Finding the Time to Write

I feel guilty about a lot of things. I feel guilty that I don’t eat enough fruit and veg, that I don’t understand politics better, the amount of sugar I have in my tea, and that body buried in the back garden – just kidding! (it’s in the front garden).

One thing I feel most guilty about is my writing. 

I feel guilty that I don’t write enough, that I’m focusing on too many projects at once, that I give up on too many projects, or I’m working on the wrong ones. 

And that’s silly because I love to write. I LOVE it, it is my party vibes, fun time. 

So why does it so often come with this big side order of guilt? 

My biggest guilt is that I don’t write every day anymore. I have two children under five and honestly, I’m still working out my family/writing rhythm. The good thing is, I know I’m not alone. When I talk to other writers, they say much the same thing. They’re juggling jobs with their creative work, caring for relatives or children, or simply trying to stay on top of life. With so many other demands on our time, writing can feel like a luxury that we just don’t have space for. 

So, if, like me, you find it hard to carve out time for your writing but desperately want to get more writing done, here are some helpful – and hopefully reassuring – tips for you to try. 

1. Go With The Flow 

I used to love the idea of having a writing space. A special spot for being creative, that I would make beautiful, inspiring, and comfortable. That would be my sacred space to write in. But the risk of having one special spot to write in is that you can convince yourself that it is the ONLY space you can write in. Through necessity, my writing desk has had to come with me and I write whenever, and wherever, I get the chance. Even if it’s just a sentence or two while I’m waiting for the train, or a line typed one-handed on my phone while I make my daughter’s breakfast. It’s messy and imperfect but it’s written and that’s all that matters. So let go of the idea that writing happens, sat down at a desk, and embrace writing “in the wild” wherever you can. I’d love to hear about some of the unusual places you’ve written in!

2. Thinking about writing counts as writing (up to a point!) 

OK, hear me out y’all, I don’t want it to sound like I’m giving all of us procrastinators permission to never actually write anything. What I am saying is that thinking about your writing is important too. We spend our whole lives living inside our minds, but only a short amount of time putting pen to paper. All the rest of the time, your story is living in your imagination. It’s right there for you to play with, so feed it, listen to it, and let it run inside the cinema of your mind. Get to know your characters, and put them in different situations, while you’re waiting for the kettle to boil, brushing your teeth, or sitting in the getaway car outside the city bank. Whatever you’re doing, if you’re not writing your story, think about your story. Get to know your story so well in your mind that when you do have time to work on it, all the details will be right there at your fingertips 

3. Get into the Habit 

We all know that creating a routine that we repeat every day is the best way to form good habits. Creating a regular writing habit that you know you can stick to is one of the best ways to get writing and keep writing. Whether it’s on your lunch break, while you eat breakfast, or before bed, make it part of your daily routine till it becomes a habit and slowly but surely your story will get written. If you know you have space in your day that you can write in, then make that part of your daily routine. As much as brushing your teeth every day is a daily habit, think of writing as your daily creative hygiene!

4. Less is more (or better than none!) 

Sometimes I unintentionally stop myself from writing because I feel, unless I have a long period to write in, what’s the point of starting? That’s so silly though. Ten minutes every day is better than nothing, right? Ten minutes every day is over an hour of writing a week. A hundred words a day is 36,500 words a year, and that’s halfway through the first draft of a novel! If you wait for the right time to write, then you’ll get nothing written. But by doing a little every day, drip by drip, word by word, it all adds up. It doesn’t have to be six hours a day of writing for it to count as writing. We all get there the same way, one word at a time. 

5. Reading is writing 

Reading is as important as writing is. Reading inspires us and reminds us why we love to write. Understanding what you enjoy as a reader helps you craft what your readers will enjoy. Get to know your preferred genres and also read books you don’t like so that you can understand what doesn’t work for you. Trying to write without also reading is like trying to be a cook without ever tasting anything. Most importantly,  it’s fun! When I feel creatively zapped, I pick up a good book and I’m reminded why I love words and stories and sharing them. 

6. It’s OK if you don’t 

Our lives are full of things to feel guilty about. Don’t let writing be one of them. We do this because we love it, but if you didn’t have time, the headspace, or even the heart for it today, then that’s ok too. Sometimes a rest is as good as a feast and there’s no benefit in beating yourself up for not getting a few words on the page today. The page will still be there tomorrow, so for now, just let go of feeling guilty.