It’s that time of year again! Time for endless cups of coffee, ink-stained fingers, and scattered pages of manic notes. While NaNoWriMo is a fun, exhilarating time for thousands of writers, it’s also daunting. Where will will you find time for writing?
Some of us still have school or full-time jobs. Thanksgiving and Christmas are right around the corner. How in the world are you supposed to find the time to squeeze in your writing?
7 Sneaky Ways to Steal Time for Writing During NaNoWriMo
Finding the time for writing is difficult, but I promise you, the time is already there. It’s made up in little chunks of the day that usually go to other activities. If you compile all of those extra minutes, you’ll have enough to meet your goal each day.
So where do these minutes come from?
1. Meals
My family usually sits down to lunch and dinner together every day, but since we all operate on slightly different schedules, everyone’s on their own for breakfast. When I pour myself a cup of tea and coffee and make a small plate of food, I like to sit down in front of my computer with it and get five-hundred or so words in before the day gets too hectic.
You can do the same thing. Save answering e-mails or checking Facebook for later and start your day with some productivity.
2. Waiting in line
It might seem silly since this usually lasts for just a couple minutes, but it works. If you write on Google docs, you can type a few sentences on your phone. Or you can at least plan out the next scene in your head. Even knowing where the story is about to go next can be a huge help.
3. Your commute
If you take the bus or train to work, use that precious time wisely. Carry a notebook with you everywhere. You can even people watch for ideas if you’re feeling stuck. There’s something soothing about the hum of a large vehicle that can be great for your writing.
4. Sleep
Sleep is important and it keeps your brain working as usual, but consider what your sleeping schedule looks like. Could you stay up an hour later than usual to finish off those 1,667 words? Maybe you can get up an hour earlier, or even a half hour. It’s like giving yourself the gift of time.
5. Social media
You will get nothing done if your phone and your various social media accounts are sitting within arm’s reach whenever you get stuck. It’s too tempting to give up when you hit a road block, so don’t make it easy on yourself. Keep your phone far away from you when you write and limit the time you spend on Twitter updating your followers on what your word count is. You can even get Freedom to ensure you can't spend all your time on distracting websites.
It’s fun to keep up with the NaNoWriMo community, but you shouldn’t let that take over your actual writing.
6. TV
You need to give yourself a break sometimes to refuel your creative energy, so you don’t have to cut yourself off completely, but maybe hold off on starting that brand new Netflix series until December. Binge watching is addictive and not at all productive when it comes to trying to hit those 50,000 words. Don’t let it suck you in!
7. Writer’s block
When you do sit down to write, you don’t want anything else to get in your way. Come to that desk with a plan of attack. Before you pack up for the day, write yourself a note of what’s going to happen next, even if you don’t usually plot your novels. Having some direction is a huge help when you’re staring down a blank page.
You Have Time for Writing
Of course you're busy. Life doesn't stop because NaNoWriMo starts on November 1—in fact, sometimes it feels like life speeds up.
But don't focus on the time you don't have. Instead, look for all those tiny pockets of time for writing you do have. Use them well, and at the end of the month, you'll have a full 50,000 words.
How do you find the time for writing during NaNoWriMo? Let us know in the comments!
PRACTICE
Get yourself prepared for NaNoWriMo season by writing as much as you possibly can for fifteen minutes. Continue your work in progress, or use this writing prompt: a character hears a siren.
Don’t worry about perfection; just go for speed. When you’re finished, share your writing in the comments. Be sure to give your fellow writers some love, too!
Jared glanced at the rear view mirror when he heard the wailing of the ambulance’s siren in the distance. He saw the bright blue lights which went with it coming his way. The highway was too crowded to get out of the way of the vehicle but he tried manoeuvring his car to the side of the road nonetheless. He had been blocked in the traffic for close to half an hour which meant that waking up so early in the hope of getting more time to relax before the audition had been for nothing. He would be late and panic and mess it up like he always did. The ambulance was getting closer, slithering desperately through the cars which advanced of a yard every few minutes like the entire highway was some sort of great machine programmed to make them move at certain times. While he waited for the cars in front to move and for the ambulance to pass, Jared grabbed the text for the audition which was on the passenger seat and read it out loud for the millionth time.
“And my poor fool is hang’d! No, no, no life!
Why should a dog, a horse, a rat, have life,
And thou no breath at all? Thou’lt come no more,
Never, never, never, never, never!
Pray you, undo this button: thank you, sir.
Do you see this? Look on her, look, her lips,
Look there, look there!”
The ambulance was now level with his car. He prayed for it to be able to pass between him and the barrier by the side of the road for there was no space to make way. To his great relief, it managed to force the passage and soon, it was well ahead of him. The siren was dying out. After another moment, the cars in front gave a hopeful push and the entire world seemed to sigh in relief as the traffic did not stop for a mile or two. At one point, Jared caught sight of the flickering light of the ambulance. There were two men urging the curious drivers forward while others fussed around the wreck of two cars by the side. Jared forgetfully glanced in that direction. A woman, covered in blood, was stretched out on the road, whilst the emergency people proceeded to all sorts of manipulations on the doomed body.
And then, the sight was gone it was the road and the audition; if the traffic was good, he could get there a few minutes early.
She leapt onto the sidewalk in time to keep from being run over. It wasn’t so much the ambulance that could have been her death warrant, but the jerk tailing the racing white and red vehicle. What was it with people? Lately, everyone seemed to be on a self-absorbed mission. Damn the torpedoes, full steam ahead and plow through anyone who gets in their way.
It wasn’t worth getting too invested in. Better to get a coffee and doughnut and pretend things will get better.
Down and dirty. Five minutes. All I could spare. 🙂
Great ideas. Also really love your blog.
What to do when all those pockets of time aren’t options? I’m pregnant and a full-time teacher, and I have a 40-minute commute to and from work, which I drive in my car alone. I can’t cut out sleep- what little I get is precious. I can’t write while I eat because I’m already using eating times to do teaching duties. I may just be out of luck, but if anyone is feeling very clever, maybe there’s a way? I’d love suggestions 😀 All I can think of is on weekends, but time with the hubby is pretty precious, too…
I like to brain storm as I work on falling asleep. I don’t fall asleep easily, so I can focus on my story and mentally plot things out. If i’m able to really get going, I’ll often continue while sleeping and wake up filled with ideas. I’d keep a notebook by the bed so you can jot down anything you don’t want to forget right away….but it really helps me. I call it dreamwriting.
When you’re teaching, don’t you have a prep hour? Like an hour where you can just sit and eat. If you do, you can use that time to write. You can also write before or after your class comes in. Sorry I’m not a teacher so I don’t know much but I hope this helps somewhat.
He saw the bright blue lights which went with it coming his way. The highway was too crowded to get out of the way of the vehicle but he tried manoeuvring his car to the side of the road nonetheless.
http://www.emetechnologies.com/industrial-training-in-chandigarh/6-months-network-training-in-chandigarh-&-mohali.php
He saw the bright blue lights which went with it coming his way. The highway was too crowded to get out of the way of the vehicle but he tried manoeuvring his car to the side of the road nonetheless.
http://www.emetechnologies.com/industrial-training-in-chandigarh/6-months-network-training-in-chandigarh-&-mohali.php