Writing Tips: Time Doesn’t Grow on Trees

Writing Tips: Time Doesn’t Grow on Trees

Waking up in my Italian villa, the rays of il sole pry my eyes open. I wander out of bed into a communal kitchen, where the table has been pre-set by la donna della casa. Croissants, rolls, and cappuccino grace the air with their tantalizing aromas. I savor each crumb, each frothy sip, as my day begins. La bella vita moves slowly and peacefully into the afternoon, when I sit at my antique mahogany desk, staring out my window at the bright, buzzing city below. The backdrop behind the ballet of cars and people beneath me is that of the Arno River, the Ponte Vecchio…pure, living art. Finding my inspiration, I rattle off on my typewriter, seamlessly creating a fictional world on the page in front of me…

Just another day in the life of the average writer, right?

Many people have a romanticized view of writing. Whether this false notion is perpetuated by fictional movie accounts or by simple misconceptions, the reality is that most contemporary writers have to squeeze their creativity into small windows surrounded by far more mundane life responsibilities. Some are fortunate to have turned literature into a livelihood; but the vast majority are teachers, businessmen/women, or service industry workers struggling to complete lengthy works during late weeknights, long weekends, or short vacations from a demanding day job.

How, then, can we find time to write? Such a seemingly simple question has an answer that functions differently for almost every individual. Here are a few writing tips and ways to bring writing into your daily, weekly, or monthly schedule. Some of these suggestions have worked for me, others have worked for others, but the key is that, if you want to produce complete written texts, you will eventually need to make time.

Writing Tips to Optimize Your Time

1) Schedule writing into your week. For a five-month span during 2009, I made a weekly routine where writing was mandatory. Every Monday and Wednesday night, I would dedicate the hours of 8:00-10:00 pm to writing creatively. Sunday afternoons from 2:00-6:00 were also on my schedule. The key here is discipline. There were many evenings where I was “too exhausted,” “too hungry,” or “not inspired.” I forced myself for these five months to forge through the difficulties and complete as much writing as I could.

2) Be flexible regarding where you can write. Bring a laptop. I have begun to carry my small laptop (DELL Netbook) nearly everywhere I go. If I have a free hour before a doctor’s appointment, I try to find a seat and put a few words to page. Maybe I’m meeting my parents for dinner that evening. I’ll drive to their neighborhood and hit a coffee shop until it is time to eat. This tactic is particularly useful if you utilize suggestion #3…

3) When inspiration hits, drop non-necessities! An idea for a story smacks you in the forehead one evening…but you had planned to watch Glee with your next door neighbor. TiVo it. Watch it on Hulu. Do whatever it takes to resist the temptation to do nothing. Go write. Again, this takes discipline; however, there is no more productive time to write than when your mind hits that unique zone. Don’t let it pass.

4) Find someone who does similar creative work and work alongside them. This one receives up-and-down reviews from other artists; however, I can say from personal experience that there is no more effective way for me to plan on writing and succeed in getting work done. When I sit beside my cousin (a computer programmer), we work in silence for hours on end, stopping only to bounce an idea off of each other once in a while. This works two-fold: 1) the presence of another reflecting the intrinsic motivation you want will rub off and get you moving and 2) immediate feedback can produce even more ideas to run with. Plus, in addition to all of this, you are technically being social—which isn’t always easy for us writer types.

Ultimately, there is nothing I can suggest that will open up more time in your schedule. If you are busy, sometimes writing simply must go by the wayside. However, if you truly want to progress as a writer—or if you merely want to complete a written piece—it is up to you to find your own way to make time. Don’t wait for “when I have time.” The villa might never come. The closest I have gotten is my coffee shop down the street, but all things considered…that has worked pretty well.

Best of luck in your endeavors as my devoted weekly writing time is about to expire.

If you want to read more of our writing tips, including more writing tips from Louie Centanni, check out the “Writing Tips” section of Studio 602, and don’t forget to share your writing tips in the comments below!