Fit Writing Into a Busy Life

How to Write When You Have Work and Family Commitments

Apr 11, 2008 Rachel Bellerby

Many freelance writers have to fit their projects around work and family commitments. Find out how to maximize your opportunities to write during a busy day.

Most freelance writers are expert in juggling several writing projects at once. But how do you find time to write when you have a home and family and maybe a job as well?

Working From Home – How to Maximise Your Writing Time

• Train your family to respect your writing time. One tip is to share out your first pay cheque, however small. If everyone sees a little of the profits, they’re more likely to want you to succeed and to realise that your writing is important to you.
• Treat your writing time as you would a job for an outside employer. You’d be unlikely to leave work to take personal calls, or to browse the internet in work time. Have the same attitude at home and you’ll free up extra time for your writing without trying.
• End each writing session with a quick look at where you’ll start next time. A few notes on the progress of your current project lets you get straight back to work without trying to remember what you last wrote.
• Don’t waste valuable writing time searching for writing tools such as reference books and stationery. Use spare minutes during the day to keep your writing workspace tidy and spend your valued writing time actually working.

What to Do When You Don’t Have Time to Write

• Time spent away from the keyboard isn’t necessarily wasted time. Most writers benefit from thinking time and mundane tasks such as laundry or walking the dog can be used to come up with ideas for articles, develop plotlines or consider new markets.
• Develop the attitude that you’ll make the most of any time you do get to write and not obsess about the times when you can’t get down to work.
• Keep a supply of small notebooks around the house and carry one with you when you’re out of the house. Then, if you have a flash of inspiration, you can make quick notes and follow up when you have more time.
• If you work outside the home, use your journey to work and rest breaks as thinking and planning time. You can plan and make notes on the bus or train or listen to a motivational CD in the car.
• Time away from home also gives you valuable social interaction with others. Whether you’re meeting new people who could give you ideas for characters in your novel, or chatting with friends about the latest books and films, your mind is kept active and open to fresh ideas.

How to Fit Writing into Your Everyday Routine

• Assess a typical day to find potential writing times. Perhaps there’s a quiet half hour after the school run, a little time while the evening meal cooks or even a few minutes before the rest of the family get up.
• Several short writing sessions over a couple of days can be more productive than one long session once a week. If you know you have limited time, you’re more likely to get down to work quickly and do what you can in the available time.
• If you have a partner and kids, suggest a shift system for looking after the children now and again. If you get an hours uninterrupted writing time, you could then mind the children while your partner watches a film in peace.

If you really want to write, you’ll do it whatever your circumstances. Keep reading Suite 101's Freelance Writing section for advice and tips.

The copyright of the article Fit Writing Into a Busy Life in Freelance Writing is owned by Rachel Bellerby. Permission to republish Fit Writing Into a Busy Life in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.

Time Spent Out of the House Can Give New Ideas