Bev Walton~Porter

Bev Walton-Porter - Colorado Springs author

Beat the Clock: Time Management for Writers

By Bev Walton-Porter

What's the biggest excuse I hear from people who want to write, but don't? I'll bet you can already guess the answer: "But I don't have TIME to write!"

The concern is understandable. In today's society, 40 hours of work per week has stretched to 60, sometimes 80, and after work we have the kids' activities, community volunteerism and other obligations and concerns. Not having enough time seems to be an insidious disease wending its way through society's veins. We try to be all, do all, please all. But you know what? Here's the fallacy - we can't be/do/please all the time.

The Fallacy of "No Time to Write"

First of all, I believe that somehow, some way, there is always a way to find time to write - if you really want to write. That is the key. Many people want to talk about writing and how they love to do it, but when it comes down to the bottom line, they aren't committed enough to carve out the time they need. If you want to meet any level of success with your writing, you must find time to write. Simple, but a basic truism.

When I worked full-time at a job other than writing, I had two breaks per day, plus a lunch hour. That added up to one hour and 40 minutes' worth of time when I could etch out writing time. Instead of using 40 minutes of my break time sitting in the coffee room gossiping about who wore what today or who was having the biggest house built on the other side of town, I chose to read or write. "Read," you say? "Why, that's not writing!" Ah, but when you read instructional books on writing, it is still doing the work. You read the book, and then apply the principals learned therein.

During lunch hour, I would hop in my car and go have lunch by myself. I'd pull through the drive-thru of a fast food place and then pull in an empty space in the parking lot to eat. After eating, I'd pull out my notebook and begin writing. Even if eating took me a leisurely ten minutes, that still gave me 40 minutes to write and another ten minutes to return to work.

Unbelievably, no one ever cared to comment on my ability to waste time sitting downstairs gossiping with the rest of the company coworkers. But once I began doing something constructive with my time, people became very interested in what I was doing and why I was doing it. My ex-boss even hinted that perhaps I should "be more social and play cards" with the rest of them. Since when does my boss own my break time?

Then it occurred to me that perhaps since I was using my time productively, that maybe the others felt a bit guilty. Eventually, I decided that I was free to spend my break time they way I wanted, just as everyone else did. Eventually, it was accepted that break time was my reading/writing time.
Amazingly, by the time I quit my full-time job to go full-time freelance, a handful of other ex-gossipers were actually bringing their own books and notebooks to work and began reading/writing. I took that as a sign of promise: rather than issue catty remarks about a coworker's short mini skirt and too much blush, people were choosing to pursue more intellectual, productive activities.

Did my reading/writing time pay off during those last couple of years? Resoundingly, "yes!" That time spent reading, researching, learning and writing gave me a firm foundation and knowledge to strike out on my own and become a freelancer. Where are my ex-gossiping coworkers? They're still working at jobs they hate. They'll retire in another decade or two and get a nice cake and punch and a party and maybe a plaque for their time of service.

But although I've given up the security of a regular paycheck, I've gained many more benefits -- like being home when the kids get on and off the bus; like being able to help out at the school when the teacher asks for assistance; like not having an insane stress level which, in the past, actually caused my nails to become ridged and bent. Freelancing is stressful and there are no guarantees; however, the stress is remarkably different and quite a bit less. What makes the difference? I actually love what I do. And carving out extra time to write during my breaks or lunch hours helped me make the leap to full-time.

Before I continue, I have to share this anecdote: a best-selling author, who shall remained unnamed, once told a packed room at a writing conference the story of how she used to literally lock herself in the bathroom of her former place of employment to write. I can't quite remember if it was on her break time or during her lunch hour, but I still remember the peals of laughter which rang out and rippled across the crowd when she admitted her "bathroom behavior."

Although this seems funny, always remember that when you're supposed to be working at your "real" job, you should do just that: work. That doesn't mean to sneak your writing in on the job. Now, the argument could be made that employers could make a stink about you writing on your break time, but I don't think most of them will. However, I believe that if you leave for lunch and are off the premises completely, then they shouldn't have a beef with what you do in your own car.

Managing to Find Time to Write!

Aha! So you're thinking I meant something else by time management, huh? Maybe visions of daily planners rolling around in your head? Really, the true element of time management is nothing more than taking an honest look at your schedule and deciding what you can do less of to write more. In addition, it also means using idle time doing something productive.

This is what I mean:

1. Television time. How many hours a week do you spend watching television? You'd be amazed once you add it up. A couple hours each night multiplied by seven and you have 14 whole hours you could've used to write. Okay, so you don't want to miss your favorite shows? Tape them and watch them only after you've devoted yourself to writing at least an hour a day. Even if you cut back your TV viewing by half, that gives you much more time than you had before!
This is how I view television: it's an interesting medium, but unless it's educational TV or the news, I'm not very interested. If you're planning on writing a script for TV, I can understand why you might want to watch a ton of series or sitcoms, but otherwise, when you watch TV, make it more of a quality experience: watch public television, Discovery channel, The Learning Channel, The History Channel, Biography, A & E or any other station which offers informative programs that you can use as grist for the mill in your writing/creating.
Bottom line: if you're a TV junkie, cut your TV time at least in half to find time to write.

2. Idle Time. How do you spend your time when you're stuck waiting in the doctor's office or in the body shop customer center? This is idle time -- use it to write! Make a practice of carrying a small notebook and pen with you so you can pop it out at a moment's notice and jot down ideas or article outlines -- or even begin an article.

Example: one year while returning home from a trip to a writers' conference in Kansas City, Missouri, I became bored as a passenger watching endless miles of asphalt race by outside the car window. Having just come off a writer's high from attending a conference with many published writers, suddenly I had an idea for an article.
I reached into my briefcase and found a small pad of yellow, lined paper and a pen. Within a 1/2 an hour, I'd penned a rough draft of what eventually became "Eight Great Ways to Jump-start Your Writing." To date, that article has been reprinted more times than any of my other articles. And the idea was hatched, then put in written form, during idle time. Time I would have otherwise spent watching flakes of snowing blow across cold asphalt on the way back home from Kansas City, Missouri.

Got idle time? Use it! Just because you're stuck waiting on something or somebody, that doesn't mean you can't make the best use of that time.

3. Claim One Special Writing Day for Yourself. Perfect timing for this topic. Why? Because the day after tomorrow is my birthday and I claim that as my day to do whatever I want (within reason, of course.) The gift I will give myself is the time to write whatever I want, just for that day. Maybe I'll decide to write haiku, even though I haven't written haiku in ages. Maybe I'll decide to just write in a journal all day. Whatever I decide, it'll be my day and the gift I give to myself is the time to write without guilt or judgment.

Give yourself the gift of one special day to write - but think in terms of every week. Then, once a year (perhaps on your birthday), give yourself the gift of one day of writing creatively in any form and about anything you want to write. Reconnect yourself with your love of writing. This is very important if you're a full-time or part-time freelancer. Why? Because you write for a living, and it's easy to get away from writing just because you love to do it.
Don't be afraid to take the time to experiment! This year I'm going to experiment by beginning a children's book that's been stuffed down in my mind for most of the year. Will it sell? Who knows. Do I care? Nope. Why? Because I'm setting aside my special writing day to create something I simply want to try for the pure pleasure of it.

4. Prioritize. Yes, even writing has a priority in your life, but make sure it's ranked in the right spot. In the grand scheme of things, your family and duties as wife, husband, mother, grandmother, grandfather, etc. come before writing. Find a happy medium and stick with it. If that means you have to get up a little earlier or stay up a little later to fit writing into your home life, then so be it. You are entitled to writing time, but not to the detriment of your loved ones. You know what is reasonable, and so do they.

You may think it's impossible to find time to write, but I would challenge that statement. I say if you want to write, you'll always find time to write, period. It may take some readjustments on your part, but it can be done. If you want to write enough and you have that burning desire to create. In the end, I believe writing either chooses you or it doesn't. If you have the fever for the written word in your veins, nothing will keep you from creating those articles, essays, poems or novels. Like water, air and food, the need is basic and elementary.

This week, sit down and take a serious look at your lifestyle and the demands on your time. Grab a piece of paper and work it out in black and white. Where are the spaces that can be filled with writing? What activities are you willing to curtail or eliminate in favor of stalking your dream and making it reality? Remember, writing doesn't just happen; you have to make the commitment and take daily steps if you intend to meet and exceed the personal writing goals you've set for yourself.

===
© Bev Walton-Porter. All written work by the author and posted on this site is protected by copyright. Sharing of content is generally okay by me, but please ask permission first (e-mail scribequill@gmail.com). In addition, include credit/citation of the original source as well as a link back to this blog. Abstractions are fine as long as you use proper citation as well. Questions? Drop me a line. Thanks!