In one of my blogs last month, one of the reasons I said why writing is a Good Hobby is because you don’t need all the time in the world to sit down and write. Today, I want to talk about how to write when you’re busy, and my top tips on how you can still create even when your diary is jam packed with other activities.
Focus on one project
It’s easy when you’re busy to try and let your ideas list spiral out of control. After all, it’s easier to write down a new idea than it is to try an execute an existing one.
However, my first top tips is when you’re busy focus on one project. Have one project that’s your key project, the priority for your time. That way, when you find yourself with ten minutes free to spend doing your creativity, you can crack on with writing rather than picking which idea you want to focus on.
Slow and Steady
When you’re busy, the progress you can make on your project can seem incremental. Almost so incremental that you can’t really tell what progress apart from the fact you opened up the document to try and work on it.
This is my next tip – remind yourself that slow and steady gets you to the end of the race as well. Sure, you might not have all the time in the world but that does not mean your project is any less worthwhile. It just means you might get to the end of your project a little later than you otherwise would have.
Everyone has their own path
When you’re busy, especially when you’re busy, it can feel like everyone else has all the time in the world. Of course, that is why they can write, with all of that time and lack of stress or commitments holding them back.
This is my next tip: remind yourself that everyone has their own path. Remind this to yourself when you see someone take a different path to your own, and remind yourself that your path, despite being busy and sometimes overwhelming, is 100% yours to own.
Your busy life will not stop you achieving your goal, it will just mean you take a different path to get there.
Writing isn’t always the most important thing
Sometimes, other things take precedence over writing, and that is okay. In fact, that is more than okay. Because your job pays for your day-to-day life, your relationships give your life richness and your other activities give you different opportunities to grow. Not everything has to be about writing.
So when you have ten minutes and you decide that writing isn’t the most important thing that day, don’t feel guilty. It’s okay to make something else the priority.
Set your expectations in reality
Linked to a number of the points above, set your expectations realistically. If you’re busy, then it might be unreasonable to say that you’ll finish your novel in a few months. So don’t punish yourself if you take longer with something – instead, set your goals knowing how busy you actually are.
Then, when you achieve those goals (and you will!) you’ll be doing so without burning out.
What are your tips?
Do you have any tips for how to manage writing whilst you’re busy? Let me know in the comments below!
Alex.J.Cobalt is a fantasy writer from the UK. When she’s not working away at her fantasy novel series, she posts free flash fictions on her website, along with regular blogs about writing.
Featured Image Credit: Andrijana Bozic on Unsplash
- How To: Write when you’re busyIn one of my blogs last month, one of the reasons I said why writing is a Good Hobby is because you don’t need all the time in the world to sit down and … More How To: Write when you’re busy
- How To: A Character’s VoiceHaving a distinctive character voice for each character can help your reader understand their secret inner words. Not just through dialect, but the type of words they use and who they use those words … More How To: A Character’s Voice
- How To: MiddlesThe middle. The point of the story were the story finds its feet. It’s also the point where the writer of the story can lose their mind. Middles, I’ve found are always a tough … More How To: Middles
- How To: Exposition and DescriptionThis month we’re on writing craft, and specifically exposition and description. Exposition and description is one of my favourite parts of writing, its my chance to reel in the reader into my world, show … More How To: Exposition and Description
- How To: BeginningsBeginnings. The blank page, staring at you, almost mockingly. The cursor blinking. Write something. Write something. Write something. We’ve all been there, at the start of a new project or story, with no idea … More How To: Beginnings
- How To: Power and PoliticsIdentifying how power works in your world is important because, let’s be honest, power is what drives society. Who has it, who doesn’t have it, and what those in power do with that power … More How To: Power and Politics
Check out my privacy policy for the legal bits about signing up to my Newsletter
