Butt-In-Chair: A No-Excuses Guide For Writers Who Struggle To Get Started

by Jennifer Blanchard

  The Un-Schedule

  An example Un-Schedule for the week of March 1 to March 8

  Based on this un-schedule, this person has 15 hours a week, at most, to dedicate to writing. Of course, this schedule only accounts for the stuff the person already knows she’ll be doing. There will most definitely be other things that pop up.

  The idea isn’t for an un-schedule to be the be-all-end-all; it’s just a way for you to see where you have available time.

  Now it’s your turn.

  Create an un-schedule for your week coming up. As you go through your days, be sure to write in any other things that pop up. At the end of each day, count up your hours that are “blank” and write the total in the box called, “Available Writing Hours.” [Note: there is a printable version of this un-schedule in the appendix]

  Once you have an idea of how many hours/days a week you have available for writing, then you can create a schedule that fits into those time slots.

  And if your schedule changes weekly, build your writing schedule alongside your weekly schedule each week.

  Schedule Tips

  When it comes to creating and keeping track of your schedule, the following tips may be helpful:

  Get a planner/calendar—If you’re going to keep track of your schedule, you’ll need some kind of planner/calendar. Either get a portable one you can carry with you (get one that schedules out time in hours) or use the calendar on your cell phone.

  Always write it down—When something pops up that you know you have to do, take a second, stop what you’re doing and put it into your calendar. Keep your schedule as up-to-date as possible.

  Set a reminder for everything—If you’re going to use the calendar on your cell phone, it comes with an awesome functionality called “reminder.” Setting up a reminder for everything in your calendar that you need reminding of is priceless.

  If you’ll be using a paper calendar, make it a habit to glance at your schedule first thing in the morning, as well as a couple times throughout the day to make sure you don’t forget anything.

  Stay as true to your schedule as possible—Things will always change in your schedule, that’s a given. But try to stay as true as you can to it. Don’t put things off (if you can help it). When your schedule tells you it’s time to write, write.

  17 Ways to Find 10 Minutes to Write

  One of the most common excuses writers give for why they procrastinate is “I don’t have the time to write.”

  True, people are busier these days than they ever have been before–we’re multi-tasking machines, filling every second of our days with a task of some kind, always so busy….blah, blah, blah.

  If you stop for a second and take a look at your day, I bet you can find at least 10 minutes somewhere that you can write (and you could probably even find a few 10-minute blocks of time).

  You don’t have to be writing all day every day in order to get your writing done. You’d be surprised how efficient you can be when you only have ten minutes to write (especially if writing is something you truly love to do).

  Inspired by the blog post, 10 Ways to Find 10 Minutes to Write, on DailyWritingTips.com, here are 17 ideas for finding at least 10 minutes to write every day:

  Before you get out of bed in the morning–when you wake up, roll over, turn on your light, grab your notebook and write for 10 minutes. (This exercise, better known as Morning Pages, will be detailed in the next section.)

  While you’re waiting for your girlfriend/husband/kids/Etc., to get out of the shower so you can get in.

  While you’re waiting for the coffee to finish brewing

  While you’re waiting for your kid’s school bus to come.

  While you’re sitting in traffic–I DO NOT condone you write while you’re driving, but if you are sitting in traffic that is dead-stopped (which happens a lot during rush hour or when there’s an accident), it’s OK to grab a notebook and jot a couple ideas down. (Just be sure to watch the road for when the cars start moving again.)

  As soon as you get to your desk–when you get to the office, instead of spending a half hour checking your e-mails, take a quick glance to see if there are any e-mails that need immediate response, then grab a notebook or bring up a Word document and spend 10 minutes writing. You can always go back to the less-important e-mails later.

  During your morning coffee/smoke break–bring your notebook with you and write.

  During a meeting–yes, we all know that most meetings are a waste of time, so if you find yourself in one of these meetings, jot down some notes for your next story or poem.

  On your lunch break–if you’re not using your lunch break to run errands, grab your laptop or notebook and head outside or to your company’s breakroom (or stay at your desk) and write while you eat (you may even get more than 10 minutes of writing time at lunch).

  During your afternoon coffee/smoke break.

  As soon as you walk in the door from work–yes, dinner needs to be made and there is homework to be done and a Girl Scout’s meeting and spending twenty minutes on the treadmill before bed. But before you do all that, take 10 minutes and write. Just getting down on paper those poem ideas or that great opening line to your next short story you came up with in your morning meeting will help you put your focus on the rest of your evening, while also keeping your writing in the back of your mind.

  While dinner is cooking–unless you’re a beginner, you’ve probably mastered the art of making dinner. That also means you’ve got at least 10 minutes of time–while the rice is cooking, while the burgers are grilling–to write.

  After dinner before you settle in to watch your favorite TV shows.

  During the commercial breaks of your TV shows.

  Before you go to bed–just quickly before you go to sleep, write for 10 minutes.

  In place of watching a TV show you’ve already seen–you know what I’m talking about because we all do it: watching reruns of a show you like because there’s nothing better on. Instead, write for 10 minutes (or longer!).

  After you put your kids to bed–once the little ones go to sleep, write!

  So as you can see, there are plenty of ways to find 10 minutes in your day to write.

  And here are even more ways to find additional writing time in your schedule:

  * Hire a babysitter a couple nights a week.

  * Hire a dog walker or ask a friend to walk your dog for you.

  * Outsource cleaning for the month (either by asking your kids/significant other to help or by hiring a cleaning service).

  * Use a day of PTO (you deserve it!) and spend that free day writing.

  * Get up a little early and write.

  * Order takeout instead of making dinner a couple nights a week.

  * Make a couple large meals one night and eat leftovers the rest of the week instead of cooking every night.

  * Record your weekly TV shows instead of watching them live.

  * Cancel/reschedule all non-required plans for a week (or month).

  * Buy groceries in bulk one day a week, rather than running to the store every day.

  * “Write” your novel into a tape recorder instead of typing it all.

  * Use voice-to-text software to tell your story.

  * Send your laundry out for cleaning (or have someone else do it for you).

  Sometimes, however, the main reason you can’t find time in your schedule for writing is because you have too much on your plate. And too much that’s not in alignment with the goals you want to achieve in your life.

  Taking On Too Much Can Keep You From Writing

  Writing takes time.

  There is no way around it. Writing doesn’t just happen. You can’t coax writing out of thin air. Writing requires you to put your butt in a chair in front of your computer and stay there until you have words on a page.

  So if you want to be a writer (and eventually an author), you need to write.

  But how can you write if your schedule is over-packed, especia
lly with things that might not be in alignment with your goals?

  Taking on too much is a very common problem. And sometimes people take on too much without even realizing it’s too much.

  Here are some common symptoms of people who take on too much:

  * Rarely ever say no to someone’s request, no matter if you actually have time for it or not.

  * You schedule is packed from the minute you wake up until the second your head hits the pillow at night.

  * You often feel tired/exhausted/over-worked and like you have no time to relax.

  * You feel like you never really accomplish anything, yet you’re always so busy.

  * You often feel stressed out.

  * You think you can do it all.

  * You think you have to do it all.

  The truth of the matter is: You can’t do it all and you don’t have to do it all.

  If you’re someone who finds yourself overloaded all the time, barely leaving yourself any time to do the things you want to do, like write, it’s time for you to simplify and outsource.

  Take a look at your to-do list (if you have one. If you don’t, I highly recommend you make one.). What on there is something you don’t have to do yourself? Is there anything you can have your spouse do? Or can you outsource it (for example, hire a cleaning company to clean your house so you can spend time writing?)

  Or maybe it’s time to learn an important word: No.

  Take On Less, Get More Done: Learn To Say NO

  “You have to decide what your highest priorities are and have the courage—pleasantly, smilingly, non-apologetically—to say ‘no’ to other things. And the way you do that is by having a bigger ‘yes’ burning inside. The enemy of the ‘best’ is often the ‘good.’—Stephen R. Covey

  Recently I’ve been reading the book, Small Changes, Big Results: A 12-Week Action Plan to a Better Life, by Ellie Krieger.

  In the book, Krieger teaches you how to develop and live a healthy lifestyle by making small, gradual changes. In one of the chapters, Krieger gave some spot-on advice on learning how to say “no.”

  Learn to Say No

  “There’s one magic word that can change your life, give you back your time, and help you lead a happier life,” Krieger says in the book. “That word is no.

  “But I bet you have trouble saying ‘no,’ don’t you?” she says. “I know how you feel. You don’t want to turn down that committee job for your son’s school. Your daughter will be crushed if you’re not the parent helper again this year. Your company always relies on you to organize the holiday party. Guess what. Sometimes you have to say ‘no’–to protect yourself, your time, and your energy.

  “But how? ‘No’ seems like such a mean word. It’s selfish, and you’re not selfish, right? I’ve made your job easy for you–here are six ways to say ‘no’ and not feel bad about it:

  Use ‘No, Thanks.’ Feel bad about saying ‘no?’ Thank the person for the opportunity before you turn him or her down. ‘I really appreciate you thinking of me, but no, thank you.’ See? You can be polite and turn people down.

  Ask For Stalling Time. Too often we agree to do something on the spur of the moment. When asked for something, tell the person you need to think about it and you’ll let her know. Then you can decide whether you want to take on the responsibility.

  Counter With An Alternative. If you’re not interested in the job or task, but are willing to do something else, say so. ‘I’m sorry, I can’t take on the chair responsibility, but I’m willing to help with the event the day of.’ (This is mostly a “no” but allows you to participate in something you want to without giving up your life for it.)

  Give A Reason(s). Sometimes you have to say ‘no,’ and you’ve got a good reason–or ten of them–for doing so. If you’re comfortable sharing them, let the person know–or say you’ve been overextending yourself lately and need to cut back.

  Or Don’t. ‘I’m sorry, but I can’t.’ That’s it. That’s all you have to say. Yes, you’ll feel guilty for a few minutes…but think how relieved you’ll be afterward.

  Suggest Someone Else. You can’t do it, but you know someone who might be interested? Pass along the person’s name–it may be just right for him or her.”

  If you’re interested in learning more tips and tricks for a healthier, better life, read Small Changes, Big Results: A 12-Week Action Plan to a Better Life.

  Saying “no” is often very difficult. And procrastinators seem to say “no” less often than most people. This also means procrastinators often take on too much.

  For example, I’ll have weeks where I slack BIG TIME! I’ll have so much stuff to do that I won’t manage to do any of it. I’ll spend most of my week sleeping, which is not exactly the most productive use of my time.

  The problem is taking on too much; it will catch up with you.

  The solution is reducing. Cutting back. Taking a look at your schedule, your list of priorities and your list of outstanding projects and figuring out which ones are worth your time and energy, and which ones have to go.

  Learning to say “no” is a huge step, and it can help you to procrastinate less.

  The main thing to remember is this: It’s YOUR life. Which means you need to decide what is and isn’t right for you. And you should never have to feel bad about saying “no” to something that doesn’t fall in line with your goals.

  Sit Down and Write!

  In your journal, respond to and reflect on the following:

  What projects do you have in your queue? What projects do you have that are incomplete? Make a list of everything you’re working on.

  How are you feeling project-wise right now—Overwhelmed? Too light? Just right?

  Which projects are important to you? Which projects are you over?

  Do you have a difficult time saying “no?” Why/why not?

  Self-Set Deadlines

  Unless you’re being paid to write, you’ll need to get in the habit of writing to self-set deadlines.

  Unfortunately, many writers have a problem with self-set deadlines—both setting them and keeping them.

  The main reasons it’s difficult to stick to self-set deadlines are because:

  * It’s a challenge to hold yourself accountable.

  * Not many people actually do hold themselves accountable.

  Being accountable is everything when it comes to getting your writing done. If you don’t choose a deadline and stick to it, you’ll never finish anything you’re working on (or want to work on). Also, by not setting a deadline and jumping in, you’re making the task even more intimidating. If you just get started on it you’ll see that it’s not nearly as hard as you imagined it would be.

  When it comes to setting a deadline for yourself:

  Work one project at a time—Rather than setting hundreds of deadlines, choose one project and set a deadline for it. When you hit that deadline, set another.

  Pick a reasonable amount of time—When setting a deadline, timing is everything. Choose too short of a deadline and you’ll likely burn out. Choose too long of one and you’ll procrastinate forever. The best deadline is one that’s reasonable, but still challenging.

  For example, when I was writing the first draft of my novel two years ago, I made the deadline three months. That allowed me to work at a leisurely two-chapter-a-week pace while finishing the book in a relatively short amount of time.

  Do a little every day—Try to work a little bit on your project every single day. This will ensure you’re not cramming everything in at the last minute.

  Stick to it—When you choose a deadline, stick to it. Play make-believe if you have to; pretend you’re writing that piece to submit to a contest or to an agent. (Or you could find a contest you want to submit to and write to that deadline.)

  And if you’re someone who knows that self-set deadlines will never work for you, here are some suggestions to help you out:

  Find a “Chapter Buddy”—If you’re trying to write a novel, estimate
how many chapters you’ll need to write, then look at a calendar and schedule deadlines for when you’ll have each chapter finished. Next, ask a good friend who is interested in reading your novel (and one who will actually hold you accountable) to be your “Chapter Buddy;” give them your deadline schedule. Then every time a deadline comes up, you e-mail your chapters to your friend. Your friend will then read them.

  Knowing you have someone waiting to find out “what happens next” is a great motivator and can help you hit your deadlines.

  Write a check to someone you don’t like—OK, so this is an extreme motivational technique and not for procrastinators who know they won’t stick to their deadlines. But another great way to hit your deadline is to write a check for a large sum of money ($100-$1,000) to someone you don’t like (or it could be a charity you don’t support). Write a date on the check—your deadline. Sign it. Then give it to a friend and tell them if you don’t have your project finished by the date on the check to go ahead and give it to the person/charity.