Did anyone take part in NaNoWriMo? That’s National Novel Writing Month, always held in November. The challenge is to write the first draft of a 50,000-word novel in 30 days. Sceptical? Thousands have done it. Many have gone on to get published.
But those of us writers who don’t have a giant S printed on our clingy spandex chests find it hard to get 50 pages done in a month, much less 50,000 words! We have jobs, studies, kids, spouses, sick family members, elderly parents, pets, fitness and a hundred million other things crowding our already cluttered lives. How do we do all this and still shove our writing project in edgways? Are we crazy?
Now that I write and edit full time, it’s a lot easier, as it’s a clear case of work or starve. But when I was in corporate life, and when the kids were younger, it was a challenge. I figured out a couple of tricks, and I’ll share them with you — on the condition that you’ll share yours with me.
Eat one-handed
For years I ate at my desk at work, stuffing my face with one hand while the other tapped out my story. I learned fast which foods are easiest to eat while working, like sandwiches, pizza, or roti, and which need to be avoided, like steak or spaghetti, which require concentration and dexterity (and two hands) if you plan to avoid disaster.
Even if I scarfed down my lunch (trying not to choke), I could still cram maybe 30 minutes of writing time in there. Doesn’t sound like much, but it adds up. (And this may be TMI, but I also learned to breastfeed one-handed for the same reason.)
Dictate to yourself
If you’re busy doing something else (housework, driving, that sort of stuff), try dictating your thoughts into a recorder or phone. (Make sure your phone is hands free if you’re driving, please!) I personally don’t use this method as I actually type faster than I think, but it’s a great solution for many people.
Just don’t dictate while walking down the street or while using public transportation, lest you get carted off for a psychiatric evaluation.
Drop by drop
As the elders say, “Drop by drop will fill a bucket”. Don’t stress if you can’t find a nice long couple of hours to write in. Do it one page a day and you’ll have a largish novel in a year. That’s better than most people who claim they want to write ever achieve.
Don’t be nasty to yourself
Many writers, including seasoned ones, get so bogged down in rewriting and editing a few pages that they never finish the whole book. The best advice I ever got was “Finish the book, then edit it.” Soldier onwards to the end before you look back; it will help you focus on your progress rather than spinning top in mud, going round and round in circles, but heading nowhere.
Palm off your responsibilities
If you can afford it, get someone to come in and help with the housework, even if it’s just once a week, to free you up a bit. Palm off the kids on a relative (slip them some money for ice cream and they won’t complain). Lock your door. Scribble “Do Not Disturb” on your forehead. Treat yourself to a beach house weekend. Every now and then you deserve a nice long idyll with your masterpiece. Go for it!
Other good ideas
- Take a coffee/writing break. It’s a cliché, but coffee shops exist for a reason.
- Write while someone else is driving.
- Fit the task to the time allotted; big jobs for big chunks of time, and so on.
- Play deaf. What? You were asking me to get up and fix dinner? Sorry, I didn’t hear you!
- Squeeze in an extra hour at the start or end of your day. (Personally, I’m at my best at dawn.)
- Be your own dominatrix: reward yourself for being good, and punish yourself for being naughty.
- Stop using ‘busy’ as an excuse. We’re all busy. The only person I know who isn’t is my dog. How badly do you want this?
- Your book—and your readers-in-waiting—will thank you when you’re done.
Do you have any tips or tricks to add? How easy is it for you to find time to write? Let’s hear your comments.
