Time Management (For Writers With Full-Time Jobs)

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The dreaded day job.

Although I love the work I do, my day job puts a damper on my writing time. I often find myself in a situation where I might have 30 minutes of writing time each day. This time is precious, and I have to make the most of what limited writing time I have. As a writer with a full time job, I’ve found small things I can do that can easily be accomplished in 15 to 20 minute segments.

Write a blurb. Although I detest writing these, I can usually whip out a blurb in 15 to 20 minutes. I spend another 15 to 20 minutes cleaning it up.
Write a blog post. Some posts take a while to construct, but some can easily be written in 15 minutes. Take a moment to write one.
Email a bookstore, library, or festival to set up a book signing event or author appearance.
Send an email to your subscribers.
Write an ad or set up a giveaway/ special pricing event.
Work on character development. Make a list of character traits or develop the character’s backstory.
Search for a cover image. You know the old saying, never judge a book by its cover, but people do. You want your cover to draw attention and make a reader want to stop long enough to read the title and/or blurb.
Brainstorm title names. Your title should be short and concise and convey the tone of the story.
Spruce up your author bio.
Develop a tagline. This is a one line hook that grabs a reader’s attention.
Schedule social media posts for the next two days.
Post on social media or respond to posts. Take time to interact with people.
Outline a scene.
Sketch a map of your fantasy/ sci-fi world.
Conduct research. Look online for needed information for a particular scene.
Write 250 words. You’d be surprised how much you can write in 20 minutes.
Revise/ edit a chapter.

Timing is everything. Figure out how long it takes to do something and work it into your schedule. Know how you work and find what works for you.