When people hear that I’m publishing a book, one of the most common questions I get is “How do you find time to write??” It’s not really one of the questions I expected to hear so much once people in my real life found out I’ve written a book, but I realized that’s mostly because it’s a question I dealt with back when I first started writing seriously.
Whenever you decide to write a book, one of the most important things you learn is to write consistently (not necessarily every day!) This means that you have to learn how to find time to write. Of course, it really is like that classic saying—you don’t find the time; you make the time. And I certainly have had to be intentional about making time to write, especially since I started working full-time this year. So in today’s post, I’m sharing some tips that have helped me find time to brainstorm, write, edit, and publish a book this year!
Figure out when you work best
Lots of writers will tell you to wake up early to write. Which is great advice…for some people. Me? Not so much. More specifically, I’ve figured out that I can draft in the mornings (if I’ve gotten a full night’s sleep) but my editor brain just does not wake up until later in the day. So for most stages of writing a book, I do the bulk of my work in the evening, either while my husband is making dinner (yes, I married the perfect man) or after dinner. Try out different times of day (or even days of the week) and see what works for you.
Whenever you try a new writing schedule, give yourself time to adjust. You might actually totally be a morning writer, but if you’re used to sleeping until the last possible minute before you need to leave, it’ll take a little bit before your mind is used to waking up earlier and writing. Try out a new schedule for at least a week to see if it works.
Put writing first
Again, this doesn’t have to mean first thing in the morning. For you, it might mean first thing after getting home from work. First thing after dinner. It’s so easy to say you’ll write sometime this evening, only to get distracted by the thousand other things you have to do. So put writing first. If you’re serious about writing, you need to prioritize it above all the other things you want to do, and even some things that might feel urgent, but really aren’t. If it helps, add it into your calendar, just like you would for a meeting with another person, and stick to it.
Take advantage of short writing times
This was a big mindset shift for me when I started working full-time. Before this year, I had either a full day or a couple afternoons off during the week, plus a regular weekend. This let me spend hours to go through a routine, get into a creative headspace, and write (which I know was such a privilege!). Now, I have so few days to sit down and write for hours. Instead, most days I have twenty minutes here or fifteen minutes there.
Even though I might prefer the long stretches of time, life doesn’t always work that way. I learned to sit down and write, even if it’s just for ten minutes, because that’s still ten more minutes of work than I had done before! To help me get in the writing mood quickly, I create playlists for the specific project I’m working on, and I usually take a minute to breathe and let my mind calm down before diving into writing. Create routines of varying length, so that no matter how much time you have to write, you can take advantage of it. Click here for more tips for writing when you don’t have much time.
Take days off
How does making time to not write fit in with advice about making time to write? Because if you push yourself to write every day, you’re going to burn out. Instead, I take days off. Sometimes it’s out of necessity on a busy day, but other days, even if I have time to write, I don’t. Instead, I’ll read a book or watch a favorite TV show or spend time outside. This refills my creative energy and lets ideas about my current project and future ones bloom. Plus, it also means that when I do return to writing, I’m itching to get back to my story!
I hope these tips are helpful to you! One final note: It’s also super important to not beat yourself up if you make a plan to write one day, but it doesn’t work out. Whether it’s because that day ended being busier than expected, or you were just too mentally/physically/emotionally exhausted to write, we all have days like that. I’ve written before about how self-forgiveness was a crucial piece of me being able to write a book, and that is just as true today as it was when I wrote it.
What tips do you have for making time to write? What time of day is your favorite time to write? Let me know in the comments!
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