Writing on a Busy Schedule

            As a part-time worker, full-time student, and extrovert, I am no stranger to busy schedules. I work and do school during the week, and weekends are usually full of events and deadlines. Most often I finish my to-do list and feel too exhausted to focus on something like writing. In the past, before I became serious about my writing, I would take weeks, even months, off from my manuscript.

            I know I’ve mentioned in past blog posts (like “It’s Okay to Take a Day”) that sometimes more important things like family and work get in the way of writing. But I also said that if our schedule is consistently busy (as it is in my case), then we need to find a way to squeeze in writing.

Squeeze writing into your schedule

            On Monday, I started school again, which means I have fully plunged back into the world of busyness after the holidays. Tuesday, I didn’t finish homework until 9:30 (after having worked and run errands all day), and by then, I was so tired that I didn’t want to write. But I told myself just one chapter, just look through one chapter. So I threw on my pajamas, climbed into bed, turned on my favorite music (which is currently John Powell’s How to Train Your Dragon soundtracks), and forced myself to write. What I wanted to accomplish didn’t take as long as I thought, so I had twenty minutes of fun reading before crashing.

            Sometimes we can’t control what our day will look like. Things pop up, errands suddenly need to be run, family needs must be met. Perhaps your only free moment is while you’re in bed. Some authors even wake up early in the morning before everyone else wakes in order to get writing done. I’m not saying you should become sleep deprived (please take care of yourself), but sometimes we need to find those moments of peace where we aren’t being showered by the commands of the day.

            Some authors write on certain days of the week. If you’re busy with work and school during the week, for example, but your weekends are free, then the weekend is a great time to cram in as much writing as you can. Yes, you may have to do more. But will you write better after a busy day when you can barely keep your eyes open, or on a day you have little to nothing to do and probably have a better amount of sleep?

            I know which one I’d choose. Sadly, my weekends are full too, haha!

Find the little moments

            I have used this quote in at least one blog post (“The Best Writing Advice I’ve Heard”), but bear with me. Famous author Brandon Sanderson once said “…start to look for moments when no one is asking you to do anything and… use those to work on your stories” (Lecture #1: Introduction, 38:44). In the same blog post I mentioned above, I talked about how while I worked at the front desk and had nothing to do, I started to write, even if it was just for a little bit. It helped me pass the time, and it helped me get writing done during a busy workday.

            If you have fifteen minutes before an event, appointment, or work, you can get more done than you think. On days I arrived at work early, I’d open the Notes app on my phone and get a few paragraphs written before going in. It helped me write on days I usually wouldn’t get any writing done. It also surprised me how much I could actually get done when I didn’t have any distractions around me! Fifteen minutes is longer than you think.

            Find moments, no matter how small they are, to get some writing done even if you’re busy. You don’t have to have a computer. Some authors use a pen and a napkin, I use the Notes app, and I’m sure there are other methods. Sitting in your car and brainstorming can even count! As long as you’re doing something that will benefit your writing, then that can count toward your writing time.

Committing to writing

            Writing is a commitment. Often authors work a full-time job and/or have a family to take care of on top of writing. Pushing through the tiredness in order to write takes perseverance and discipline, but it’s possible (even if it takes a couple cups of coffee or tea).

            Like I did on Tuesday, say you will work on one thing, whether that’s a chapter, a page, a scene, etc. Even if you stop at the end of that one thing, you still got something done! But sometimes you may find you are on a roll and will end up writing longer. Just the act of sitting down and putting words on paper can help you slip into writer-mode.

            You can also say you will write for a certain amount of time. Don’t feel like you have to stop at that exact time though (unless you have someplace to be). The idea is just to get as much writing done as you can, and if you go on for a while, then so be it!

            Committing to writing may also include looking at your schedule and seeing what you can cut out. If you are serious about your writing, that counts as one of your priorities. Perhaps you have to miss a weekly event to get your word count done, or maybe you need to postpone coffee with your friend so you can meet a deadline. I know, it’s hard, but even though the writing life can be fun, it also requires sacrifices.

            As a busy bee, I know it’s tempting to skip writing because of exhaustion. But if your schedule is always busy like mine is, then some adjustments need to be made. This is a lesson I have been struggling to learn myself, but I am trying to get better because I see the importance of it. Let’s work together to stay awake and get our writing done!

Bibliography

Sanderson, B. (2020). Lecture #1: Introduction – Brandon Sanderson on writing science fiction and fantasy. [Video] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-6HOdHEeosc&list=PLSH_xM-KC3Zv-79sVZTTj-YA6IAqh8qeQ&index=2 (author website, brandonsanderson.com)