10 Tips for Writing With a Busy Schedule

Whether it’s school, work, or family that’s got you strapped for time, fear not! Long time Wrimo Josalyn McAllister is here today to share her advice to help you find time to finish your novel on even the tightest of schedules.

I first heard about NaNoWriMo at my local library. I had recently decided to become a stay-at-home mom and my daughter was five months old. She required all my attention most of the time, then lay sleeping in her crib for a couple hours each day, leaving me alone in an empty house. I would set her down for her nap and then run to the computer and type furiously until she woke up. I was able to complete all 50,000 words and I felt so good about myself.

Three more kids and a couple part-time jobs later, I no longer have glorious uninterrupted nap times to write. However, I have published my first novel (which started out as a NaNo project), and won NaNo 8 more times. I’ve learned a few things over the years:

1. Abandon your dreams. 

Well, not all of them, but definitely your vision of uninterrupted writing time with motivational music playing and a cup of tea alongside you. If you wait for that moment, you won’t finish. There will be a few of those moments, but not 50,000 words worth of them.

2. Use the odds and ends of time.  

David McCullough describes an early American doctor who was also a painter and biologist. “When asked how it was that he could do so much and accomplish so much, he said, “I’ve learned to use every one of all the odds and ends of the time.” 

3. Do what works for you. 

I’d heard of writers who don’t realize time is passing because they’re “in the zone.” That has never happened to me. Shorter, fifteen-ish minute bursts make me a lot more productive. Figure out what works best for you and do it. Don’t try to fit into some mold of what a “writer” does.

4. Outline. 

For years I thought of myself as a pantser, chaffing at the restriction of an outline. Then I wrote a mystery novel and had to outline so the end would make sense. It was the easiest 50,000 words I’ve ever written. It was amazing not to have to sit for a while and think about what should happen next. Even a pantser can write down a list of essential scenes. Don’t be afraid to skip around in your story.

5. Write more words than you need each day but don’t burn yourself out.

I’ve seen people do 10k in one day, then not write anything else. I’ve also seen people do exactly 1667 words each day, then miss a day and get so discouraged that they quit.

6. Don’t edit. 

Even if you’ve written the dumbest sentence in the history of human language, leave it and move on. Edit in December.

7. Make it fun. 

My friends and I used to book a cabin to do twenty-four hours of writing. We ate tons of junk food and would ask each other for ideas when we got stuck. It was lovely. 

8. Find what motivates you. 

Try reading The Four Tendencies by Gretchen Rubin. 

9. Turn off your internet. 

I used to end up down rabbit holes for hours “fact checking.” This can be valuable to the creative process but sucks up a lot of time. Turn off your internet until you get your words written. If you want to fact check later, just highlight the sentence in your document so you can come back to it. 

10. Don’t be negative about your work or anyone else’s. 

Creativity and negativity don’t mix.

Happy writing!

Josalyn McAllister recently released her debut novel, Love Over Easy, in May. She has participated in NaNoWriMo for eleven years. In her spare time, she raises four children, volunteers at her church, celebrates every holiday conceived by man and blogs on her website josalynmcallister.com. You can follow her on Instagram @josalynmcallister.