Finding time to write with a full-time job can be hard, but a literary agent shares the four best ways to find time to write, no matter how busy you are!
Last week, we spent a few nights at a tiny cabin near the Blue Ridge Mountains. The first thing we saw each morning was a peaceful forest with rain-soaked leaves.
We’d roll out of bed whenever we felt like it—there was no alarm clock blaring in our faces—and make ourselves coffee. Then we’d fire up our laptops. But instead of jumping into work emails, we did something we wish we could do every day. We just started writing.
We wrote each morning for a few hours straight, without the distraction of Twitter, Facebook, or Gmail—because, gloriously—there was no Wifi at the cabin.
We spent each of those three mornings living our best writer’s life, waking up with nothing to do but write or edit. I finally finished a few book proposals I’d been working on, and Jarrett made great headway on a white paper. And most importantly, we felt like we wrote better in our little cabin in the woods. Heck, give us a few weeks like that, and we’d make it rain Pulitzers (ha!).
So today I’m letting Jarrett take the spotlight and talk a little bit about what we learned at our beautiful little Getaway House. (Pepper finally learned how to look at the camera. Big stuff for her.)
Here’s Jarrett:
Back #IRL, Maria and I struggle with finding time to write with a full-time job. Even though our full-time jobs require writing, we still find ourselves sucked up in day-to-day to-dos (like responding to work emails, ugh) that prevent us from actually doing the writing part of our jobs.
So how can we fight back against all the forces in our life—stressful full-time jobs, social media, addictive TV shows—that constantly conspire to deprive us of writing time? Maria and I have come up with a few ideas over the years that have helped us with finding time to write with a full-time job, even during the busiest seasons of our lives.
1. Go on a DIY writer’s retreat
An expensive, workshop-filled writer’s retreat may seem totally out of reach to you, and frankly, sometimes what we need is time and solitude, not more writers to compare ourselves to.
Our secret for finding those rarest of things—silence and space—last week? Getaway House. We’d heard about Getaway from another book blogger, and ever since we booked our stay way back in the spring, it’s been a bright spot on our calendar.
Getaway sets up tiny houses a few hours outside large urban areas—Washington, D.C., Boston, and New York—and invites you to disconnect and recharge. The tiny houses have everything you need for a DIY writer’s retreat, including a small kitchen with utensils, a desk, shower and toilet, firepit and chairs, and a queen bed snuggled up against a breathtaking ceiling-to-floor window that peers into a pine forest.
Our favorite part was that there’s a “lock box” for your cellphone and no Wifi, which was key for us to truly disconnect and find time for deeper-focus work. And we loved that our Getaway House was stocked with a small shelf of books, including Thoreau’s Walden, the original go-to-the-woods-and-write book. Every bit of it felt like the idyllic writer’s retreat we all want, and Getaway is officially now our secret weapon for finding time to write with a full-time job.
Do This and You’ll Begin Finding Time to Write With a Full-Time Job: Book a few days at a Getaway House if there’s one near you, or search on AirBnb or at your local state park for a cabin you can rent for a few nights. The further from civilization—and wifi and cell reception—the better.
2. Find a place without wifi
Can’t escape for a few days? Plan a mini-retreat right in your own backyard! Simply find a place without wifi and leave your phone at home—you’ll be surprised how instantly calmer and more focused you’ll feel not having the Internet or an iPhone luring you away from your writing.
Our favorite option is to find a nearby park, stretch out a blanket, and whip out a laptop or a pad of paper. You get the benefits of being outside and having uninterrupted writing time.
Do This and You’ll Begin Finding Time to Write With a Full-Time Job: Block off an hour or two in your calendar and announce to everyone that might need you (kids, spouse, friends) that you’ll be unavailable during that time. Then pick your favorite outdoor spot and get writing.
3. Start your day writing
Oftentimes it’s easiest to tackle big projects first thing in the morning, when you’re fresh and rested. But too often we grab a coffee and bagel, sprint out the door, and clock into work just before the boss arrives.
Instead, try getting up an hour earlier and dedicate the first hour of each day to writing. It’s the definition of finding time to write with a full-time job, and it’s worked wonders for many of the writers Maria has worked with as a literary agent. If you can’t do one hour, try 30 minutes, or even 15.
You’ll be surprised how much you can get done in that time, whether it’s a new chapter in your novel or a rough draft of a blog post. For best results, we recommend not checking work email until you’ve completed your writing hour. The last thing you want is to start your work wheels spinning when what your mind needs to focus on is untangling your next few sentences.
Do This and You’ll Begin Finding Time to Write With a Full-Time Job: Try it tonight, and ease into the commitment. Go to bed 30 minutes earlier than you usually do, and set your alarm for 30 minutes earlier. Stash your laptop or notebook under your bed, and as soon as you wake up, roll over, grab your supplies, and start writing.
(And if you struggle with not checking your phone first thing in the morning, consider getting an analog alarm clock and keeping your phone on the other side of the room through the night. We recently stopped using our phones as an alarm clock, and it’s worked wonders for our morning productivity!)
4. Turn lost time into writing time
This one may be the easiest of all. Think about all the time you spend waiting in line at the coffee shop, or the security line at the airport. What are you doing during this time? Most of us whip out our phones and play games or check Twitter.
But you can use this time to brainstorm writing ideas. You’d be surprised how many times the perfect sentence has popped into my head just as I’m stepping up to the cash register at the deli. Rather than wasting this opportunity, I’ll use my phone to write down that sentence or idea (after ordering my delicious sandwich, of course). Taking notes and brainstorming like this will pay huge dividends later on when you sit down to write.
Do This and You’ll Begin Finding Time to Write With a Full-Time Job: Download an app like Evernote to catalog and organize your different writing ideas, or use the Notes app on your phone if that feels easier for you to pull up on the fly. And next time you’re killing time, remind yourself that you’re actually finding time, and that those next few minutes can be ground zero for finding time to write with a full time job.
Implementing these ideas—even just one of them—can help you take back your life and so you can start finding time to write with a full-time job. And before you know it, it will be raining Pulitzers for you, too. 😉
For more tips on finding time to write with a full-time job, try:
5 quick reads for the week
- My author Tiffany is hosting this fabulous challenge–can you eat at home tonight?
- Raise your hand if you’ve been to this legendary cookbook store!
- Learning to adapt your dreams and other life lessons from Mindy Kaling.
- Would anyone ever pay $2,630.52 for a book that’s available for $0.99?
- Looking for some beautiful literary-inspired prints for your space? Look no further.
What we’re eating this week
We’re on vacation in Northport, Michigan this week and not doing much of any cooking, but let me tell you about all the yummy things we had last week at our Getaway House.
Sunday: The Cashew Chicken from Comfort Food Makeovers by America’s Test Kitchen, except we forgot the cashews. Can I just call it the Chicken then?
Monday: We took off for the Getaway House after work and made it in time to get a roaring fire going at the campsite and make Skillet Pizzas from The Campout. And have I mentioned how much I love that book and how I think it’s the best camping cookbook out there? (Oh wait, I guess I did.)
Tuesday: Well, we are out in the woods to catch up on work, so that means we can slack off on cooking. And what’s better than a small town, hole-in-the-wall Tex Mex joint?
Wednesday: We were supposed to cook but laziness struck and we fell prey to the burgers and beers at Pro Re Nata. Isn’t it the most indulgent to blow off cooking plans once in awhile?
Thursday: Another great recipe from The Campout: Brats and Cabbage. I had everything perfectly portioned and pre-measured for this, but we hauled it all the way to the Blue Ridges and back due to aforementioned laziness. But now we know: The Campout’s recipes work in small urban apartment kitchens, too.
Friday: We’re having a rooftop grill-out with friends, so no recipes—just freewheeling it on the grill. Ah, indulgence.
What a lovely place!