As a busy entrepreneur, it can be challenging to find time to write your book. In fact, in my experience working with hundreds of aspiring authors, the biggest stumbling block aspiring authors face is a lack of time.I understand! Between the demands of my business, family members, community activities, graduate school, and personal care, I struggle to find time to write too. In fact, because my schedule is so full, I’ve become adept at juggling multiple responsibilities and still finding time to write. These are the techniques I use regularly. I hope that they will help you too.Tip 1- Don’t wait until you have a big block of time to write. If I waited to have an entire day to write, I would have never completed 7 books in the last 7 years. It sounds great to imagine spending a few weeks at a resort writing your book in paradise. For most of us, that’s just not possible. Instead, set a goal to write in small increments of 30-45 minutes at least 5 days each week. This consistent approach will yield better writing, less stress, and less time wasted waiting for conditions to be perfect before you begin to write.
Tip 2- Never write without a plan. Investing the time to plan your content and create a robust book outline, or book blue print, will save you time and heartache. It feels awful to stare at blank computer screen reddit essay writing service and wait for inspiration to arrive. Instead, plan first, create a simple outline of what you want to say, and then begin to write.Tip 3- Aim for a cruddy first draft. Nothing kills creativity worse than perfectionism. If you stop to edit your work while you write, you will start to feel badly about your errors and wonder if what you are writing is fit for anything better than to line a bird cage.While you are writing your first draft, your goal is to get words on paper as quickly as possible. When you write rapidly, your tone will be more conversational and your writing more energetic. For your first draft, decide which section of your outline you want to work on, and then write as quickly as you possibly can for 30-45 minutes. Know that you will be able to edit your work later to polish it to perfection. When you write, just focus on writing. Editing comes later.
Tip 4- Pay attention to your environment. Notice what you need to write well. Do you need soft music, a cup of tea, or complete silence? Discover the kind of environment you need to enjoy your writing and then create that environment for yourself.Consider when you write. I like to write first thing in the morning when my mind is fresh. Other people like the hush of evening writing after the family is in bed.Also notice how you write best. Do you write more easily with paper and pen or on your keyboard? Do you feel better writing on a traditional keyboard or on your laptop?
Your environment can support you or distract you when you write. To save time and energy, create the kind of writing environment that supports you.Tip 5- Decide that you like to write and do it well. Do you have an inner drama queen that urges you to freeze up every time you work on your book? Does your mind say things like, “Oh, it’s time to work on my book. I hope I can do it. I hope writing a book won’t be too hard for me. I’ve never done this before, it might be scary…..”Sometimes you have to gently tell your mind to go to time out, just like a naughty three year old. Remind yourself that you write all day long. You’ve been writing since you were a child and it has not hurt you yet. You spend hours writing emails, articles, shopping lists, and reminder notes every day.
Sure, writing a book is different from writing a shopping list, but at its core, writing a book is simply putting words on paper to communicate an idea. You can do that!Create a prayer, affirmation, or other centering ritual to begin each writing session so that you can relax, open to your best ideas, and enjoy the process of putting words on paper. Spending just 60 seconds breathing deeply, centering, and quieting your mind before you write will save you hours of time lost fretting over whether or not you can write your book.
