Finding time to write is something all writers, including me, struggle with. Here are three things to try if you're having trouble sitting down to write.
What Can You Give Up
Everyone is busy these days. Our schedules are packed. But if you really sit down and look at where you're spending your time, you can find things to give up, so you have time to write. I recently gave up scrolling through Instagram and I took it off my phone. I was procrastinating looking at funny cat videos instead of writing. If it's not social media, maybe you need to give up watching television or playing video games. Be honest with yourself about your time suck habits and decide to give one up and use that time to write. Think of this as a temporary promise to yourself. You're not giving up video games, cat videos, and true crime documentaries forever. This is a temporary habit to help you get more words on the page.
Schedule Your Time
You know what time of day you write the best. Block off half an hour on your calendar during your optimal time for writing. Guard that time. Don't schedule anything there. Doctor's appointments, lunch with friends, or running errands will have to be a different time of day. Having a set schedule will build your writing habit.
Mark your progress
If you feel like you are making progress on your project, you are more likely to sit down and work on it. Give yourself a break and set small, manageable goals for your writing practice. Maybe you're only writing three days a week for half an hour. Or your goal is just 500 words for the week. The smaller the better here so that you can build consistency and see progress. How much 500 words a week adds up will surprise you. And who knows, maybe soon you'll be turning out 3000 words a week. Start small and keep going.
Fun Stuff Writing Stuff
The Spring 2025 Dialogue Dash lead by Jeff Elkins, the Dialogue Doctor, starts March 31!
For $80, join a cohort of like-minded writers all working together to finish our books in 80 days.
- For the first 30 days, we will focus on planning our novel together with a weekly webinar and 3 different hours a week to ask questions of one of the Dialogue Doctor Coaches.
- For the month of May, we will write together. The 3 hours a week will continue, and the coaches will provide daily encouragement videos.
- For the first two weeks of June, the weekly webinars will resume so the coaches can focus on equipping you to edit what you've written.
This is a wonderful chance to jump start a writing project with a great community!
Trope Conference April 4 & 5
I am a big fan of tropes! Audiences love them and they strengthen your writing. Jennifer Hilt the creator of the Trope Thesaurus, is hosting the Trope Conference April 4 & 5, featuring authors talking about their favorite tropes. The $79 event is virtual, so you can attend from your living room.
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