I recently spoke at a motivational workshop and a common question was on finding more time to write. We're not all Stephen King or Marian Keyes and have the luxury of being able to write full time. Most of us hold full time or part time jobs and struggle to finish the novel we're working on.
Before we move on you might like to do this little self assessment:
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How
much time do I currently spend writing?
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How
much time would I like to spend writing?
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|
______
hours per week
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______
hours per week
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How
much time do I spend doing non-writing activities?
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What
are some of these non-writing activities?
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______
hours per week
|
If you want more time to write, you'll need to come up with some strategies, such as these:
“I will write at 8pm for one hour every
weeknight.”
Sticking to
a writing plan really helps. You form a habit and others see you forming a
habit. Plus, the more you write the better and faster you get at it. You might
place a limit of one hour or 1,000 words. Turn off social media.
“I won’t go shopping at lunch, I’ll write
500 words instead.”
If you
write 500 words for five days you will have 2,500 words. That’s half a short
story or quarter of a chapter EACH WEEK. Do that 52 weeks and you will have
written 130,000 words. That’s two 60,000 word novels, five 26,000 word
novellas, 26 short stories or poems. Be
careful not to edit as you go. Get it written down first, then begin the edits.
"I will get to work 30 minutes earlier or stay
later and write 500 words.”
Often,
because writing is done at home people think we’re physically there for them.
But if you are not in the house, interruptions may be reduced. Also, writing away
from home can sometimes provide the focus you need to form that ‘write every
day’ habit. 
“I’ll take a notebook with me everywhere I go
and if I find myself with spare time, I’ll write.”
Doctor
waiting rooms, bus trips, getting your hair done, travelling for work, flights
and hotels...these are all down time opportunities that can be put to good use
but of course, if you need the down time, take it. A key to resilience is
looking after the writing machine you'll become.
"I'll skip that TV show I don't really like and write instead."
I enjoy watching certain TV shows (Supernatural being my favourite at the moment), and can't stand others (mainly reality TV). So instead of complaining about there being nothing on TV, I get up and go into my study and write until a show I want to watch comes on.
So these tips are pretty manageable. But if you're still not convinced how important it is to write a goal and stick to it, then here's another way to look at finding time to write:
Think of someone who
is studying for a Bachelor of Arts. How do people react
when they say they can’t go to dinner because they have an assignment due?
Think of someone
who’s on a diet. How do people react
when they say no to birthday cake in the office?
The answer is that they usually help push the person studying to reach their goal, and try to pull the dieter away from theirs.
Good luck with your writing. And please let me know if you have any tips to share.
