I’ve got a coaching client who hasn’t sent me anything to read in advance of our weekly coaching sessions for a month. We’ve been working together for years and he’s nearly always sent me at least a chapter to read. This past month? Nothing.
He’s way too busy at work.
When we get on our call, he tells me he’s thrilled to have gotten three hours of sleep the night before because he was working. That’s crazy!! But that’s his life just now.
But the thing is, despite the fact that he’s so incredibly busy, he has not cancelled our weekly meeting. Why? Because writing is important to him. It’s his hobby, his outlet, his way of connecting with friends and others.
So, if you are like my client and simply too busy to write, here are ten things you can do to get whatever you can done:
- Make a date with your book (or your book coach). Whether it’s every day, three days a week, or just once a week, make a date to sit down and write. No matter what else is going on, you need to keep that date, so make sure it’s some time when you know you’ll be able to take a little time out of your busy schedule.
- Keep something with you to write on at all times: a notebook, a special note on your phone. If you have fifteen minutes between meetings, are waiting for your child, or have a few minutes at lunch, make sure you always have something on hand to write with or on.
- Don’t give yourself a goal. Yeah, that one sounds crazy, but for some people if they know that when they sit down to write they must produce x number of words or write for a specified amount of time, they might never sit down because they know they’ll fail. If, however, you don’t set a goal, you just sit down and open up your book on your computer, there’s no pressure. If you write 15 words, that’s fine; write 1500, that great! If you don’t add anything to your ms, but just jot down some ideas, that really good because the next time you do sit down, you’ll know what to do.
- Don’t be perfect. No one writes their final draft the first time. We all write a terrible first draft, but it gives us something to fix, something to edit. If you believe that what you write every time you sit down is going to be golden and publishable, you may not do it. It really doesn’t matter how bad it is, just write. Give yourself permission to write badly. It’s writing that counts.
- Plot your book in advance. If you know what you need to write, it’s so much easier to dash something off in your spare fifteen minutes. If you’re a plotter, this will be easy. Just plot out your book and keep those notes handy (on your phone or in that notebook you carry around with you) so that no matter where you are, you know what you need to write. If you’re a pantser, you might try keeping a plotting journal (I’ve already put one together for you, just follow the link). In your journal, write down what you wrote today and what you need to write the next time you sit down. It’s so much easier, especially if you only have a few minutes, to write when you know what you’ve got to do.
- Write with friends. There are a number of ways to write with friends. If you’re a member of a writer’s group, they probably host a Zoom “room” where people can gather either anytime or at specific times on specific days. Alternatively, you could make it a social occasion for you and your writer friends. Get together at a coffee shop or host a playdate for your kids where you and your friend can sit together and write. There is something about having someone else writing at the same time as you that is really inspiring—even if they’re just on a screen.
- Write with your kids. They’ve got homework to do, so have you! Sit down together to get it done. You will be there to answer any questions they might have and you’ll be an excellent role model for them.
- Use a voice recorder. You’ve probably got one right on your phone. Record messages to yourself or, if you can do it, actually write your book verbally. There are plenty of apps that will take your spoken word and convert it into text.
- Just think and dream-if you’re doing something mindless like commuting to work, taking the kids to soccer practice, or cooking dinner, stop thinking about everything else you have to do and think about your story instead. Play the movie of the next scene in your mind- but don’t distract yourself so much that you’re not being safe in the real world( done that—drove straight past my exit because I was too busy thinking.)
- Reward yourself. I always believe in rewarding yourself for getting those words down. You can give yourself an edible treat or permission to take a long bath. Whatever makes you feel good (and you have time for).
Just because you’re incredibly busy, doesn’t mean you can’t write your novel.