Notebook and Journal Tips: Making Time to Write

A major challenge for many freelance writers is finding the time to get ideas out of their heads and on to a page. One reason we have such a hard time with this is that we keep trying to 'find' time to write instead of 'making' time. Unfortunately, sufficient time is rarely 'found.' If you are serious about making time to achieve your writing goals, here's how you can make it happen:

#1 - Incorporate writing into another activity. Bring along a laptop computer or a small notebook and write during a portion of your lunch break, while traveling on the bus or subway, or when you know you'll be spending a chunk of time in a waiting room. The key is to plan in advance for writing during these times, think about what you want to accomplish, and then follow through.

#2 - Carve out time directly in front of or behind another scheduled activity. It's often easiest to schedule activities back to back, so schedule your writing before or after your exercise time, Bible study, or book club meeting. Who knows, maybe you'll even come up with some extra ideas to jot down if writing is on your mind during these activities.

#3 - Get up earlier or stay up later. Whether you are a lark or an owl, chances are you can alter your schedule by at least a few minutes. Start by scheduling a small, realistic amount of time, such as 15 minutes two times a week. Once you've honored that commitment, expand your writing time as much as your schedule permits.

#4 - Schedule larger portions of writing time for your days off from work or, if you're a busy parent, when someone else can watch the kids. Examine your days off and other times during the week for blocks of free time. Then, before your schedule fills up with other priorities, schedule at least one substantial writing session.

#5 - Use your vacation time. Schedule a full day off from your job just to write or plan several writing sessions for your week at the beach. If you plan to write on the road, bring along all the materials you will need to work on your projects.