Balancing Writing and Life

by Jan Drexler


About a year ago, I realized I was no longer having fun.

Between writing and things going on in my personal life, stress was my middle name. I was living on caffeine. Chocolate was my drug of choice. I wasn't sleeping well. I didn’t even feel like I could take time off to have lunch with friends…

Wait a minute! This is my dream job! I don’t want to live this way!

Something needed to change, and I didn’t want it to be my writing. I had worked hard (and am still working hard) to be a published author. I want this to be a lifetime career, not just something to keep me busy for a few years.

I still have a LOT of stories to write!

It took some time, but I figured out what the problem was.

It was me .



Here’s how it happened -

In my past life (before writing), I was a homeschool mom. It was the most rewarding thing I’ve ever done, without exception. But it was also extremely time consuming. Every minute of my day was booked.

In an attempt to control the chaos, I put our homeschool on a six week/one week schedule, using the one week off to catch up with cleaning the house and other major projects that needed my attention.

It was a marvelous and hectic time. And yes, I’d do it all over again!

My schedule became a habit. One that carried over to my writing career. In the early days, it worked. I would meet a deadline, then take a week or two off to catch up with the rest of my life.

But a few years ago, things changed. I signed my first three-book contract with Revell. When I signed another three-book contract with Love Inspired Historical a couple years later, time really got tight.

Suddenly, I no longer had a break between deadlines. I also had all the other “mini-deadlines” associated with publication: revisions, line edits, titling and positioning information, input on cover design, guest blogging, radio interviews…. and my life outside of writing became chaos.



I started seeing a pattern, and with the pattern, I was able to identify the problem.

Yes, my problem is that I tend to tackle each part of my life with single-minded focus. Of course, the downside with that is there are many facets to my life!

Maybe a lot of you struggle with the same thing.



Once I found the cause – my single-focused method of tackling any job – it was time to find a solution.

Since I can't change my God-given personality quirk, I decided to try to use that facet of my personality as a strength. Harness the power of that single-mindedness for good! Become a super-hero!



Scheduling is the method I’m using again. It has worked for me in the past, and I have confidence it will help me this time.

However, another personality quirk of mine is that while I love making schedules, I’m a rebel when it comes to following them!

I’m determined to make this work, though. I don’t want to crash and burn, so I need to bring balance to my life and my work. I follow my schedule with grace – there is give and take along the way – but I get things done.

And progress is the result.

In case you’re curious, here is my schedule outline:




Today I’d like to discuss how you balance your writing with the rest of your life. Has writing taken over all your time and energy? Or are you having trouble fitting the writing time in?

For readers: If you're anything like me, reading threatens to consume your time! How do you balance life, reading, and reviewing? 

Or if you are one of those few brave souls who have found the secret of balancing the tasks in your life, share what works for you! We can all learn from each other!



One commenter today will win a copy of my newest release, “The Sound of Distant Thunder,” available for pre-order now!




Katie Stuckey and Jonas Weaver are both romantics. Seventeen-year-old Katie is starry-eyed, in love with the idea of being in love, and does not want to wait to marry Jonas until she is eighteen, despite her parents' insistence. So much can happen in a year. Twenty-year-old Jonas is taken in by the romance of soldiering, especially in defense of anti-slavery, even though he knows war is at odds with the teachings of the church. When his married brother's name comes up in the draft list, he volunteers to take his brother's place. But can the commitment Katie and Jonas have made to each other survive the separation?

From the talented pen of Jan Drexler comes this brand new Amish series set against the backdrop of the Civil War. She puts her characters to the test as they struggle to reconcile their convictions and desires while the national conflict threatens to undermine and engulf their community.