Finding Time to Write
Finding time to write can sometimes seem impossible. If you have a packed schedule due to school, your day job, or multiple day jobs, you may think it’s impossible to start your novel, let alone finish it. Here are some ways to carve out time in your day to write.
It’s not always easy finding time to write with a busy schedule. Fear not! It is possible.
In just six months, you could have a complete, polished draft of your novel—and a plan to submit and launch it. Ready to take your writing to the next level?
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I’m going to level with you; I’m working three jobs right now, and finding time to write—or do pretty much anything for myself—is difficult. Working seven days a week straight leaves me physically exhausted and sometimes creatively drained. If you’re here, you likely feel the same. But if you’ve got a novel in your heart that desperately wants to be released, you need to find—or make—that time. Here are some tips for you to try.
#1 – Sometimes Finding Time to Write is Making Time to Write
If you have a set daily routine, it may be hard to modify it. But if you take 15 minutes to a half hour per day to write, your novel will get done. Slowly but surely, it will get done. To gain those “extra” minutes, maybe wake up earlier and take time to write before you start your day. Or, if you’re a night owl like me, push your bedtime back by a half hour and write before you go to sleep.
However, if your sleep schedule is rigid, first of all, teach me your ways. Second of all, there are a few other things you can try. If you get a lunch break, no matter how long it is, try and get some words down on a notepad or your phone. If you draft your novel on a mobile-friendly app like Google Docs or OneNote, you can work on your novel directly. If not, you can incorporate your lunchtime musings into your draft later.
You don’t need to crank out thousands of words a day, or even a chapter a day. Any amount of words you write in the little time you have is great.
#2 – Writing Doesn’t Always Look Like Writing
I read somewhere that the process of “writing” isn’t always what people think it is; that is to say, it doesn’t always look like drafting. And that’s absolutely true! Because depending on your writing style, you might not have everything planned out by the time you’re ready to start drafting. Some people—called Pantsers—are totally fine drafting right away, knowing they’ll figure it out as they go. But if you’ve got any ounce of Plotter blood in you, this suggestion might be for you.
Right now, you might not have your plot twists plotted. Maybe not every character has a name. Maybe you’ve realized some plot holes you need to fill. Maybe your worldbuilding needs to go to the gym and bulk up.
Whatever it is, you don’t have to be drafting to be considered “writing.” Drafting is like adding wallpaper and furniture to your house; before that, you need a solid foundation, which needs this kind of construction. If you’ve got some time to breathe and need to find some names, take a few minutes and search name generators or name websites. Do some research on how to write good character descriptions or kissing scenes or fight scenes. Little bits of story construction will allow your drafting process to go smoother, when you get up to it.
The best part about construction is that it doesn’t require too much time, and you can think about it when you’re not actively sitting in front of a screen or in a notebook. Which brings me to my next point…
#3 – Don’t Think About It Too Much
Sometimes, your brain will work through your novel puzzles while you’re busy doing other things. You could be sitting at your desk entering data into spreadsheets, and suddenly figure out how to fix that one snag in your plot that you couldn’t quite put your finger on.
Think of your brain as a computer, and your writing process is like an application. Applications run in the background all the time. On my computer, I can be working in Word while something downloads on Chrome or plays in iTunes.
There’s a reason people have breakthroughs in the shower; when you’re going through rote motions like shampooing or scrubbing, your mind is free to wander and think about other things. Sometimes the best thing you can do if you’re having trouble finding time to write is letting your brain work things through while you focus elsewhere.
#4 – Reading is Writing
Many authors have said that reading is part of their jobs. In order to write well, you need to read widely in your genre and know the conventions present in published books. To develop your own style and your own voice, you need to read those who came before you. To put it simply, it’s more research on the market you want to break into.
If you’ve got a commute, bring a book or eReader along and read for however long you have. Take them out of the library or buy them, but bring one along with you. It’s a great way to keep up on trends in the industry, and to find out which tropes are overdone or underdone. Read a book you’ve heard great things about. Read a book you haven’t heard great things about. Think about how you would do it differently, and try to put those thoughts toward your own story. Put your own spin on what’s out there, and keep spinning until it’s wholly your own.
#5 – It’s Okay Not to Write
I’ve been giving you suggestions on how to maximize the time you have during our limited daily allocation of 24 hours. But honestly? Don’t burn out.
There’s 24 hours in a day. You’re awake for most of them, and busy for most of those. But some of the remaining hours should be spent, oh, I don’t know, sleeping. A burnt-out brain isn’t an effective brain. If you’re exhausted half the time and still feel like you need to write, maybe it’s best to take a break. There’s no shame in looking after yourself. If you need a break, take a break. Your novel will still be there when you come back, like a puppy waiting to greet you when you come home from a well-deserved vacation.
Above all, take care of yourself. And if finding time to write proves difficult, don’t stress yourself out too much. It’ll all be okay in the end.
If you’re serious about taking your writing to the next level and want to get there fast, you need Story Mastermind. In just six months, you could have a complete, polished draft in hand, along with a plan to submit it and position it in the market.