Writers often complain about their inability to find the time to write. But is that really the question? If so, there are ways to tackle this and find the time to write effectively.
What’s The Problem?
The simple truth is that unless you are writing you are not a writer. That may sound harsh, but it’s true. Keep in mind though, that once you sit and begin to write—longhand or keyboard—you may find yourself motivated by what you’re writing, as your work reveals itself. So, as writers realize they’ve not writing, yet concerned about finding time to write, they should ask, what is blocking them?
There may be reasonable issues blocking them, such as problems at work, or a particularly busy family time. Most of us, after all, work full time jobs that may take more than 40 hours a week. We also have children who may take our time with childcare, athletics, and homework. But writers can often find ways around those challenges. Understanding your blockage is the first step in attacking it.
One Approach
The WritePractice addresses finding the time to write with three primary tips. They are to prioritize the time to write, create writing goals, and finding accountability partners. We all talk about prioritizing time to write, so while this is accurate, it may not mean much. Creating writing goals helps, since knowing why you’re writing is a motivator in itself. But finding accountability partners—that’s one worth considering. When I have an accountability partner, I would be too embarrassed to show up to a meeting without completing my assigned tasks beforehand. Having an accountability partner may force you to find time to write; for that reason alone, it’s worth considering.
Digging Deeper
As artists, we speak often of finding “inspiration” when we write. And we’re right: when we’re inspired, the words come out of us like magic. But writing is still a task: something we have to work at, and therefore, something we have to get done regardless of how “inspired” we are. It may be cool to dream of being “that writer.” That’s the one wearing the sweater with the suede patches on the elbows and smoking a pipe, but unless they find time to write, they won’t be wearing nice clothes for long.
Kindlepreneur’s list to help writers find time to write is comprehensive and very helpful. Some of their suggestions are spot on, such as trading down time during lunches for time to write. They also suggest finding other ways to string words together, such as using Speechnotes or Dragon to write while in the car or commuting. That’s how I developed the basic story outline for the third Stephanie Hart novel.
One of their suggestions, however, seems off. They suggest stopping writing in the middle of a scene. In theory, this motivates writers to want return to the writing. This approach may also prevent writer’s block when they return to write. This might work, but the last thing I want to do is stop in the middle of a scene, because I might forget something I wanted to include. This is less about time to write and more about my ability—and perhaps, yours—to remember.
Sacred Space
Kindlepreneur also suggests making the writing space itself sacred, a space used for nothing else. I’ve talked about this on other occasions, and I suggest the same thing to my students about study space. I’ve found that developing this kind of habit makes all the difference. And while a drudge at first, finding time to write in the same place at the same time pays dividends. Kindlepreneur also suggests that beyond finding the time to write, make sure that the specific writing task is really writing. Sure, genuine research counts, but not as they said: “watching cat videos.”
So, finding the time to write is only part of the equation if you want to be an effective and productive writer. You may need to think about your attitude (“I need to be ‘inspired’”), develop new habits, or simply make writing a priority. But once you find your groove, you’ll make the best of any time you can write.
