PoeWar » finding time to write http://www.poewar.com Writing Career Center Tue, 16 Mar 2010 22:54:24 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 en hourly 1 Finding Time to Write http://www.poewar.com/finding-time-to-write/ http://www.poewar.com/finding-time-to-write/#comments Sat, 23 Oct 2004 23:05:11 +0000 John Hewitt http://www.poewar.com/archives/2004/10/23/finding-time-to-write/ Make the Time
Most people don’t make writing a high enough priority. They intend to write, but end up running errands or whatever. They use these activities as excuses not to write. Turn that around. Make writing an excuse not to do other things.
Change the Kind of Writing You Do
If you only have a half hour a day to devote to writing, that is still a significant amount, if you do it every day. Unfortunately, writing the Great American Novel may become a depressing task if you have limited time. Try writing personal essays, or poetry, or short stories. Pick some projects you can complete. Build up your chops before setting out on a project that may take years. If you do have a long project, don’t let lack of progress depress you. Write something else for a while then come back to it. Just keep writing something.

Train Yourself to Write Fast
Remember in high school and college when your evil instructors made you write timed essays? Make yourself do the same thing. Give yourself 45 minutes to write a coherent article or short-short story. You may not be successful every time, but that is why you keep working at it. It’s a skill you learn to develop.

Simplify Your Life
Take a look at all the projects you are currently working on, not just writing but in your whole life. Try to eliminate a few things. Analyze your days and figure out exactly where the time is going. Cut back on some of the less important tasks. Watch 2 hours of TV instead of four. Give up on that afghan you’ve been knitting. Go out twice a week instead of every night. Decide that you aren’t going to bring home your work. Make some sacrifices. Decide that your writing is worth it.

Figure Out the Best Times of the Day for You to Write
It’s a combination of when you are most alert and when do you have free time. Pick that time and write.

Don’t Answer The Phone
Don’t come to the door. For as little or as much time as you are writing, do only that.

Decide Whether Or Not Writing Is A Priority
Writing is not for everyone. If you keep trying, and failing, to make the time to write, then it may not be for you. You may want to write, but if the desire is not enough to keep you from doing more entertaining or pressing activities, then perhaps writing isn’t for you. It may become more meaningful to you at another point in your life, but don’t feel guilty about letting it go. When it is important enough to you to make some sacrifices, you’ll be able to make them. Until then, adjust to the fact that writing is something you like, but not necessarily enough to be a writer. Myself, I would love to take up painting. It looks like a wonderful hobby. I realize though that I just don’t have the time to devote to it now. At a later stage in my life, who knows? But I guarantee I don’t feel guilty about not doing it now

Hire John Hewitt - Writing Content and Web Consulting

Email: hewitt@poewar.com
Phone: (520) 261-6104
LinkedIn Resume
]]> http://www.poewar.com/finding-time-to-write/feed/ 8