Is your writing pretty much always what gets left until last?
I can absolutely understand why that happens: some things do need to take priority (going to work, feeding your kids, etc) ... but your writing doesn't need to wait until everything is
done.
#1: Give Yourself Permission to Write
It can be difficult to allow yourself to write, particularly if you're fairly early on in your writing life. Maybe you're worried that you're wasting time: you'll never make it as a writer. Or you feel like you've left it too late already. Or you're just not good enough.
Frankly, even if all of that was true – even if you were doomed to never
make a penny from your writing, even if you were objectively awful – that's no reason not to write!
I'm pretty rubbish at colouring in, but I still do it alongside my kids, because we all enjoy it and I find it relaxing.
My baking, while perfectly edible, isn't about to win any prizes or launch me into an alternative career. That doesn't stop me making cookies and muffins with my daughter.
It's okay to write simply
because you enjoy writing and feel better for having done it. That's enough of a reason.
Of course, there's a good chance that writing will mean even more to you than that (and potentially become much more than that). Perhaps you'll publish a book or write for magazines or create a popular blog that reaches readers all around the world. But even if none of that happens, you are still allowed to write.
#2:
Give Yourself Time to Write
This might sound a bit obvious, but if you leave your writing till last in terms of your to-do list, it's likely to end up being done at the very end of the day ... or not at all.
If you're a night owl and that works for you, go for it! If, though, like me, you can barely string together a coherent sentence after 9pm, or if you lack the energy and motivation to do so after a busy day ... then find writing
time earlier in the day.
This might mean:
- Getting up 15 minutes early to write.
- Writing for half an hour in your lunch break.
- Writing straight after work, perhaps before you head home or during your commute.
- Asking a family member to take your kids out to the park on Saturday morning so you can write.
You might not be able to fit loads of writing into your life straight away ... but try to
find at least one opportunity this week to write. Everything else can wait 15 minutes!
#3: Give Yourself Something Exciting to Write
Since having kids, my reading habits have shifted. A lot of the time, I don't have a book on the go. (Teenage me would be horrified!) I often feel too busy or too tired to start on something new.
When I do get stuck into a new
book, though, I race through it! Suddenly, I find that I have got time to read – it takes the place of a bit of mindless internet-surfing (or I sneak in a bit of reading time while the kids are watching TV, instead of catching up with chores...)
I think writing can be very much like this. If you're plugging away at a project that doesn't interest you, it's not surprising that writing isn't much of a priority for you. And if you've taken a long break from a
project that you do love, it can be hard to get up the momentum again.
Pick something you really WANT to write. If you don't feel quite "into" it right now, set aside 30 minutes some time over the weekend, and make a start anyway. You might just find yourself getting wrapped up in it all over again.
What will you do, today, to give writing a bigger place in your
life?
If you're struggling with motivation, time management, or anything similar, do drop me an email. I'll be very happy to tackle your question in a future newsletter.
