5 Foolproof Ways to Find Time to Write

Finding time to write can be difficult when life is slamming you with all its demands. Family, work, church, friends, volunteer projects, catching up with that latest show on Netflix…there’s always something to do, except write. But building a writing habit and writing every day is essential whether you want to become a professional writer or just want to get that novel published.

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Download this FREE PDF poster and hang it on your wall to remind yourself each day: YOU'VE GOT THIS!

Below are some of my and Gena’s favorite “go-to tips” to help you build a writing habit and find time to write every single day.

1. Put Your Writing First

I know. That seems trite. Of course we want to put our writing first. But that’s the rub. This isn’t about what we want to do. It’s about what we must do.

In his classic essay, “First and Second Things,” from the compilation God in the Dock, C.S. Lewis states, “This law has been discovered before, but it will stand re-discovery. It may be stated as follows: every preference of a small good to a great, or partial good to a total good, involves the loss of the small or partial good for which the sacrifice is made. Apparently the world is made that way… You can’t get second things by putting them first; you can get second things only by putting first things first.”

If you didn’t just have a chill crawl down your spine, I implore you to read that quote again. It gets me every time.

In short, if we want to truly enjoy all the “second things” of life, we must downgrade their priority. If as writers we believe our “first thing” is writing, then we must make it the first thing, period. Only then will we have the true mental space, free from the pressure of not writing, to enjoy all the second things of life.

When we put writing ahead of all other activities, our days will be reframed with the knowledge that we’ve already accomplished something worthwhile. Even if we only manage to write for 15 minutes every morning, that’s light years better than not writing at all.

2. Set a Schedule

Here’s a secret to writing that seasoned writers don’t let out of the bag enough: You need to schedule your writing time. People in the “know” call it “time-blocking” and here’s how it works:

You set aside specific times during the week for “butt in chair” time to work on your passion project. For example, you might decide to spend one hour each Monday, Wednesday, and Friday to write. Or maybe Saturday, 5 a.m. until noon is your thing. Whatever it is, it’s on your calendar, scheduled as an appointment you cannot break, like going to a doctor’s appointment or your child’s play. When you schedule your writing moments, you won’t have to worry about finding time to write because you already prepped to make it happen. And because you’ve put your writing goal in your calendar as an appointment with yourself, you’re less likely to let the time slip.

Speaking of which, if you’re looking for a way to add writing to your schedule with the added bonus of accountability to others doing the same, join me, Gena, and Rene sometime for a Writing Moment. We’d love to have you join us. More and more people love this time we have to work on our individual projects together because we’re getting our writing DONE! 

3. Use Technology to Help

Sometimes technology can feel like a colossal time-waster, especially when we think of all the time we’ve lost with program crashes, setting up yet another printer, or surfing social media.

But you can tame the beast. By using technology in ways that make it shine, it can be a big help when it comes to finding time to write. For instance, if you have a quick idea while on the road, you don’t have to merely hope you’ll remember it hours later. You can just open Apple Notes on your phone or Evernote on your watch and send yourself a quick dictation. You can also put most writing programs such as Microsoft Word into “focus mode” and help your thoughts zero-in on that blank screen.

Finding time to write can be difficult when life is slamming you with all its demands. Family, work, church, friends, volunteer projects, catching up with that latest show on Netflix…there’s always something to do, except write. But building a writing habit and writing every day is essential whether you want to become a professional writer or just want to get that novel published.

Likewise, while technology can be highly disruptive, it can also keep you from being disrupted. I don’t know what I’d do without apps such as Focus for the Mac which is a one-click solution to shutting off social media, distracting websites, notifications and more for a set period of time. It’s worth finding an app or two that work for you like electronic virtual assistants, creating a writing environment in which you can thrive.

4. Create a Sacred Space

Writing often takes place in a peaceful setting, but that doesn’t mean that you have to go outside to get inspiration. Sometimes the best ideas come to you right at your desk. For me, that means making sure my desk is clear of papers and trinkets, that I’ve got a candle nearby that smells like oatmeal cookies, and that a preset music playlist has Gin Wigmore ready to sing sweet nothings into my ears.

Your writing space should be sacred, as it is for almost all prolific writers, who count the very space they sit down in as a source of inspiration. And before you allow the devil on your shoulder to tell you that you can’t write because things aren’t sacred enough, remind her that you’ve heard stories of writers writing novels on folding chairs, on mobile phones while in line at the grocery, or even by speaking into voice recorders. Just about anything can be a sacred space if we care about our “first thing” enough.

5. Start Small

Finally, don’t expect yourself to write for hours straight. Instead, start small. If you find that doing so was a piece of cake, try increasing the length of your sessions. I’ve written several articles on the power of the Pomodoro Technique, which is a scientifically proven way to regulate your writing time for optimal productivity. Many writers start off by setting their timer for 20 minutes of writing and that’s it. Then they recharge and try again. And again, and again. And before they know it, they’re completing the novel that was at one time completely out of reach.

There are many ways to find time to write, to feel good that you’ve put first things first, to finish that manuscript and put yourself on the road to publishing success. Any one of the above ways to find time to write can be beneficial…put more than one of them, or all of them, into practice and you’ll become a writing force like never before.

You’ve got this, friend!