6 time management tips for writers

One of the hardest parts about writing is the fact that most people don’t (or can’t) make a living from their writing. This means that many of us are forced into other jobs to make ends meet. This is bad news, right? It doesn’t have to be.

The biggest hurdle having another job presents to the writer is, of course, time management. Chances are, your life does not consist of simply getting up and working eight hours, spending another eight hours writing and spending the last eight hours of the day asleep (come on, who actually gets eight hours of sleep every night?).

Life never works out this perfectly. Aside from your writing and "day job" you probably have other obligations and commitments, such as spending time with family, running errands, entertainment (going to movies, television, internet, etc), housework, eating…you get the idea.

My point is that when you add up all the time that you spend at your job and everything else you have to do, it’s a miracle that you even have time to think about writing! But believe it or not, many writers have day jobs AND successful writing careers. Why? Because they manage their time effectively and efficiently.

Here are 6 ways you can find time to write:

1. Schedule time: Just as you schedule a doctor’s appointment or time to take your wife out to dinner, schedule time to write! Every single day (okay, maybe you can take Sunday off, slacker!). More importantly, stick to it. I can schedule things all day long, but they do me no good if I don’t actually follow through with them.

2. Little chunks go a long way: You’d be surprised how much writing you can do in just an hour a day. If you write every day, that’s 7 hours a week. You could probably write an entire novel in a few months at that pace. Just because you want to be a writer doesn’t mean you have to spend 12 hours a day actually writing.

3. Give up television: Burn you television. Throw it in the trashcan. Hack it into small pieces with that ax you never use. Or, if you have a lot of will power, just avoid it like the plague. People often lose track of how much television they watch, and when they figure it out, they’re very surprised. While it can be a good way to relax and kill a few brain cells, television can be abused and distract you from the important things in life (ie. writing).

4. Adjust your schedule: Try setting your alarm a little earlier in the morning. Not a morning person, then go to bed an hour later. Still doesn’t work for you, then spend your lunch our writing (it doesn’t take that much coordination to eat and write at the same time). Set up a rotating carpool for the kids so you’re not stuck driving them around everyday. You get the idea. If you really want to write, then you should be able to adjust your schedule accordingly.

5. Tell others: Yes, tell your family or anyone else you live with when and where you’ll be writing. More importantly, however, is to tell them that unless the house is burning down or nuclear war is only minutes away, you are not to be disturbed during this time. This will let them know that your writing is important and you are serious about it. Chances are, once you lay down the law, they’ll respect your wishes. I post armed guards outside my door when I write.

6. Break up large tasks: Does that manuscript you need to proofread look daunting? Do you cringe at the looming deadline your editor set? Fear not! Take these tasks, and any others that intimidate you and break them up into smaller, more manageable pieces. Proofreading a 500-page novel is a big task – but breaking it down so you’re proofreading only 10-pages per day isn’t
that bad. Right? Of course, if you have procrastinated until the day before, then it’s your own fault.

There are many, many more ways to manage your time. In fact, just browse the self-help shelves of your local bookstore and you’ll soon realize that there’s an entire cottage industry that revolves around time management techniques.

But the one’s I’ve outlined above have worked well for me, and have worked well for others. If you still can’t manage to find time to write after following these tips, then perhaps you are either not trying hard enough, or maybe writing just isn’t for you. If the latter is the case, then maybe you should try an easier, less time consuming occupation, like graphic design for example (ouch! Just kidding).

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