In Which You Find the Time

Fantastic idea? Check. 

Motivation? Check.

Time, once you carve out work, family, kids, exercise… 

This is where a lot of ideas end before they even get started.

People often ask me where I found the time to write a book. I do have four kids, two of which are home schooled, and quite an active social life. Even so, I’m probably not any busier than anybody else.

The trick, and this should be no surprise, is time management. It’s a ghastly word, but it takes many forms.

It could be giving up something nonessential (American Idol?? Facebook??) in order to spend that time writing.

It could be setting time limits on your activities in order to squeak out an extra hour or two of writing time.

Or it could be waking up an extra hour or two early to work while the house is quiet.

For me, I wrote most of my first novel during two summer breaks, while my children ran free throughout the house and yard, and we had no homework or bedtimes to dictate our time. If one is not naturally organized (guilty here), it does help to set a daily or weekly goal, so that even if you don’t write anything ground-breaking, you’re at least writing something.

Another helpful tool is a notebook. If you can’t haul your laptop everywhere, having a place to jot ideas/thoughts/dialogue is quite handy. Waiting in line somewhere? Forget checking Facebook on your phone - write a scene in your notebook. Be as sloppy as you please, throw capital letters and grammar rules to the wind - nobody is checking! Inspiration can hit you at those crazy times, and if you don't jot it down, you'll forget all about it in the face of homework, the Crock Pot, and Pinterest.

I have met literally dozens of people who say, "I have a great idea for a book. I just don't have the time to write it..."

Luckily for those of us who love to read, the world is filled with authors who did find the time... and so can you.