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Finding time to write
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Su - I think everyone's different. I use drive time, workout time, shower time, even folding laundry and doing dishes time, to plot in my head, so that when I finally have a few minutes to sit down and write, I've got the issues worked out in my head.I used to set my alarm for 5:00 and get up early to write. At least until I figured out I wasn't very productive that early in the morning. Now, I do my best writing in the evening after everything else is done. I haven't watched TV in over a year, although now my daughter and I are watching Friday Night Lights, but that's earlier in the evening, and then I go write. Good luck!
I like what TH said. Plot while you're doing the more "mindless" chores. If you have a smart phone you can get a note app (I use Google Keep) to make notes - it has a pretty good voice recorder. It does a good enough job transcribing that I can get the gist of what I want to remember. I am fortunate enough to be starting a "full time" writing period, where I hope to make enough to contribute to the household. Day One is tomorrow! I know from experience my biggest challenge is staying on task, and to that end I am developing a schedule - not ironclad, but hopefully enough to keep me from going down the social media rabbit hole. I know to start I will have to schedule everything, from chores to meals to exercise and breaks, too, on top of writing time, in order to build good habits. I am even scheduling times the Internet gets turned off, to minimize interruptions.
For me, it comes down to being as efficient as I can in things other then writing, so I can maximize (and enjoy) my writing times.
Most of us now find it hard to make a sufficient income from writing (self-published or otherwise) so we just have to fit it in with whatever earns the money. Where to find time? Getting up earlier, staying up later, sacrificing part of the weekend or - my preference - watching a whole lot less television.Good luck, though.
First of all, it is not impossible to find time to write or to schedule writing. I'm a mom of an eight year old autistic/nonverbal child, between taking care of him solely on my own (no babysitters can't afford it), getting him up before dawn to get him to school (he goes to school eleven months out of the year, yes that includes half of the summer, taking him to speech and occupational therapy weekly throughout the year, dealing with parent teacher conferences, IEP meetings, and anything else he needs or has to be involved in whether educational, extracurricular activities which have an educational purpose, doing laundry, housework, running errands, his doctor appointments, all while trying to squeeze in a doctor's appointments for myself which takes three years before I can actually see a doctor because his schedule conflicts with mine so I have to forfeit and reschedule too many times and between all that chaos, with a business of my own to run I find time to write even if it's two minutes, which is not easy when your kid is hyperactive and interrupts you literally in mid word or sentence, literally ever two seconds.
It takes me years to finish a book but, I get it done even if it takes five years.
My first book took me twenty years to write I started when I was thirteen. My second book, my novel has taken me over three years and I'm just now close to getting finished while working here and there on three other novels. So it is possible. Don't get discouraged.
I'm a cardiologist who won't quit his day job because I'm better at that than I am at being a novelist. If you have full time job and are also a homemaker and dog walker, you are crunched for time even without trying to write.
Hire a neighborhood kid to walk your dogs for cheap and lock yourself in a room on weekends. You can budget time for writing but can't plan when creativity will strike so carry a notebook at all times. Unless you like writing on napkins.
I don't know - I feel most of our lives is waiting, traveling, doing all kinds of mundane stuff... Even if you cannot sit down to write, you can dictate it into a voice recorder.I'm busier now as a stay-at-home dad than I was when I still worked as a security officer, with long empty night shifts where I could write for hours. I wish I'd known then what I know now about productivity.
You don't need hours in a day to write, just set aside 20-30 minutes a day and try to isolate yourself from outside influences.
I think isolating yourself is a key point, because the battle for me is to avoid distraction. I wrote my first book while living in an extremely hot place in rural Africa; work finished at 2.30pm and you didn't visit the neighbours in the afternoon because they were asleep. You didn't drink because no-one drinks before sundown when it's 120 degrees, unless they have a death wish. You didn't call friends because the nearest phone was 60km away and belonged to the army. You didn't watch TV because the nearest one of those was miles away, too. You did read (a lot), but we had a finite supply of books. So I got out my cheap East German portable typewriter and wrote a book.
Today I live in New York and there are just too many displacement activities, too many excuses not to get down to it. The internet is the worst. I'm told Will Self pulls the plug on the wireless router before trying to write. Probably a good idea.
I've written an article on Distraction Free Writing and the several devices people use:https://amsterdamassassin.wordpress.c...
Su wrote: "This may be a foolish question, but I'm going to ask it anyway. How do all of you writers out there find time to write when/if you have full-time jobs? My job is not even all that taxing (I work at..."It's not easy. I think what's important is to keep trying, and don't beat yourself up on those days when you can't write. I went through several periods of time when I simply couldn't write, due to family medical issue and other crises. I used to get advice from other authors that said "write every day, no matter what" and that just made me feel guilty and more frustrated.
Keep trying, but take breaks when you need to.
I like to write first in a notebook and then transfer it to my laptop at a later date, and, surprisingly, I find I have the itch to write more when I'm a work. Sometimes I can take advantage of it, but most the time I end up talking to myself (luckily I have a lot of alone time at my job or I'd be carted off to the loony bin) about what I want to write and then jot it down at home. And a lot of the times when I write at home I just write when I have the undeniable urge to. For me, if I try to force myself to work on my writing when I'm not in the mood I don't get very far. This process works for me, and I don't sweat it if I go two or three days and don't put a single word on paper.
It's one of those questions successful writers are often asked - and it turns out they haven't forgotten the early days. Many a woman writer can tell of running a house, having young children wrapped around her legs, the shopping to do, plus cleaning and ... I don't have to spell it out. Practically everyone just makes time. You may need Graham Greene's chip of steel inside, you'll certainly have to be determined - but only by being ruthless and determined can you become a writer. No one said it was easy.
Some of the best advice I received when I started writing books in 2003 was to write even if the writing seems or feels bad, don't let the blanck page stay that way. So if you only have a few minutes, write what you can. You can always go back and revise what you wrote on the fly. Often writing something clunky allows my thoughts to simmer while I'm driving, taking a shower or managing my kid. Then I'm able revise, edit and smoothe the next time I write.
Thank God I already have my two shorts. If I wait for it to be a complete work it would never be finished at this rate. So far I've to sacrifice my annual leave for my writings. So no holidays for me :(
I'm a single parent with a stressful 40+ hour a week job. I prioritize and realize that some things just need to be sacrificed so I can write (like sleep). I get up at 3am and try to get in 1k words a day. No TV, limited social life, and a laundry pile that's becoming its own continent (the lack of clean laundry helps limit my social life immensely)! :-D My goal is minimally one novella and one novel a year. Once my kid grows up and moves out, I plan to cut back on work hours and live in a box under a bridge (er, a bridge with free electricity to power my laptop).
Lia ☠ wrote: "I'm a single parent with a stressful 40+ hour a week job. I prioritize and realize that some things just need to be sacrificed so I can write (like sleep). I get up at 3am and try to get in 1k word..."Oy! Three am! THAT is decidedly sacrifice for your passion! I am impressed! Best of luck to you, and may your words flow easily!
My house is a bit of a zoo. I have an 87 year old mother-in-law that needs constant care, two 21 year old daughters in college who still live at home, and a wife who is, well, sometimes a bit high-maintenance. So I don't write as often as I would like. BUT - when I open up that hole in the keyboard and the world of ancient Rome materializes all around me, I have a hard time tearing myself away - and when I do, I get back as quick as I can. I'll write a chapter in a single day sometimes, then go 10 days without writing a word. But I always come back to it. It takes me 9 months on average to complete a 150,000 word novel, although my current WIP is 10 months and counting - but it's nearly done.
I was fortunate enough to be already retired when writing my novel. Even so, it still took me 14 months to produce what I felt was a completed, polished manuscript and an additional 2 months learning from and working with those assigned to help convert the manuscript into a commercially viable book. Which is just one among several reasons why my first book will also probably be my last.
Iris wrote: "Please don't quit, Jim. Look how much you learned from the first book; all that makes, the next book a little easier. Besides, writing is a journey, not a solitary destination. We all want to quit..."Iris,
I appreciate your encouragement; however, in my particular case, discouragement or weariness were not factors in influencing my decision. I am seldom discouraged or weary.
Writing a novel was just one of several items included in a bucket list that my late wife insisted I create upon retiring in 2001. It was a thoroughly enjoyable learning experience. However, there are just too many other enjoyable things I wish to do and opportunities to learn.
Hi Su - I've been learning as I go along that a writer doesn't "find" time to write - she has to "make" time to write. The time spent writing has to be more important than a sink full of dishes or a kitchen floor that needs a mop. Pulling clothes out of the basket rather than spending time folding underwear - this is how I make time - writing has become more important to me than a clean kitchen - I have a 9 to 5 job every day, and 7 grandchildren to visit on the weekend - but when I'm not writing, I'm not happy, so I make concessions, and churn out the words, or force myself to do some editing. I'm not saying it's easy, but it certainly is worth it!
One nice :-\ thing about housework is that it is always there, whether or not you do it. My mother's philosophy has always been that although a clean house is nice, it doesn't really matter one whit, as long as the true dirt and filth breeders - the kitchen and bathroom - are kept clean. We can live with dust and clutter. Who will remember lovingly how we cleaned house? We will be better remembered that we forsook the cleaning to make mudpies in the yard with the toddlers, or got the kids out of bed at 2 am to watch the aurora borealis.
T.H.'s comment about TV is very important. I'm a goner if I sit down in front of it. And for what? 500+ channels of faux-reality reality shows, where everything is contrived? (Do you really think that the bear is going to eat the half-naked "survivors" but leave the camera crew intact?) Get away from the TV for a week, and you'll discover whole new blocks of time.I'm not saying that this is true of everyone,by any stretch, but TV gobbles up huge amounts of time for so many of us. It is seductive and additive. My opinion is the same for computer gaming and much social media.
I make a writing schedule and stick to it. I do not answer the phone. My family knows to leave me to myself during work hours.The added tension is the marketing. It takes me three hours a week. I break it up in four days so I can still stay on schedule.
Susan Monday, susanmonday.com
Susan, I’m impressed with your discipline! Sadly, I can’t get my family to respect my work enough to allow me to follow a schedule. Sometimes I have to resort to going to another city and holing up in a hotel—though that is hard because I’m away from my research materials. And it’s expensive, too; but I try to see it as an investment in myself.
Russell wrote: "Most of us now find it hard to make a sufficient income from writing (self-published or otherwise) so we just have to fit it in with whatever earns the money. Where to find time? Getting up earli..."I think Russell nailed it.
Finding time to write is not easy for most people. I have had less time in the past year for writing than I would like, but I do it whenever there is an opportunity. I may only get one opportunity a month, but I take what I can get. Don't get discouraged. If you only write a few sentences a week, you will finish it sometime in your lifetime. :)Time is a priceless commodity. Learn and practice time management.
I'll piggy-back on TH's comments - TV and social media are a black hole of time that I could be using being creative. After working all day, coming home to chores and family life, I find myself being drawn to doing nothing - watching TV. For me, I can't start watching TV or the next thing I know it's past bedtime and I haven't written a line.
I find I am spending so much time trying to promote my book on social media etc I haven't any time left to write. So am planning on restricting time on the internet. Easier said than done though
Su wrote: "This may be a foolish question, but I'm going to ask it anyway. How do all of you writers out there find time to write when/if you have full-time jobs? My job is not even all that taxing (I work at..."You just have to find something that works for you! I see you definitely have a full schedule. How about between chores, you literally pull out a timer, set it for 5 to 10 minutes, and use that time to simply write however much you can. Even if you can only manage to type a paragraph or a sentence--something is better than nothing. When the timer goes off, set it aside and get back to the chores. Try to squeeze this in as many times as you can and I think you'll be surprised at the results. You'll start to see progress, even if it is slow. :)
And ideally, if at any point, whether it's in the morning or before bed, if you can pull out the timer and set it for a half hour, do so and get that precious time of uninterrupted writing.
Su wrote: "This may be a foolish question, but I'm going to ask it anyway. How do all of you writers out there find time to write when/if you have full-time jobs? My job is not even all that taxing (I work at..."It is not a foolish question at all and a very basic one: unless you want to live in poverty or just get by while writing, you will continue your job and droop the idea till you can afford it. Some writers doing the former made it, most didn't. Wait till you have made enough money to sustain yourself and your family, meanwhile collect material for your stories, do craft, and read. That's what I did. johnschwartzauthor.com
On the bright side, it’s never too late to start writing! I never had enough energy to sustain novel-scale writing when I was working full-time. I started six or seven novels but never finished them. In my late fifties I was finally in a position to work part-time, and now I have completed and published one novel and am well into the second.
There's a lot of good advice on this thread and I think that the only way for a new writer to go is to give up something else, e.g. television or some hobbies - but definitely not your job. I did what John says, I collected ideas, and then, as Abigail says, I waited until I could work part time and now I'm on my third novel. I take ages to complete one, but I get there.One of the biggest time-takers is the marketing of what you have written.
Su wrote: "This may be a foolish question, but I'm going to ask it anyway. How do all of you writers out there find time to write when/if you have full-time jobs? My job is not even all that taxing (I work at..."I'm writing a response to your wonderfully provocative post while cleaning my driveway, using a power leaf blower to blow the gravel and leaves clear. Oh — and it's raining outside. I don't usually write like this, but your question made me want to try this little experiment. You wanted to know about finding time to write. This is how I do it.
I'm talking to a digital audio recorder with a special microphone shield that prevents noises from being recorded. When I'm finished I'll go inside and connect my recorder to the computer and let it download this text. Then I will edit it, also using voice commands, with very little reliance on the keyboard. (Understand, this final post is much cleaner than when I originally dictated it, but I used voice commands to get this way.)
Inspired by your question, I fired up the voice-to-text software on the computer and dictated a few of your main points and some of the insightful comments I found from other readers. I kept it to a single sheet of paper, a script I printed, one that I'm following as I answer your question.
I had the same frustration as you and other writers holding down a full-time job, interacting with the family and other humanoids, and getting frustrated that there never seems to be enough time to write.
I've come to realize that finding time to write and encountering distractions might not be the problem. My problem used to be that, at the moments when I did have time, I sometimes didn't have the inclination or perhaps I just didn't know what to write. That's why I wrote myself a script for this little experiment.
I developed this habit when I had a nearly 200-mile-a-day commute to my job as a magazine editor. Every day I was burning from two and a half to three hours of my life, time that I would never get back.
I began putting my digital audio recorder to good use, writing feature and new stories for the magazine and answering emails, writing memos.
I was good at writing news stories, because I have a journalism background — we learn to do that on the fly.
Feature stories were another issue.
I realized that what I had to do was create myself a template based on an interview and research, then take it with me on the commute. What I would do at the office is hand-write (later voice-right) notes just before leaving the office or home. I'd scribble some thoughts for headline possibilities, factoids to use in the lead of the story, sequence of the story, a simple 1-2-3 roadmap, the money quote, the awe-inspiring ending. Like that. On the commute, I dictated by following the script – oftentimes departing from it, too.
Eventually I began using similar prompts, templates, checklists, and scripts to write my novels and nonfiction books.
Which brings me to the project I'm working on right now, a workflow system for novelists, a guide to using voice to text software to take you from the first line to the ending — talking by following prompts, scripts, templates, checklists, diagrams, and the like.
I hope this suggestion helps you get the most out of your available writing time.
Let me give you a simple technique that you can use, with or without voice to text software. Just think of it as a simple script for the novelist, a 1-2-3 script or task list. Before you even begin musing about a topic, allowing your mind to wander like an ADHD patient browsing the Internet, use this 1-2-3 device to tell yourself what writing tasks you have set yourself to think about. Then keep your smart phone with a recording app, or a digital audio recorder close by so you can capture the brilliance as it occurs to you.
Here's an example script telling you how to think about writing when the time occurs:
1. You are going to introduce a new character who comes bristling into the novel
2. You're going to write her as a person who absolutely dazzles, but beneath the glitz is a dark and dangerous spirit
3. You're going to write a scene or Incident, as I call it, in a way that your main character is seduced by the new character's personality and appearance.
Take that simple three-point list out with you and a digital recorder so you can capture the ideas that occur to you as your focus remains on a three-task script. Prepare to be amazed.
Su wrote: "This may be a foolish question, but I'm going to ask it anyway. How do all of you writers out there find time to write when/if you have full-time jobs? My job is not even all that taxing (I work at..."I don't have a husband or kids, and my furbabies are cats (don't have to walk a dog!), so my off time is mine. I'm a nurse and work shift work which helps. I set a deadline for each book. I write after or before work (depending on what shift I'm doing) and all day on my days off. I don't watch much TV when I'm writing, lucky to watch about 2 hrs a week, and I rarely watch movies in this time. I check emails about 3 times a week. I don't have a mobile, don't Twitter or Facebook. I see my two best friends about once every four to six weeks for a get-together. Once I finish a book, then I take 2 weeks off to catch up with friends and watch TV and movies, then I start the next book. I treat my writing as a business (yep, love it, but working towards the goal of writing for a living), it's my second job. Like a lot of writers, there are sacrifices, but it's worth it. I do understand that a lot of writers are also juggling families, and I admire them, I really do.
Awesome article. It would take some getting used to but I often scribble ideas when driving. What is the name of your recorder with the background dampening tech? thanks
I hear all the time: "If one really wants to write, he or she will make the time." Unfortunately, that is not true in my case. What am I doing wrong? My perfect life would involve me quitting my job, writing all day, every day, and then playing my drums out nearly every night with a couple of local rock bands. But, regrettably, I have $40,000+ of student loans to pay off first.