Author: Karen

  • How to Take a Break as a Creative Entrepreneur to Avoid Burnout

    How to Take a Break as a Creative Entrepreneur to Avoid Burnout

    African American woman with laptop and notebook laying on the floor How to Take a Break as a Creative Entrepreneur

     

    You know that feeling when you’ve been on your feet for hours or days, and the only thing you want to do is sit down? I can’t tell you how many times in my life I’ve felt like this. As a creative entrepreneur, it’s easy to get caught up in the work we have to do, not taking time for ourselves.

     

    In addition, what about our health? Our well-being? These are just as important as getting our work done. Burnout is a real problem that creative entrepreneurs face. Many of us struggle with taking breaks, and we end up working ourselves into the ground. God’s word reminds us:

    It is senseless for you to work so hard from early morning until late at night, fearing you will starve to death; for God wants his loved ones to get their proper rest. (Psalm 127:2)

     

    In today’s post, I’ll be sharing with you how to rest and reset your creativity so you can avoid burnout and return to your projects refreshed.

     

    Disclosure: This page may contain affiliate links, which means I receive a small commission, at no extra cost to you, if you purchase using the links.

     

    Changing your perception about taking a break can help you find balance as a creative entrepreneur.

    I know many creative entrepreneurs who never take a break from work and refuse to disconnect. Collapsing at the end of every day isn’t healthy for any individual; creative entrepreneurs must balance work and rest. Tell yourself it’s okay to take a break when you need one.  Ask God to give you the strength to let go, especially when you need a break.

     

     

    Schedule dedicated time to rest and refresh.

    Set aside dates on your calendar for vacation time or mental health days. If you work with an office team, let them know which times you will be out of the office and share any specific instructions about how they should proceed in your absence.  Add time with God to your daily schedule.  If you only have a few minutes, read scriptures or a daily devotional.

     

     

    Figure out the type of rest you need before taking a break.

    There are different types of rest. If you’ve been waking up early and going to bed late, you may need physical rest. After launching a product that took months to develop, you may need mental rest. If you’re feeling disconnected from God, you may need spiritual rest that allows you time to pray and fast. Once you figure out the type of rest you need, plan your break around this type of rest.

     

    Create an “idea box” for writing your thoughts and ideas 

    One of the great things about being a creative entrepreneur is that inspiration can strike any time. During your break, if an idea pops in your head, put it in your “idea box.” Your idea box can be a notebook or Post-It notes. When you have an idea, jot it down quickly, then return to what you were doing (which, hopefully, is nothing).

     

     

    Use the downtime to finally complete projects you’ve been putting off.

    If you want to take a break from your business, but you don’t want to disconnect your brain from all forms of work completely, perhaps you should complete a household project. For example, if you always wanted to tidy up the Marie Kondo way, your downtime may be a perfect opportunity to organize your clothes or books. But don’t overdo it. Your break should not be overwhelming or exhausting. Nor should it focus on working too hard.

     

     

    Don’t forget to include exercise during your downtime.

    Whether you decide to take a break for one day or two weeks, don’t forget to include exercise. Even if you only have 30 minutes, add at least one workout to your day off. Research shows exercise improves body image, self-esteem, and mental health. You don’t have to sign up for a turbo cycling class. If possible, go for a walk or play outside with your kiddos.

     

     

    Have fun!

    In trying to get away from the day-to-day grind of your business, remember why you took a break. Don’t add to your stress by adding a bunch of new projects. Instead, have fun on your day off. Play games, watch movies, spend time with friends and family.

     

     

    It’s easy to forget that we all need downtime. But, when you take a break from your hectic work schedule and focus on yourself for a change, it can do wonders for your productivity. Hopefully, the tips outlined here help get you started. So, don’t be afraid to schedule time away from the office or your business. You deserve a break.  Let me know what works best for you.

    Female legs crossed with pink sneakersHow to Take a Break as a Creative Entrepreneur

  • Valuable Lessons Learned from Save the Cat! Writes for TV

    Valuable Lessons Learned from Save the Cat! Writes for TV

    Desktop with Save the Cat! Writes for TV, camera, popcorn, clapboard, cup of coffee

     

    As part of my continuing quest to be a good writer and coach, I embrace the opportunity to read different books from various genres. So when I got the chance to read the television writer’s version of, Save the Cat! Writes for TV by Jamie Nash, I was anxious to see what I could learn from a book about television writing. 

     

    If you are unfamiliar with the Save the Cat! Methodology, I recommend you read Blake Synder’s Save The Cat! to learn more. Once you understand how this writing methodology works, it might make Nash’s take on writing for TV easier to follow.

     

    While lots of writers dream of writing a book, others dream of writing for television.  So if you have always wanted to write for television or you’re looking for a few more writing tips to add to your arsenal, here’s a look at some of the valuable lessons I learned from Save the Cat! Writes for TV .

     

    Disclosure: This page may contain affiliate links, which means I receive a small commission, at no extra cost to you, if you purchase using the links.

     

    Understanding the Save the Cat! Writes for TV formula

    When I started reading, Save the Cat! Writes for TV, I was new to the author’s work. But I soon learned that Nash, who describes himself as a writing fool, has written and sold various stories.  His work includes the horror films Exists, The Night Watchmen, and Altered, and the family films Santa Hunters and Tiny Christmas. In addition, Nash has written the Middle-Grade novels Bunk! and The 44 Rules of Amateur Sleuthing and the sci-fi novel Nomad. Nash also teaches screenwriting at Johns Hopkins University and MICA and co-hosts the podcast Writers/Blockbusters.

     

    In the book, Save the Cat! Writes for TV, Nash introduces the reader to the essential components every aspiring television writer needs in their portfolio:

     

    • Shows — Creating unique shows that could potentially run for several seasons.
    • Season Arcs — How to develop high-level pitches that convey the overall vibe of a series.
    • Pilots — The first episode of an original series.
    • TV Pitches — A five to 10-page overview that helps a television studio or network understand every element in the proposed TV series.

    Nash urges television writers to “start by writing stories you would want to see.” Instead of trying to guess what studio executives want to see, he encourages television writers to “write what you want.” Why? Because, as a television writer, you must be prepared to strive to write stories that are “you on a plate.”

     

    Nash’s book is 254 pages long and he arranged the book into 15 chapters. In each chapter, he explains how aspiring television writers create, manage, and “break story” (a phrase commonly used in TV). He explains that breaking into the world of television writing is not about having fancy degrees. Instead, a writer should be focused on “Conceiving your own show, its world, its people, and write an amazing first episode which both launches the show and demonstrates its promise.” But before you can write a great pilot, you need an excellent idea for a show.

     

    Lessons Learned from Save the Cat! Writes for TV

    Save the Cat! Writes for TV is full of tips and exercises writers can use to develop a show. For example, he explains how using Synder’s Save the Cat method using beats, which describe what happens next at a high level, helps television writers produce a script-ready detailed outline.  Here are some other important nuggets.

     

    • Your Show Needs a Sticky Hero (Chapter 2). Every television show must have characters that people want to see week after week. Nash calls these characters heroes — whether good or bad. Every hero needs three elements:

               A flaw — a personal problem to fix.

               A want — a trackable goal to pursue

               A need — a life lesson that to learn.

               Ultimately, the hero must go on a journey of change.

     

    • It’s Storytime (Chapter 3) In this chapter, the author stresses the importance of having a story DNA mapped out before outlining begins. One of the mistakes made by newbie television writers is having a collection of disjointed scenes or characters surrounded by settings or a situation. Instead, Nash believes the following formula makes every script strong: A protagonist (hero) who wants something (goal), but there is something or someone in the way (obstacle), and if they don’t achieve their goal, something terrible will happen (stakes).
    • Owning the Outline (Chapter 13) According to Nash, an outline helps television writers stop painting their stories with high-level brushstrokes and start laying out how each scene will work. The outline is not a script. Instead, the outline should translate into playable scenes that eventually become a script. A key point to remember: “An outline for an hour-long show is 12 to 15 pages. Anything over 18 is too long. Anything under five pages is a bit short.”

     

    The most satisfying part of the book is in Chapter 12 when Nash highlights building the board where you map out your story.  You can use a dry-erase board, a corkboard, or an electronic board.  Next, it’s time to build story cards, either using index cards or Post-It notes.  Following Synder’s beat sheet process, each card should include a summary of each beat.  The summary should only be one to three sentences. According to Nash, “Try to keep it fun and don’t get too hung up on rules or wording or overthinking.  If you get a wacky idea, put it in.  You can always tear it up later.”  

     

    Moving Forward

    Before ending the book, Nash helps us understand how to perfect the pitch, which are conversations and invitations to invite television executives to buy a show.   He encourages television writers to create a pitch document, which is 5-10 pages long and divided into seven sections.  

     

    If you are stuck in your writing or want to try television writing, I would recommend Save the Cat! Writes for TV.  I promise you that if you read Save the Cat! Writes for TV, with an open mind, you may come away with just what you need to start writing for television.

     

    Check out the Save the Cat! website at SaveTheCat.com or follow them on Instagram to stay up to date with all it does for the writing community.

     

    Save the Cat! Writes for TV

     

     

  • Creative Ways to Conquer Life as a Remote Worker and Creator

    Creative Ways to Conquer Life as a Remote Worker and Creator

    Female remote worker on Zoom call - Creative Ways to Balance Your Life as a Remote Worker and Creator

     

    The COVID-19 pandemic made 2020 the year the world went remote. But now, lots of companies are moving to permanent remote work arrangements.  For many people, remote work offers more freedom and opportunity to pursue dreams like running a small business, starting a podcast, or writing a book.  If you are a remote worker who wants to add a creative business to your schedule, here are some creative ways to conquer life as a remote worker and creator.

     

    Disclosure: This page may contain affiliate links, which means I receive a small commission, at no extra cost to you, if you make a purchase using the links.

     

    The remote work trend started long before COVID-19

    Remote work didn’t start with COVID-19.  Flex work and remote work rose in the US by 173% between 2005 and 2018.  According to LinkedIn’s  2019 Global Talent Trends report, 78% of the jobs posted on LinkedIn between 2016 and 2018 offered flexible work as an option.

     

    Now that the pandemic is coming to an end, some companies expect their employees to return to the office with no questions asked.  But many employees are saying, “Not so fast.” Seventy percent of people currently working from home don’t want to return to the office, at least not five days a week.  According to the 2020 State of Remote Work report, at least 80% of the people surveyed expect to work from home at least three days per week. At the same time, 77% of the people asked said that having the option to work from home would make them happier.

     

    So, what’s the biggest reason people want to continue working remotely (besides avoiding COVID-19)?  Work-life balance.  The majority of survey respondents believe that remote work would help them better manage their personal and professional lives.

     

    With this in mind, many people working remotely are wondering if now is the best time to pursue their creative dreams, perhaps writing, painting, or drawing.

     

    If you’re one of those people, good for you. As someone who’s been blessed to work from home for the past four years while growing my writing business,  here are a few creative ways o conquer life as a remote worker and creator.

     

    1. Take time at the start of the day to deal with clutter.

    Start your day with a clear head. Take 10 to 30 minutes to deal with messes or clutter. Decluttering can help reduce stress and eliminate distractions throughout the day.

     

    2. Get ready for work like you would for the office.

    Each day I get dressed as if I’m going into an office.  A professional look from the start of the day boosts confidence and prepares you to meet with people on Zoom or FaceTime throughout the day.

     

    3. Visualize your ideal day.

    Before you start working each day, identify the top three things you want to get done.  While your list may be longer than three things, accomplishing your top three tasks will help you focus and will energize you to work through the rest of the items on your to-do list.

     

    4. Use time-blocking to make room in your schedule for remote work and creative projects.

    Time-blocking is the process of planning every part of the day, then designating specific time blocks for tasks and projects.

    I realize this may seem like a lot of writing and planning. But once I filled my calendar with the tasks and projects I needed to work on for the day or the week, it was harder for other things to creep into my schedule and rob my time.

    To manage my time blocks, I use the PomoDone App. This app is an easy and fun way to track my time blocks using the Pomodoro technique. In addition, the app includes a countdown timer and allows you to connect to your Trello project management board.

    5. Use voice-capture tools throughout the day to record ideas.

    As you work on assignments for your full-time job, ideas will likely enter your mind for your creative projects.  Don’t stop working on the project your boss expects to see at the end of the day. Instead, when you take a break or stop for lunch, record your ideas on a voice-capture tool like the recorder on your Smartphone or the dictation feature in Microsoft Word or Google Docs.

     

    Find your remote work rhythm.

    Don’t pursue your writing dreams on company time.

    Working full-time does not mean you have to forfeit the opportunity to pursue your dream of starting a creative business. Instead, be proactive in reaching out to your boss and coworkers. Ensure that you meet project deadlines and show employers how committed and reliable you are no matter what environment you’re working in.

     

    Give your creative life the respect it deserves.

    If you don’t make your creative business a priority, it will be regarded as background noise.  Treat your writing, for example, as the single most important thing in your life and take care of it with the same passion that you would have for your primary job.

     

    Tips to help you manage your time and your dreams.

    If you need more ideas on managing your remote life and creator life, here are a few posts to help.

    30 Tips How to Renew Interest in Your Dreams

    This is How to Reach Your Writing Dreams

    How to Bend Time to Fit Writing into Your Busy Life

    How to Be a Successful Writer Despite Having a Full Schedule

     

    I’d love to help you as you take the next steps in your writing life.  To get started, complete this form to let me know about your current nonfiction writing project and needs.

    Woman with laptop overlooking mountain - Creative Ways to Conquer Life as a Remote Worker and Creator

     

  • How to Take Advantage of a Beautiful Day to Write Outdoors

    How to Take Advantage of a Beautiful Day to Write Outdoors

    Woman writing in notebook outside How to Take Advantage of a Beautiful Day to Write Outdoors

    Whether you have been cooped up at home too long or you’ve been tinkering with the idea of becoming a digital nomad, it might be time to take your writing show on the road.  Now, I am sensitive to the writer who needs to write in the same place every day.  But if you’re a more adventurous writer who can write anywhere, today’s post highlights how to take advantage of a beautiful day to write outdoors.

    Disclosure: This page may contain affiliate links, which means I receive a small commission, at no extra cost to you, if you make a purchase using the links.

    [bctt tweet=”If you’re a more adventurous writer who can write anywhere, this post highlights how to take advantage of a beautiful day to write outdoors.” username=”@KarenBrownTyson”]

     

    We spend a lot of time working indoors.

    Research shows that we spend nearly 90% of our time indoors — either in our homes or at our jobs.  During this time, we sometimes spend too much time sitting at our desks. As a result, sitting too much over long periods can lead to muscular-skeletal disorders, heart disease, and obesity.

     

    For this reason, health experts say it’s essential to move.  Either by changing your position every eight minutes or taking two-minute walking breaks at least twice an hour.  Many great apps help us move while working indoors, like the StandApp or the Stand-Up! Work Break Timer for iPhone and iPad users.  

     

    In recent months, there has been a shift for more flexible working environments outside the traditional office.  Globetrotting digital nomads travel from country to country as remote workers.  While digital nomads don’t only work outdoors, they do take advantage of the freedom to work wherever they want.

     

    While you might not be ready to get rid of everything and hit the road as a digital nomad, taking your writing outside might be one of the ways you can improve your health and find inspiration while writing outdoors.

     

    Three things to think about before taking your writing outdoors.

    Before we take our writing outside, it’s good to have a plan.  Here are a few things to consider when making your plan.

    1.  Decide on a place to write.

    Find a place to write where you can work comfortably.  If you live in a house with a porch or a deck, or an apartment with a balcony, you may find it easy to set up your writing space outside your home.  If you decide to go somewhere away from your home, like a park, a coffee shop with outdoor seating, make sure you go at a time that quiet.  You want to avoid constant interruptions and high-traffic areas.  

    2.  Select an outdoor space that offers a table and chairs.

    While writing outdoors can be fun and inspiring, try to avoid places with little or no seating.  For example, writing while sitting on the beach may seem like a beautiful fantasy; it won’t end well if you get sand, or worse, water in your computer.  Look for a place that offers tables and chairs where you can sit up straight and focus.  

     

    If you’re taking your laptop to Starbucks, chose the table and chairs outside over the comfy, cozy couch-type chairs inside. If you decide to write in the park, look for a picnic table under a shaded area. If you’re writing at home, a patio table and chairs should work fine. 

     

    3.  Consider if you need access to the Internet or electricity.

    For your outdoor writing session, decide if you will take your laptop or a notebook.  A notebook is great because it allows you to brainstorm ideas (see also ‘How To Brainstorm A Story‘), map out your next writing project, or free-write using prompts.  

     

    If you prefer to write on your laptop, you might want to select a place with free Wi-fi and outdoor electrical outlets.  You could also use your smartphone hot spot for Internet access or use a mobile Wi-fi hotspot portable router for Internet access.  I use the Mightywifi mobile wifi hotspot device, which offers  15 GB of local high-speed data for the US ($25 value), with the option to buy more data if needed. 

    Additional writerly tools to help you take advantage of being outdoors.

    Whether you decide to write-from-porch or plan an outdoor writing session, here are a few additional tools to consider.

     

    1.  Laptop Cooler

    I use a laptop cooler whether writing indoors or outdoors.  But if you decide to write in hot weather, the laptop cooler will help keep our laptop from overheating. Mine has three fans, but some coolers offer four or five quiet fans to protect your laptop.

     

    Tecknet Laptop Cooler How to Take Advantage of a Beautiful Day to Write Outdoors

    2.  Throw a little shade

    A miniature umbrella with a clamp offers shade for you and your laptop.  It easily clamps to any table or chair to eliminate laptop glare.

     

    3.  Laptop tent

    To offer your laptop extra protection, consider the tent-style cover from LapDome.  In addition to protecting your laptop, the LapDome is a travel case.

     

    4.  Solar charger

    If you decide to go off the grid, a solar charger will keep your devices powered up so you can work anywhere.

     

    5.  Connect around the house

    When writing around the house, including while I’m on the deck, I use the TP-Link plug-in WiFi extender.  This extender covers up to 1,500 square feet and connects up to 25 devices.

     

    Don’t forget to take advantage of the beautiful day

    One of the main reasons for taking your writing outside on a beautiful day is to enjoy the beauty around you.  For your outdoor writing session, don’t forget to:

    • Pack food and drink — The last thing you want is to be distracted by your grumbling stomach.  Pack something to eat and drink so you can keep your writing on track.
    • Take breaks — Set the timer on your smartphone for 25 minutes.  When the alarm goes off, take a five-minute break to soak in the sun and beautiful scenery around you.
    • Don’t be afraid to move — If the writing spot you choose is busy and distracting, don’t be afraid to pack up and move to another spot.
    • Learn from other digital nomads — If you decide to take your writing show on the road beyond one day, do your homework on how to live as a digital nomad.

     

    Summary

    While it’s always good to plan your writing sessions, you don’t need a lot to write outdoors on a beautiful day.  I agreed with Seth Godin when he said, “But you don’t need the perfect setup to do the work.  For example, I’ve written five of my books completely on airplanes.”  

     

    Whether you take your laptop or a notebook doesn’t matter.  Nor does it matter what tools you take on the journey.  All that matters is that you find a comfortable spot outdoors where you can get a little writing in while you enjoy a beautiful day outside.

     

    Man sitting outdoors with laptop How to Take Advantage of a Beautiful Day to Write Outdoors 

     

     

  • Too Unfocused To Write? How to Help Your Writing in 3 Easy Ways

    Too Unfocused To Write? How to Help Your Writing in 3 Easy Ways

    Woman daydreaming Too Unfocused to Write? How to Help Your Writing

     

    Every writer, myself included, has fallen into the trap of losing focus while writing.  We sit at our writing spaces, intending to get lots of writing done, but we lose focus.  Before we know it, we’ve spent two hours surfing the web, and we’re nowhere close to getting anything done.  If you sometimes feel too unfocused to write, I will share three easy ways to refocus your writing time to improve your writing productivity.

     

    Disclosure: This page may contain affiliate links, which means I receive a small commission, at no extra cost to you, if you make a purchase using the links.

     

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    Too unfocused to write?  You are not alone.

     

    When you sit down to write, do you constantly check your phone or your email?  It’s no secret that distractions are all around us.  Sometimes it’s the phone or doorbell ringing, while other times, it’s us pushing our writing to the side to do something else.

    According to a ComScore study, we spend at least three hours on our smartphones every day.  So every time we stop writing to deal with our smartphones, emails, or other unplanned distractions, it can take up to 23 minutes to recover.  Whether you write full-time or part-time, your time is precious.  If we’re not careful, we end up wasting more time doing other things besides writing.

    Frustrated with my own unproductive writing time, I decided to monitor what was going on by tracking my steps.  I paid close attention to:

     

    • how I started each writing session,
    • at what point I stopped writing,
    • what types of things distracted me most, and
    • how much time passed before I returned to my writing.

     

    As a result, I decided to make several changes, but I’m sharing three easy ways to help you get your writing back on track.

     

    The three easy ways to help refocus your writing.

    1. Calendarize your writing tasks

    Every morning, I write down my to-do list for the day.  I only focused on the tasks I had to complete for my full-time job as a corporate communicator, eventually carrying this habit into my consulting business.  But I never included my writing tasks.  Without including my writing tasks as part of my daily list of things to do, I easily lost my focus.

    Now, I use two tools to keep me on track.  First, I use my Google calendar to write down all of my tasks for the week.  As I complete tasks throughout the week, I cross them off the list. The second tool I use is a desktop whiteboard which I update at the start of each day.  On my desktop whiteboard, I write down the writing tasks I plan to work on for the day.

     

    2.  Time your writing sessions

    Nothing helps me focus my writing sessions more than doing sprints.  As a writer, it would be great to sit down and write for three or four hours non-stop.  But life happens, and like many writers, I have to devote my time to other responsibilities.  To manage all of my tasks, including my writing sessions, I set a timer for each task.

    I have lots of apps in my arsenals like the PomoDoneApp and BeFocusedPro (in the Apple App Store) that allow me to use an electronic timer to time my writing sessions.  My favorite program is RescueTime which offers FocusTime, where I can set a timer for 30 minutes or 2 hours.  Also, FocusTime automatically blocks distracting websites I might try to sneak in when I lose focus.

     

    3.   Walk away from your writing session

    After calendarizing my writing tasks and timing my writing sessions, I still had one obstacle to overcome:  controlling my movement.  After years of sitting at a desk, I was eager to start working at a standing desk with a floor mat.  Despite being eager to work in my new writing environment, I still felt the urge to walk away from my writing project when I got stuck or lost my focus.

    As it turns out, studies show that getting up and walking around for five minutes every hour can help you regain focus.  In the study, employees who were allowed to walk for 30-minutes before working for five-hour stretches were happier and had less fatigue than the employees who weren’t allowed to move.  So I made myself a deal.  After each 25-minute writing sprint, I take a five-minute break.  After five consecutive 25-minute writing sessions, I take a 20-minute break.  By walking away from writing, I’m able to refocus and return refreshed.

     

    Find Your Writing Blockers

    Every writer must come to terms with the potential blockers that keep them from writing.  Find out what causes you to lose your focus when writing.  Is your writing environment loud, uncomfortable, or distracting?  Within five minutes of your writing time, are you interrupted by something?  Are you too tired to write?  Once you find your writing blockers, deal with them quickly, or they will rob you of your precious writing time.

    [bctt tweet=”The world is waiting for you to tell your story.  Don’t let us down.” username=”KBTWrites”]

     

    For more information on how to manage your writing life, check out these articles:

     

    How to Bend Time to Fit Writing into your Busy Life

    6 Powerful Time Management Solutions for Time-Crunched Writers

    10 Awesome Tips on How to Overcome Time Anxiety When Writing

     

    I’d love to help you as you take the next steps in your writing life.  To get started, complete this form to let me know about your current nonfiction writing project and needs.

     

    Desktop with hands writing in notebook Too UnFocused To Write? Laptop and notebook on desk How to Help Your Writing in 3 Easy Ways

     

     

     

     

  • Advice to Busy Parents Eager to Make Time to Write Everyday

    Advice to Busy Parents Eager to Make Time to Write Everyday

    Mother working on laptop with little boy working on iPad Advice to Busy Parents Eager to Make Time to Write Everyday

     

    If you are a busy writer-parent, you probably have faced the “I don’t have enough time to write” moments more than once or twice. You are not alone. Lots of writer-parents feel the same way. Here are a few tips on how busy writer-parents can fit writing into their day

    Disclosure: This page may contain affiliate links, which means I receive a small commission, at no extra cost to you, if you make a purchase using the links.

     

    1.  Identify the obstacles preventing you from writing. 

    First things first: many writers say that finding time to write is one of the biggest obstacles they face. If you consider yourself part of this group, tackle this issue before starting your next writing session. Make a list of the things preventing you from writing. Be honest. For example, every night after the children go to bed, you vow to write for one hour. Unfortunately, that never happens. You either end up finishing work from your day job or falling asleep on the couch before you write 50 words.  If this sounds familiar, decide what steps you can take so you can write whenever you want.

     

    2.  Take small steps to make time toward your writing goals.

    For each of the obstacles you identify, select one or two you would like to change. It’s easy to see from the previous example that writing at night is not working. One small step to address this obstacle would be to move your writing time to the part of the day when you don’t have to meet a work deadline or when you have the most energy. For example, you could get up 30 minutes earlier each day to write. If you write at the start of the day, make sure you are writing when the house is quiet, and there are no distractions.  I know lots of writer-parents you use the wee hours of the morning to their advantage.  

     

    3.  Make time to write in daily spurts.

    The thought of writing 10,000 to 20,000 words per day can be overwhelming. Instead, think about writing within a short amount of time, like 10, 15, or 20 minutes. To determine how many words you can write within this time, set your smartphone’s timer for one minute. Using the writing prompt below, write for one minute without stopping:

    Write a break-up letter to Writer’s Block, starting with, “Dear Writer’s Block, it’s time for me to say goodbye.”

    If you wrote 50 to 100 words in one minute, you could probably write 500 to 1,000 words in 10 minutes. Now, determine how many minutes you can spare each day to write.

     

     

    Book & Baby by MM DeVoe Advice to Busy Parents Eager to Make Time to Write Everyday

    Check this out:  Book & Baby by Milda M. De Voe

    MidWest Book Review

    “A thoroughly comprehensive and ‘user-friendly’ instructional manual in both organization and presentation, “Book and Baby” is especially and unreservedly recommended”

    Writers on the Move

    “Most professional writers have a list of their favorite books about writing.
    Here’s a new book that’s going at the top of my list.”

     

     

     

    4.  Make time to write by creating a writing schedule.

    Look at your calendar and find 10, 15, or 30 minutes each day to write—schedule writing meetings. Use a shared electronic calendar to allow family members to see when you plan to write. Ask your family members not to disturb you during your writing time but let them know you will be available after writing.

     

    5.  Learn to write anywhere.

    Train yourself to write in different places where you have to wait. For example, if you arrive in the carpool line 15 to 20 minutes early each day before school ends, use that time to write. Other places to write while you wait include the doctor or dentist’s office, the car dealership during maintenance appointments, Starbuck’s during your child’s tutoring session, and while your baby takes a nap.  

     

    6.  Make time for family.

    Once you finish your 10, 15, or 30-minute writing session, resist the temptation to write more. Instead, reconnect with your family. Let your spouse or children tell you what they would like to do. Take a walk, plan a fun activity like a trip to the aquarium or catch up.

    For the writer-parent, each day may be different. Don’t beat yourself up if on some days you do not accomplish as much writing as other days.  

    Just keep writing.

     

    I’d love to help you as you take the next steps in your writing life. To get started, complete this form to let me know about your current nonfiction writing project and needs.

     

     

     

    Adult and child hands on laptop with yellow flowers Advice to Busy Parents Eager to Make Time to Write Everyday