Writing, as many writers will agree, is a lot like breathing. I can’t imagine a life where I’m not writing regularly.
Yet like many writers, I have a 9-to-5 job that does not typically involve writing (I’m not counting work emails here). There’s limited time during the week to actually write.
Work takes up 40 hours of my week, plus commuting time. Plus all of the times when I have a more irregular work schedule with professional commitments outside of business hours, which are times when I’m unable to compartmentalize my job into those 40 hours. By the time I get home, I’m exhausted, and some days, the last thing that I want to do is write.
But I do.
(Caveat: I don’t have many outside-of-work commitments–no kids, no pets, etc.–so I am writing from that perspective, though many of these tips are applicable for anyone regardless of commitments outside of work.)
Here’s how I’ve figured it out.
Time-Related Tips:
Waking up earlier
I know, I know. You’ve probably heard this one before. So that I can squeeze in an hour of writing before leaving for work, I’ve started waking up an hour earlier than I usually do. I know that many people don’t have that option. But what about fifteen minutes? Five? You’d be surprised at how much you can get down on paper in that amount of time. Even if you only manage a paragraph–even a sentence–in those five minutes, that’s one more paragraph or sentence than you had yesterday.
Setting timers
To continue along that thread, setting a timer for those five or fifteen minutes goes a long way. You know exactly when your writing time starts and when it ends. This also helps you budget your time. Ready to leave for work, but you have ten minutes to spare? Set a timer for seven minutes, that way you give yourself a buffer and aren’t rushing out the door.
I wrote my PhD dissertation using variations of the pomodoro method. A traditional pomodoro is twenty-five minutes, with a five-minute break between pomodoros to stretch, unload your dishwasher, step outside for a quick vitamin D boost, whatever.
But I’d also grab minutes wherever I could in settings where I knew I had limited, structured time, doing edits during TV commercials, on the train to work, in waiting rooms at doctor’s offices, at the kitchen counter while waiting for pasta to cook, etc. And it worked.
Making the most of your lunch hour
I’m a fan of taking printed pages–or some kind of a notebook–to work. Why? This allows me to add to or edit a scene from a book, polish an article, or write a short story by hand. I just need a pen and paper and no electronic devices.
Have a lunch break that lasts an hour, but you’ve got to run errands and you only have twenty minutes left before you have to be back at your desk? Use those twenty minutes to write. Half-hour lunch break with errands? Squeeze in five–even two–minutes. (One sentence, remember?) And, following the tips above, set a timer that’s a couple of minutes less than the time you actually have.
Whatever you do during lunchtime to further your writing, please rest your eyes from a computer screen. We spend unhealthy amounts of time in front of screens (all of my computers are permanently on “night shift” mode that cancels blue light), so give yourself a break during work hours. Yes, you’ll probably end up in front of a screen after work anyway if you do any evening writing. And as a human in the twenty-first century, you have other non-work commitments that require a screen, like helping your kid with homework, finding a nearby auto mechanic or dentist, or planning a weekend away.
Using vacation time to write
If you have a 9-to-5, chances are there is some kind of vacation benefit built into that. Using vacation time to write is a luxury and probably not the first thing that comes to mind when you think “vacation.” I get it. And sometimes vacation time is needed for other stuff, like a family commitment or anything that comes up but doesn’t qualify as sick leave, like car repairs, house-hunting, or being at home when someone has to deliver your refrigerator. (On that note, you can also write while waiting for the refrigerator.)
But you can use that vacation time and take a day to 1) recharge (I’m a big believer in the 4-day work week), 2) create more distance between yourself and your job than you can during a regular two-day weekend, and 3) have more time to write with less of a time crunch.
Creating boundaries
This is a crucial one, and one that I have struggled with but have finally started to master. I used the word “compartmentalize” above. It’s difficult, sometimes, to shut off work notifications. And sometimes, depending on your job, you can’t shut them off (for example, if it’s a job that requires you to be on call).
But your job is not your entire life. So take small steps to create those boundaries between work and the rest of your life. Those steps will go a long way toward quality writing time, not to mention your overall self-care. Tell yourself you will not, under any circumstances, stay late unless it’s absolutely, time-sensitive necessary. And when you are on your lunch break, do not check your work emails on your phone. When you are at home sitting in front of the TV, do not open your laptop to work on that spreadsheet that you can finish tomorrow morning. (I am guilty of all of these things, but now understand that that behavior is unhealthy.)
Recently, I went on a work trip. After an event concluded, several others on the trip were going out to dinner. But I chose not to go. Instead, I used that time to disconnect from work and to edit the draft I wrote during NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month). Writing and self-care, all in one. Boundaries.
Other strategic writing moves:
Joining a writing group for accountability
This one has been key for me. I’m a part of two virtual writing groups, and it’s been fantastic motivation. The key here is accountability; you have to show up and write during that session, or show up and share something you’ve written, or critique someone else’s work. It’s also a great way to meet other writers! You can do many components of your creative process alone (I’m an introvert, so I get that), but you cannot write in a vacuum.
If you aren’t sure about finding a writing group, at least find a writing buddy, or turn to a family member or friend for moral support. If other people know you’re writing, you’re more likely to actually write.
Prioritizing the type of writing that you want to do
Is your goal to be a novelist? Poet? Journalist? Blogger? Short story writer? Essayist? Screenwriter? Copywriter? A little bit of one or more of those things, or something else not on the list?
Take some time (set a timer!) to write out what your writing goals are. You can do it in two minutes. What type of writing is most important to you, and what are some other areas you’re interested in? What are you working on right now, and what types of writing bring you the most joy? (Get creative here. I will go out on a limb and guess that “work emails” will not be on that list.)
Clarifying your vision: What do you want from your writing?
Do you want to be a hobbyist? Have a side hustle? Ditch your 9-to-5 to write full-time? Whatever the case, figure out what it is, because this will help you with your broader goals. What’s your “I can do this in a year” goal with your writing, plus a dream that’s associated with it? What’s your pie-in-the-sky, shoot-for-the-moon dream for yourself as a writer?
For me: Year goal = have the novel I’m currently revising ready to pitch to agents after it goes through beta readers and critique partners. Year dream = sign with an agent. Out-there pie/moon goal = People love my book, it’s a bestseller, I feel like I’ve truly contributed something special to the world (and, okay, it becomes one in a gazillion that gets turned into a hit movie).
Which, now that we’ve done this healthy dose of dreaming, leads me to my next point…
Setting concrete, achievable goals (day, week, month, etc.)
If you hope to be a novelist, “finish novel” is one of your primary writing goals. But let’s break that down into bite-sized pieces. What can you do today? Can you finish that scene? Probably. What can you do in a week? Can you finish that chapter? Also probably.
I set goals for myself like “write x scene” or “read through and edit x article” that can be done during a lunch hour or in a before or after-work writing pomodoro. If I’m in the middle of writing something, “finish full first draft” is usually in the three-ish month time frame.
Setting these small goals is how I managed to write a dissertation with a full-time job. And in this past year, I’ve written two novel drafts, submitted a couple of articles for online publication, entered short story contents, and churned out numerous other short stories that I’ll pitch throughout this year. I don’t say this to brag, though I do think we as writers need to be kinder to ourselves in recognizing our achievements. I say this to show that it’s not impossible to prioritize writing.
Last but not least: Call yourself a writer
I cannot overstate this enough. Writers write. You do not have to be published to call yourself a writer. It is a skill, a talent, a gift. Whatever your 9-to-5 is, you are also a writer. That thought keeps a spark going in me whenever I’m having a rough day, whenever I’m tired, whenever I’m discouraged or unhappy. But I’m a writer, and it’s something I’ll always have to turn to.
I’ll say it one more time: You. Are. A. Writer. Now say it to yourself out loud: I am a writer. In every writing group I’ve joined, every conference or workshop I’ve attended, every online community I am even tangentially a part of, this is the common thread. Own it, be proud of it, and put the damn pen to paper (or hands to keyboard).
Post image: Canva – bongkarn thanyakij
