You want to write a book, but you have no time. Me neither. I’m so busy doing so many things, that if I waited until I had plenty of time I’d never get started on a book.
It’s always been that way for me, and maybe for you, too.
Over the past 30 years, I’ve solved the “no time” challenge in various ways.
When my three sons were tiny, I stayed up late. I started writing when they went to bed, and kept writing until 1 AM, sometimes until 3 AM.
Time passed. The kids grew. I got up at 4 AM, and wrote until it was time to make breakfast.
The kids are long gone, but these days I have other things which would ensure that I don’t have time to write a book if I allowed it.
The solution? I make my current book the first thing I write each day. Then I snatch another hour or so in odd moments throughout the day. I also write in bed, before I go to sleep.
Got 20 minutes a day?
When I’m coaching students who want to write a book, I start them off slowly. I ask them to devote just ten minutes a day to their book.
Everyone can find ten minutes a day.
You can:
* Write in your car, before you go in to work;
* Write while watching TV;
* Write while you’re on hold on the phone;
* Write during boring meetings (everyone will think you’re taking notes);
* Dictate for ten minutes while you’re waiting for your kids…
Ten minutes a day isn’t a big deal. Everyone can find ten minutes a day.
Once the students are writing for ten minutes a day, I ask them to find another ten minutes… and they do.
In 20 minutes, I can write 500 words, which is around two pages. Maybe you can only write a page in 20 minutes — or 100 words. It doesn’t matter. Here’s what counts: you’re developing the writing habit.
That habit will stand you in good stead over the years.
Once you’ve got the writing habit, you won’t be able to stop yourself writing. It will fit seamlessly into your life. I write every day — and that includes Christmas Day. I can’t remember a day when I haven’t written over the past few years.
20 minutes a day keeps you “in” your book
20 minutes a day may not sound like much. It does one important thing. It keeps you in your book — connected to it.
You’ll find yourself brainstorming while you’re driving, or mowing the lawn. I get most of my best ideas in the shower.
You’ve been thinking about your book, so once you sit down at your desk, or on the sofa, you just start writing. You don’t procrastinate.
Many of my students who’ve become full-time writers have told me that they got more writing done when they were working, and could only find 20 minutes a day. When you have lots of time, you’ll waste lots of time, researching, or browsing the Web.
If you only have 20 minutes, those minutes have a way of expanding, because you find yourself “writing” when you’re doing other things. When you get to your computer, your fingers fly, because you know exactly what you want to write.
You CAN write a book in your spare time. Get started today.
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I agree SO MUCH with this post! I try to spend at least 30 minutes a day writing. Sometimes it means staring at the screen for 20 minutes and writing for 10, sometimes it means I sit down start writing an an hour later I panic because I haven’t done the work I was supposed to. It’s different every day, but it pushes the plot just a step further every day.