Making (More) Time for Writing

Do you struggle with finding time to write? Here's how some of the MiG Writers make time for writing:

Christina Farley: Time is worth more than gold for me so I squeeze the juice out of every moment. Lately I've been doing 1K hours. This is where I write for one hour as fast as I can, pushing myself not to get distracted by grammar or the internet! My goal is to write a thousand words in one hour. This month I wake up and write a thousand words before I head off for school and then another thousand words at night. I'm loving the results I'm seeing, not only in my word count but also in how much stronger my story is.

Kate Fall: How do I make time for writing? Wait, do I? :) It's never enough. Lately, I set an appointment with myself, like tonight at 8 pm. As my freelancing schedule gets busier, it's very hard to push aside things I'm getting paid to do for fiction writing. I use it as a reward. "If I finish XYZ for this customer, I get to work on my own writing."

Andrea Mack: If I allow myself to check e-mail or look at blogs, then I get very little accomplished. I have to start with the attitude that the time I've set aside is only for my writing project (brainstorming, writing notes on my book and making revisions based on critiques count too). Of course, it helps that I do my writing when the kids aren't home or are asleep.

Making the Most What (Little) Time You've Got

My mind is on time management today, thanks to Debbie’s awesome post about how she manages to juggle her many projects. I have lots to juggle too, but it’s mostly my busy life -- two kids and their many activities, a part-time job, a dog , a husband and cable T.V. Possibly that’s why my writing progress often seems so slow [see my blog post here].

For me, writing gets about two hours a day, between getting ready for work and driving my kids places. Sometimes I get some “bonus time” on weekends or when everyone is watching a show I don’t like (but by the evening, I’m pretty tired so slumping down in front of the T.V. often wins out). I feel lucky to have my two hours, because I know that if I worked full-time, that would disappear. Even so, two hours can speed by pretty fast. Here’s how I make the most of it:

1. I actually use the two hours for writing. I do blog and read writing-related blogs, but I do it at another time (usually in the morning before the kids are up – I’m up at 6 a.m.; 5 a.m. if my husband is rowing). Same with critiques. I try to fit them in at other times, or maybe once a week. I try not to answer the phone. Otherwise, my whole writing time would disappear.

2. I try to write every day. This helps me stay connected to my story. Otherwise, I’d spend most of my writing time getting back into it.

3. I work on only one of my own writing projects at a time. I’d love to be developing some of the great ideas I have for my next novel, but I find that I’m mentally spread too thin if I think about more than one project at a time. I’d never finish anything. I also do a few educational writing projects, and sometimes I have to put my own writing aside to work on them.

4. I write everything down. I use a notebook to record thoughts about my writing. If I didn’t, they’d disappear. I’m also a list maker. I keep a list of what I need to do for my job, a list of what I need to do at home, a list of ideas for blog posts….Can’t you just picture my desk?

5. I read in every spare moment. There aren’t many of those, but if I’m eating lunch at home by myself, I read. If I have to wait for the kids to finish an activity, I bring a book. Before I go to sleep, more reading.

-- Andrea