Making Time to Write

 

Many writers don't write full-time as their means of support. A good number write part-time, some to supplement income, some for the sheer pleasure, some to fulfill a desire to write. These writers are often battling time problems. "I want to write, but I can't find the time." 

As our photo poster for today tells us, 'It's not about having time. It's about making time.' How do you do that? It takes some discipline and dedication. How important is writing in your life? That's one of the first things to determine. 

If you truly do want to have time to write, you might have to give up some other things in your life. Maybe those coffee dates with friends might have to be reduced to once a month instread of twice a week. Or you might need to say no when a friend asks you go to a movie. Instead of an all-day shopping trip, you could cut it to a couple of hours. You'll have to decide how important your social life is in comparison to your writing life. I don't advise cutting all social ties. Those times are important, but reducing the number and time spent is doable.

What about those who are busy rasing children? Anyone who has done so knows how much time is involved. You don't want to shoo them away so you can write, nor do you want to scold them for disturbing your writing time. A lot depends on their ages. If little ones take naps, make that hour writing time. If they're in school all day, carve out a certain part of the day to write. 

Stay up an hour later than usual or rise an hour earlier. Either time is usually when your house is quiet, and you won't have interruptions. My choice would be the early morning before others in the family get up. You're probably fresher and your brain clicking better than after a long day and you're ready for sleep. 

If you're a dad who works full-time and also has kids to spend time with, you'll have to be pretty creative. Some moms work full-time, as well, so writing time might not happen every day. In fact, making time to write could be a real chore. If you commute on public transportation, bring a small notebook with you, and make use of that time to write. Waiting in a dr's office is down time, too. 

You can find small amounts of time through your day, whether you're at home or working. The time to write may not be in great amounts, but if you truly have the desire to write, you'll make time here and there. 

Retired people are fortunate as their time is not taken up by all the duties of younger people. Even if retirees lead a busy social life, they can still find blocks of time to write. Some retired people are happy to spend their days at home, so they have no problem blocking out a period of writing time. 

It doesn't matter what your situation is. It's up to you to make the time to write, if that is truly what you want to do. Stop and think how many minutes a day we waste on silly things. Wouldn't you rather be writing? 

Mental Manipulation for Writers

 

I'm often asked the question "How do you find time to write?" When we lead busy lives with household and family responsibilities and maintain a social life, finding that time to write is not always easy. 

There are ways, however, that we can write without applying fingers to keyboard or pencil to paper. Writers can use what I call Mental Manipulation. One meaning of manipulation is 'to utilize or manage skillfully.' When I am doing household tasks, I am often writing in my head. So you see, I am utilizing or managing my writing time in that mode.

Take ironing, for instance. It is a mindless task that we do by rote. I can hear many of you saying 'Iron! I haven't done that for years!' Consider this merely an illustration. I do iron some things, nowhere near as many as I did years ago. Still, my mind is free when I iron, and I put that freedom to good use. I start plotting a story or considering what I will write about on this blog. The smart thing to do when the ironing is finished is to jot down notes of the thoughts I had. Admittedly, I don't always take the time to make notes, and I often wish that I had. It's an important step.

There are many other places where you can use that Mental Manipulation to help in planning what you are going to write. A few are listed below

A. waiting in a doctor's office

'B. riding a commuter train or bus

C. loading or unloading the dishwasher

D. watching a tv show that bores you

E. folding laundry

F. raking leaves

G. intermission at a concert or play

H. waiting your turn at a beauty salon or barber shop

I  sitting in the passenger seat on a driving trip

J. sunbathing

There are more, of course. The point is to take advantage of those times to do a little Mental Manipulation, so that you can 'utilize or manage skillfully' your writing time.