How to Make Time to Write
Jan. 17th, 2021 07:45 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
ysabetwordsmithSeveral folks have asked how to make time to write, or admired how prolific I am. So I'm compiling some of my answers. Given the inspiration, these include generic and personal ones.
Many people have faced the challenge of writing time and recorded solutions that you can try. A key point: you don't "find" time to write, you MAKE time to write. Or not.
How to Create a Consistent Writing Schedule: 10 Tips for Writers
20 Tips on How to Prioritize Work and Meet Deadlines
20 Ways to Make Time to Achieve Your Goals
Finding Time – or Making Time – to Write
How to find time to write: 9 tips to get words down
How to Make More Time for Writing
Time for Writing: How to Make Time to Write in Your Busy Life
Writing in Stolen Time: 10 Ways to Create Time
Bear in mind, you'll still have to playtest these; all work for some writers but nothing works for everyone. Suzette Haden Elgin used to write novels in 5-minute scraps. OMFG I could never do that. But I have found things that work for me. So your first step is to devote some serious trial-and-effort to building a toolkit of organizational and time management techniques.
Beyond that...
* I use a desktop calendar to track things like my recurring posts, Poetry Fishbowl and Creative Jam events, and deadlines for the Llewellyn annuals. Do it on paper or online, whichever you prefer, but do write things down.
* Decide what you want to do, then figure out how to do it, and set goals. New Year's resolutions are good, but there are other options. Understand goal setting and tools. Frameworks include CLEAR, DUMB, HARD, SMART, and WOOP. Here are some goal setting apps. These are my goals for 2021. You can see they're a mix of big and small, writing and other things. This is what works for me, which I have worked out over the years (there are links to earlier years if you want to see the progress). YMMV.
* Study yourself. Learn what works for you. Determine what times of day and seasons of year you are most productive, then capitalize on those by doing your biggest or hardest projects then. Discover where you work best -- indoors or outdoors, alone or in company. By all means, browse other people's solutions to get ideas that you can try, but ultimately you have to figure out what helps you with the body/mind you have. Failure is data too; note it and move on to something else. Time invested in self-discovery is usually well spent.
* Know your priorities for life in general. Know where writing falls in that list. When making plans, goals, task lists, etc. then prioritize accordingly. Here are some common priorities. If you're unsure which things you value more, pair them off and imagine situations where you can do only one. Which do you choose? That's your priority. I don't give a flying fuck about housework; I do what's needed and no more. So my house is a mess, but I have completed multiple books, a huge fanseries, and I have 6,371+ poems posted in this blog. This is a life choice and I am satisfied with it.
* When you find an obstacle to research or writing, work the problem. Don't just stare at it or poke a few times and give up. Figure out WHY it is a problem, brainstorm solutions, and try them until you find what works. This is especially important with recurring problems, because they will keep bothering you until you kill them off. I am still discovering new problems and stabbing them to death with pencils.
* Cognitive offloading is your friend. The more stuff you can get out of your brain and onto tools, the more room in your brain for writing. I have a kitchen timer on my desk so I don't have to remember to get up and check supper.
* Read or write in slivers of time that would otherwise be wasted. Me, I read, but some other people can write a novel in 5-minute bits.
* Be assertive -- or aggressive if that's what it takes -- when it comes to defending your writing time. There are limited things for which I may be disturbed at any time ("Knight in Shining Armor Pest Control Service!!!!" "Please state the nature of the pest control emergency.") but otherwise, I get cranky when interrupted, and people know this, so they rarely interrupt me. Do it when I am on deadline, and I will breathe fire at you. It is your responsibility as a writer to communicate to others what your rules are regarding writing time and interruptions, and then it is their responsibility to abide by those.
* Don't let other people rob you of your valuable time and energy. You should get something for it, either money or family support or some other thing you value. Believe that YOU have a RIGHT to your own time and energy, and if others want it then they OWE YOU fair recompense for it. They do not have a right to demand it for free. Screw emotional labor, tell the copper diggers to do their own damn work. You are busy: you are writing. Or whatever else is important to you.
* One tool that I use when the house is busy: a door hanger with a whiteboard. This allows me to indicate whether I am interruptible or not when the door is closed.
* I actually started life procrastinating. I soon realized that I hate doing things at the last minute, so I learned to stop procrastinating and do them early instead. This delights most editors. If you do big bangs, holiday stockings, or other fan exchanges, then people will love you for it. This also helps a lot with time management in general. The temptation to wait is there, but it rarely impacts my work anymore; I've established a habit of doing most things early. If instead you are inspired by pressure, then set short deadlines so you don't waste time.
* Write boldly. As NaNoWriMo puts it, write badly with pride! My version is: If you're not making any mistakes, you're not learning, you're coasting. Try new things. If you fuck it up, you can always fix it or write something new. Don't just sit there with your thumb up your ass. Write something.
* Write mass quantities. It's surprising how much difference it can make when you write big chunks for a while, and they just stop feeling big. This happened to me with writing classes for the Grey School of Wizardry -- about 10,000 words each -- and it just quit feeling like a lot of work. This allows you to capitalize on the time you have by pushing your output.
* Learn how to write when you're not at your best. If you feel crummy, but you're not so wrecked you can't get up, then ratchet. Write a section, or a paragraph, or a sentence; then read fanfic or take a break some other way to recharge. Lather, rinse, repeat until done.
* Make a place to write. Then you don't waste time hunting for your stuff. It is always there. I have a home office. I can shut the door and work even if something else is going on elsewhere in the house.
* Gather resources for whatever you write. Preferably, copy them on your computer or keep them at home so you don't have to run to the library all the time. Know how to find cheap books, which is one of the few perks of a civilization at this stage of development. Create and organize your home library. Know your key subjects and stock them accordingly. I have books on crafts, cooking, linguistics, Paganism, plants, names, poetry, speculative fiction, writing -- all kinds of stuff. I also have 1 book on damn near every topic, just in case. I have lined my house with books and I have extensive notes on my computer too. If civilization fell, someone could literally jump-start it from the books in the room where I am sitting. Put your most-used books on your desk. Mine include a Rhyming Dictionary, The New Book of Forms, and The Emotional Wound Thesaurus. Here are 100 Books for Writers. You can never have too many books!
* Organize things however works best for you. Doesn't matter if your desk is sloppy or neat, as long as you can find what you need immediately without wasting time. I'm a good packrat; I can find what I need, plus or minus 10%. (Around me, fairies steal things and also add random things. "Welcome to my world, lady.")
* Bear in mind that wordsmithing is my dayjob. I'm not wasting 8-12 hours a day working for someone else at something that doesn't matter. I can work a 14-16 hour day on a Poetry Fishbowl and enjoy it. This is a life choice. If you want to write, prioritize it, find a way to monetize it, and build your life around it. If you want it as a hobby, that's great too; decide how much time and other resources to devote to that, and defend accordingly.
* I watch very little television. My partner and I watch it together over supper (30-60-minutes) and occasionally over lunch (15-30 minutes). Between series, we'll watch a movie over supper (1-2 hours) instead. That's it. The average is SIX HOURS a day. You could be writing. I am writing -- or researching or farming plotbunnies with my writer-friends or the like.
* I have selected a life partner who supports my writing, as I support his endeavors. Over the years it has swapped several times who was bringing in more money, and we're okay with that. If you shop with your crotch like most people do, you will wind up with a great lay who doesn't help you achieve your life goals. If you hang out with people who don't respect you, they will mooch your time and energy with little or no return. This is another life choice, and it makes a huge impact on who writes and who doesn't and how much they accomplish.
I wish you luck in pursuing your goals.
Many people have faced the challenge of writing time and recorded solutions that you can try. A key point: you don't "find" time to write, you MAKE time to write. Or not.
How to Create a Consistent Writing Schedule: 10 Tips for Writers
20 Tips on How to Prioritize Work and Meet Deadlines
20 Ways to Make Time to Achieve Your Goals
Finding Time – or Making Time – to Write
How to find time to write: 9 tips to get words down
How to Make More Time for Writing
Time for Writing: How to Make Time to Write in Your Busy Life
Writing in Stolen Time: 10 Ways to Create Time
Bear in mind, you'll still have to playtest these; all work for some writers but nothing works for everyone. Suzette Haden Elgin used to write novels in 5-minute scraps. OMFG I could never do that. But I have found things that work for me. So your first step is to devote some serious trial-and-effort to building a toolkit of organizational and time management techniques.
Beyond that...
* I use a desktop calendar to track things like my recurring posts, Poetry Fishbowl and Creative Jam events, and deadlines for the Llewellyn annuals. Do it on paper or online, whichever you prefer, but do write things down.
* Decide what you want to do, then figure out how to do it, and set goals. New Year's resolutions are good, but there are other options. Understand goal setting and tools. Frameworks include CLEAR, DUMB, HARD, SMART, and WOOP. Here are some goal setting apps. These are my goals for 2021. You can see they're a mix of big and small, writing and other things. This is what works for me, which I have worked out over the years (there are links to earlier years if you want to see the progress). YMMV.
* Study yourself. Learn what works for you. Determine what times of day and seasons of year you are most productive, then capitalize on those by doing your biggest or hardest projects then. Discover where you work best -- indoors or outdoors, alone or in company. By all means, browse other people's solutions to get ideas that you can try, but ultimately you have to figure out what helps you with the body/mind you have. Failure is data too; note it and move on to something else. Time invested in self-discovery is usually well spent.
* Know your priorities for life in general. Know where writing falls in that list. When making plans, goals, task lists, etc. then prioritize accordingly. Here are some common priorities. If you're unsure which things you value more, pair them off and imagine situations where you can do only one. Which do you choose? That's your priority. I don't give a flying fuck about housework; I do what's needed and no more. So my house is a mess, but I have completed multiple books, a huge fanseries, and I have 6,371+ poems posted in this blog. This is a life choice and I am satisfied with it.
* When you find an obstacle to research or writing, work the problem. Don't just stare at it or poke a few times and give up. Figure out WHY it is a problem, brainstorm solutions, and try them until you find what works. This is especially important with recurring problems, because they will keep bothering you until you kill them off. I am still discovering new problems and stabbing them to death with pencils.
* Cognitive offloading is your friend. The more stuff you can get out of your brain and onto tools, the more room in your brain for writing. I have a kitchen timer on my desk so I don't have to remember to get up and check supper.
* Read or write in slivers of time that would otherwise be wasted. Me, I read, but some other people can write a novel in 5-minute bits.
* Be assertive -- or aggressive if that's what it takes -- when it comes to defending your writing time. There are limited things for which I may be disturbed at any time ("Knight in Shining Armor Pest Control Service!!!!" "Please state the nature of the pest control emergency.") but otherwise, I get cranky when interrupted, and people know this, so they rarely interrupt me. Do it when I am on deadline, and I will breathe fire at you. It is your responsibility as a writer to communicate to others what your rules are regarding writing time and interruptions, and then it is their responsibility to abide by those.
* Don't let other people rob you of your valuable time and energy. You should get something for it, either money or family support or some other thing you value. Believe that YOU have a RIGHT to your own time and energy, and if others want it then they OWE YOU fair recompense for it. They do not have a right to demand it for free. Screw emotional labor, tell the copper diggers to do their own damn work. You are busy: you are writing. Or whatever else is important to you.
* One tool that I use when the house is busy: a door hanger with a whiteboard. This allows me to indicate whether I am interruptible or not when the door is closed.
* I actually started life procrastinating. I soon realized that I hate doing things at the last minute, so I learned to stop procrastinating and do them early instead. This delights most editors. If you do big bangs, holiday stockings, or other fan exchanges, then people will love you for it. This also helps a lot with time management in general. The temptation to wait is there, but it rarely impacts my work anymore; I've established a habit of doing most things early. If instead you are inspired by pressure, then set short deadlines so you don't waste time.
* Write boldly. As NaNoWriMo puts it, write badly with pride! My version is: If you're not making any mistakes, you're not learning, you're coasting. Try new things. If you fuck it up, you can always fix it or write something new. Don't just sit there with your thumb up your ass. Write something.
* Write mass quantities. It's surprising how much difference it can make when you write big chunks for a while, and they just stop feeling big. This happened to me with writing classes for the Grey School of Wizardry -- about 10,000 words each -- and it just quit feeling like a lot of work. This allows you to capitalize on the time you have by pushing your output.
* Learn how to write when you're not at your best. If you feel crummy, but you're not so wrecked you can't get up, then ratchet. Write a section, or a paragraph, or a sentence; then read fanfic or take a break some other way to recharge. Lather, rinse, repeat until done.
* Make a place to write. Then you don't waste time hunting for your stuff. It is always there. I have a home office. I can shut the door and work even if something else is going on elsewhere in the house.
* Gather resources for whatever you write. Preferably, copy them on your computer or keep them at home so you don't have to run to the library all the time. Know how to find cheap books, which is one of the few perks of a civilization at this stage of development. Create and organize your home library. Know your key subjects and stock them accordingly. I have books on crafts, cooking, linguistics, Paganism, plants, names, poetry, speculative fiction, writing -- all kinds of stuff. I also have 1 book on damn near every topic, just in case. I have lined my house with books and I have extensive notes on my computer too. If civilization fell, someone could literally jump-start it from the books in the room where I am sitting. Put your most-used books on your desk. Mine include a Rhyming Dictionary, The New Book of Forms, and The Emotional Wound Thesaurus. Here are 100 Books for Writers. You can never have too many books!
* Organize things however works best for you. Doesn't matter if your desk is sloppy or neat, as long as you can find what you need immediately without wasting time. I'm a good packrat; I can find what I need, plus or minus 10%. (Around me, fairies steal things and also add random things. "Welcome to my world, lady.")
* Bear in mind that wordsmithing is my dayjob. I'm not wasting 8-12 hours a day working for someone else at something that doesn't matter. I can work a 14-16 hour day on a Poetry Fishbowl and enjoy it. This is a life choice. If you want to write, prioritize it, find a way to monetize it, and build your life around it. If you want it as a hobby, that's great too; decide how much time and other resources to devote to that, and defend accordingly.
* I watch very little television. My partner and I watch it together over supper (30-60-minutes) and occasionally over lunch (15-30 minutes). Between series, we'll watch a movie over supper (1-2 hours) instead. That's it. The average is SIX HOURS a day. You could be writing. I am writing -- or researching or farming plotbunnies with my writer-friends or the like.
* I have selected a life partner who supports my writing, as I support his endeavors. Over the years it has swapped several times who was bringing in more money, and we're okay with that. If you shop with your crotch like most people do, you will wind up with a great lay who doesn't help you achieve your life goals. If you hang out with people who don't respect you, they will mooch your time and energy with little or no return. This is another life choice, and it makes a huge impact on who writes and who doesn't and how much they accomplish.
I wish you luck in pursuing your goals.
(no subject)
Date: 2021-01-18 03:14 am (UTC)Yay!
Date: 2021-01-18 03:28 am (UTC)I suggest that you browse in search of new things to try. Pick one or two, don't try to do too much at once. When you have either incorporated them into your routine or discarded them, pick something else to explore.
My toolkit has been built up over decades -- and I just found a new one to play with this year, bullet journaling. It's working, although I'm not using it for writing but for other things. Some folks do use it for writing.
Re: Yay!
Date: 2021-01-18 05:14 pm (UTC)Re: Yay!
Date: 2021-01-18 07:42 pm (UTC)For me, bullet journaling is accomplishing two things:
1) It helps keep things in the front of my mind so I remember to do them.
2) It helps me see how often I have done things, and when I need to do them, and whether I have already done them.
Very useful.
(no subject)
Date: 2021-01-19 11:15 am (UTC)Yes ...
Date: 2021-01-19 11:18 am (UTC)*chuckle* Of course, I also have other options. I have invested serious effort in learning how to carry ideas from sleeping to waking and across interdimensional boundaries. I can memorize a poem as I'm composing it, if I can't write it down, which lets me create poems while walking around or while riding in a car after dark. It's hell on anyone in the car with me, because I mutter the verses under my breath or hum the tun, but it works.
(no subject)
Date: 2022-01-18 08:25 am (UTC)This is incredibly unkind. I thought you wanted to cultivate kindness in fandom?