Writing is an essential skill that plays a crucial role in our daily lives, regardless of your profession or interests. However, for those of you who have decided to make it their profession, it is even more important. It is your livelihood. Which means it should be easy to write every day. However, no matter your level of interest, sometimes finding the time to write or even the enthusiasm to write everyday can be a challenging task. Whether you are a professional writer or someone who writes for personal enjoyment, consistent practice is the key to honing your skills, finding your voice, and improving your craft. In this article, we will discuss some tips and strategies for finding time to write every day.
Set Realistic Goals
It may seem simple, but one of the most common reasons for not writing every day is the feeling of being overwhelmed. To combat this, you have to set realistic goals. You’re not going to write the next award-winning screenplay in a weekend. If you set unrealistic goals, you’re setting yourself up for disappointment. Instead, give yourself achievable goals such as writing for 10-30 minutes each day. Alternatively, you could try writing 1-2 pages a day if you feel you need a more tangible goal. As you become more comfortable with your writing routine, you can increase your goals accordingly.
Create a Writing Schedule
Creating a writing schedule can help you prioritize your writing time and ensure that you have time set aside just to write. Decide on a specific time of day when you will write. This can be early in the morning, during your lunch break, or in the middle of the night. Maybe experiment and find a time when you usually feel most creative. You’ll likely find yourself more productive at one time or the other. Once you have established a writing schedule, stick to it as much as possible. Once you make it a habit, you’ll find it much easier to sit down and write.
Additional Reading: Understanding the Difference Between Plot and Story
Set a Timer
If you find yourself checking the time throughout your dedicated writing time, try setting a timer. Using a timer can help you stay focused and motivated during your writing sessions. Once you have it set, don’t stop writing until you hear the timer go off. This can help you avoid unnecessary distractions and find your groove. Just finding your groove can lead to much more productive writing sessions.
Find Your Ideal Writing Environment
Finding the right writing environment can be crucial for many writers. While some writers are able to write anywhere (on the train, at the airport, at work) many writers need a dedicated space. Maybe you prefer a quiet space with minimal distractions or perhaps you rather write in a coffee shop or listening to your favorite music. Experiment with different environments to find what works best for you. Once you find your ideal environment, use it as often as you can.
Eliminate Distractions
It sounds simple, but it could be harder than it seems. Distractions can be a major obstacle to writing every day. When you sit down to write, identify your biggest distractions and then think of ways to eliminate them. This could mean turning off your phone, silencing notifications, or working in a separate room away from other people. Once you eliminate your distractions, you’ll find yourself much more productive with your time.
Keep a Writing or Idea Journal
Keeping a writing or idea journal can help you stay motivated and track your progress. Use your journal to record your daily writing goals, your achievements, and your struggles. Alternatively, you can keep an idea journal close by in case you get a burst of creativity. These could be ideas for your current project or even ideas for future stories. While you may assume your phone works just as good, some writers will find themselves more apt to put pen to paper. There is a tangibility to keeping a physical journal that just works better for some.
Additional Reading: Understanding Joseph Campbell's "The Hero's Journey"
Make Writing a Priority
If you want to find time to practice writing every day, you need to make it a priority. This might mean sacrificing other activities or rearranging your schedule to ensure that you have time for writing. Next time you want to put writing off to do something else, remember the ultimate goal you are working towards and that each time you don’t write that goal is moving further away. If you find yourself refusing to make writing a priority, it may be time to re-evaluate your desire to make writing a profession.
Find Support
Having the support of friends, family, or other writers can be a great motivator to make yourself start writing every day. If you're not comfortable finding a writers group, start by asking a friend or family member to look over your writing. This will not only help hold you accountable, but it also provides you an opportunity to receive some feedback on your work. However, as you grow more confident in your ability you may want to look for a local group of writers to join. Having other writers to talk with and discuss your work is a great way to develop your skills and make yourself more comfortable workshopping stories.
Use Writing Prompts
If you find yourself struggling to come up with ideas for your writing practice, consider using writing prompts. There are many resources available online that offer daily writing prompts. These are great for giving you a starting space and keep yourself writing even if you may not be working on your own ideas. Once your creativity starts flowing you may even find yourself feeling inspired or jotting down your own ideas. It’s always worth a shot.
Celebrate Your Achievements
Finally, it’s important to celebrate your achievements. Whether you reached a specific writing goal or simply completed a writing session for the day, take the time to pat yourself on the back. If writing was easy, everyone would have a finished screenplay or novel.
Finding time to practice writing every day is a challenge that many writers face, so never feel alone. By following some of these guidelines you set yourself up for success. Half the battle is just setting down and filling the blank page. Remember, it takes time to develop your voice and hone your skills, but with consistent practice, you’ll be able to finish your screenplay.