1. Make a Schedule

For those who use a schedule, making one can help you see where you’re spending your time. Once you know where your time goes, it’s easier to spot times you have to write. Better yet, schedule time to write. If it’s in your calendar, it’s more likely to happen.

2. Learn to Sprint

Learning to sprint in short writing bursts can help you get words out if you don’t have a lot of time to write. If you don’t allow yourself to do anything other than write, making it a habit to get words out during that time and not check social media or be interrupted another way, you can learn to help form your stories in the twenty minutes you have here and there.

3. Prioritize

While it can be hard to give other things up, if you love writing more, making it a priority will help. It’s easy to do things like watch a show or browse the web, and sometimes you need to, but if you take that time to write instead, you’ll be that much closer to making your book happen. Cutting back on other things in your life that aren’t as important can be difficult to do, but may go a long way to help you get your manuscript written.

4. Lunch Break

Taking a few minutes during your lunch break (or other snippet of time such as nap time or bed time for you children) can be extremely useful, especially combined with working on your sprinting. Even if you don’t sprint, working on your writing after a quick sandwich can give you more words than you would have otherwise have gained that day. If you have a break ten minutes or longer, give it a try for a week and see if it helps get you farther on your project.

5. Think On Your Project When Not Working

If you use time that you have where you’re busy but your mind is free, use it to think about what you will write next. This is a great trick that is actually like writing time without the typing. It makes it so when you do have a chance to get those words out, you already know what they’re going to be so you can have an easier time moving forward.

6. Make a Habit

Whether you write at a certain time of day, sprint, or write slowly, work on making writing a habit. Some say to write every day others to write every week. Whatever works best for you is the way to go, but whichever one you pick–stick to it! Make it into a habit that will build your book one writing session at a time.

7. Turn a Habit Into Longer Stretches of Time

Once you have a habit of writing, sprinting, or have a time blocked off on your calendar, see what you can do to stretch that time. It’s good to add five more minutes and see how you do with it. Remember to take breaks to stretch your body, hands, and wrists as writing can be hard on them, yet you can add time when possible. The longer and stronger you make your habit, the more likely you’ll have time to write the story of your heart.

8. Be Persistent

Even with all the times you try to write, there’s going to be a time when it doesn’t happen. When the words don’t come, sprinting doesn’t work, or you get caught up in a TV show. Don’t give up! You can do this! You only need to persist even when it doesn’t go your way, keep trying. You can make more time for your writing.

 

 

If you’d like more in depth help with figuring out how to fit writing into your life, schedule a coaching call with us today. If you want more content on writing, publishing, and marketing, consider following us on Patreon where you will gain access to everything from more comprehensive posts, a community just for writers with Allyson and Janeal as mentors, Q&As, Writing Help, Books, and more!

Allyson Lindt

Contemporary Romance/Urban Fantasy Author

Janeal Falor

Fantasy Author