Make Time for Writing When Time is Writing You Off by James Rose
Posted by Kathleen Pooler/@kathypooler with James Rose /@instntpublishers
Photo Credit: Google Images, “Time Won’t Freeze” via themebin.com
Please join me in welcoming James Rose back on this last day of 2015 to offer some more tips for writers, this one on a topic near and dear to every writer’s heart–finding the time to write.
James Rose, writer for Instant Publisher.com
Make Time for Writing When Time is Writing You Off
Not all of us are fortunate enough to get paid to write full time. This means we must be proactive about finding the time to write. This is not always easy when all the daily tasks of life like errands, cleaning, kids, fitness, cooking, a real job and many other responsibilities are taken into account. Here are some tips to help you find time to write.
Eliminate Distractions
Remove all unnecessary distractions from your life. Pick one social media platform. You don’t have to be on all of them. Use it to keep in touch with friends and family and stop wasting time on cheesy games that just want to bleed your bank account dry. On a side note, I find it ironic that the same people that nagged me for playing too many real video games when I was a kid are now hooked on “Angry Birds” and “Bubble Witch”.
I’ve never understood how the advice of not spending too much time checking email always shows up in articles about productivity. Why would anybody need to check email more than twice a day? And why would it take more than about 10 minutes each time? Am I wrong?
One can understand how too much TV might be an issue in the past but not today. In my opinion, the current state of TV land is a wasteland. “Game of Thrones” is literally the only show I care about currently on TV. I pick one or two favorite shows and ignore the rest. And I don’t watch the news unless I’m seeking writing inspiration from current events. I figure if something really important happens, I’’ll know about it.
Time Organization
Tangibly organize your time. Whether that is with a tablet, planner or a dry erase board, your time must be scheduled in advance. Use a timer or stopwatch to make sure you stick to that schedule. Try to adhere to a uniform weekly plan just as you would be required at work or school. Don’t forget to block out some time for fun and a little spontaneity is OK. Employing discipline is the only way to make sure everything gets done.
Setting Goals
Set word count goals. Don’t leave the desk until you’ve hit 2000 words. If you are time restricted then the goal will have to be realistically based on how much time you have and how fast you write. Or look at how much time you can spend writing in a week, assign each writing session a time limit and set weekly word count goals. Then extrapolate further to monthly. Instead of word count goals try making scene goals. Get out your outline and make a pact to not stop writing until you’ve finished the next scene. You know what they say about goals; make them achievable.
Over-Analyzation
Don’t over-analyze the first draft. Just get it done. Proofreading is way easier than creating so get the hard part out of the way and worry about the rest later. When the first draft is finished you can give it to some people whom you trust for feedback. You’ll most likely get some great new ideas from these review sessions. Over-analyzation also leads to self-doubt and procrastination. Second guessing your work and comparing yourself to other writers only serves to hinder your creativity and progress.
Conclusion
If writing is important to you, you have to make it a top priority. There is only so much time in the day. I’ve always had a principle of three for my life. After all the chores, work and some pure fun here and there that leaves time to pursue three major goals. Those would fall into the categories of money, mind and body.
Unless your job is paying you plenty of money to provide a comfortable life for your family and save for retirement then you must devote time to making money. The odds are extremely slim that writing will be the source of that income. If your job is paying that much then that means you’re probably some type of professional which undoubtedly requires you to consistently hone your skills to stay on top of your game.
You need one mental hobby to keep your mind sharp and grow as a person. Yours is probably writing but it can be anything that tests your mental abilities. For some it will be artistic and for others it may be more scientific.
Then you need one physical hobby to keep in shape and grow as a person. That can be weightlifting, martial arts, dance or even golf if you ditch the cart.
That is about all father time will afford us; barring you are some kind of genius. So unless you’re super genetically advanced, a lotto winner or Paris Hilton; finding the time to write will require planning, coordination and discipline. Good luck.
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Thank you James for these reminders about finding the time to write. We all have the same amount of time during the day. You are right. We each have to take ownership of our schedules and prioritize to make it happen.
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James A. Rose is a writer for InstantPublisher.com , a full-service self-publishing company with 100% of all work performed in-house. We have been helping authors realize their dreams for the past 15 years. Whether you’re printing a novel, how-to book, manual, brochure or any type of book you can imagine, our step-by-step instructions make publishing your own book simple and easy.
How about you? How do you find time to write? Do you have anything to add to James’ list?
We’d love to hear from you. Please leave your comments below~
Wishing you all a New Year filled with health, happiness and lots of time to spend doing what you most love to do!
Photo Credit: cassini_new years
Next Week:
Monday, 01/04/16:
“Turning the Page to the Next Chapter, 2016”
