We lead busy lives trying to manage work, spouses, kids, pets, relatives, our social lives, travel, yard work, keeping our home in good repair and the list goes on and on. Countless people have told me how they’d love to write, if they could just find the time. I’ve never known time to be found so easily. Time can be a bit sneaky, especially if it knows you’re looking for it. Writers must make time to write. Every day. Numerous theories abound on the subject: set aside a certain time of day every day (say 9 a.m. -noon) and write during that time; write for a set amount of hours every day (doesn’t matter what time of day); write only when inspired; write after the kids go to bed, the sun goes down, the phone stops ringing, etc… I won’t presume to tell you which idea is best; however, I will tell you that it’s important to write every day, even if it’s for five minutes.
If you’re stuck, find a writing prompt and pound something out. Writer’s Digest provides good daily prompts to help get you going. (http://www.writersdigest.com/WritingPrompts)
If you’re really in a time crunch but want to get something written, try going to The One-Minute Writer, a wonderful website that provides quick daily prompts to get your creative juices flowing, asking you to take a mere minute to respond to the daily prompt. The site even provides a timer, so you can stay on schedule. The topics are varied, fun and thought-provoking. Some examples: movies, the lottery, trust, lobbying in Congress, epiphanies, excuses and aging. Perfect for the tight schedule, The One-Minute Writer is worth checking out today. http://oneminutewriter.blogspot.com/
Comments
I disagree with your advice to "...write only when you're inspired" Writers need to be able to write about anything, any time, and especially turn it on when there's a time crunch. Sometimes we're not inspired, but we have to get that article out anyway. There have been many times when I just started writing anything and all of a sudden I got my groove on. It's important to continually read and research a variety of topics, so that you have a headful of ideas when you sit down to write. I write an average of three to five hours every day. The more I write, the better I write, and the easier it is to turn it on when I have to. Nice article...Thanks
I didn't know there was Writer's Digest. Thanks for the link!
Nanhinchliff - I agree...it would be nice to only write when inspired, but you are so right...it's just not realistic. Three to five hours a day is fantastic! You've inspired me to add to my daily 2-3!
www.findtimetowrite.com
great site for seattle writers!!
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