to wait before you watch the next episode in your marathon. Treat writing like a commitment.
9. Make it work.
Stop talking about writing. Stop making excuses. Stop promising yourself you will write tomorrow, because tomorrow never arrives. If writing is important to you, then you have to spend time doing it. Otherwise it’s a fantasy. Not real. Remember that writing is a verb. It requires action. If you want it, make it happen.
10. Look ahead.
Imagine your future. Are you still writing? Are you putting in the work? Is that the life you want to lead? Don’t think about being published or a famous author with loads of fans and book signing tours. That has little to do with the work of writing. It’s a by-product of the work. Sometimes. Think about spending years scribbling down stories, shaping them into something readable, then editing them and polishing them before sending them out in the world. Then reworking them again and again until they shine. Then waiting two years to see it published. Does that sound appealing to you? Because that is the job. It is solitary and ranges from wonderful to terrible depending on the day. Is that what you want for your life? If so, make it happen. If not, save yourself the stress and pick up a great book instead.
11. Begin.
If this is your dream and passion, then begin. Stop reading. Stop procrastinating. Stop making excuses and write. Stop moaning about not having time. Make the time and begin.
12. Then, don’t stop.
Don’t stop writing until the story is finished. Even if you write it in five minute increments. Finish it. Then start another.
What are your tips for finding time to write?