You sit down to write after an incredibly full day. People, emotions, and responsibilities have been clamoring for your time and effort without end. But now, you finally get a chance to sneak away and write, even if only for a few minutes. 

With a contented sigh you snap open your computer or notebook and prepare to write. 

And that’s when you hit a wall. 

All the busyness of the day or week comes flooding over you and there’s nothing else you can do except close your eyes and hope that tomorrow will be better. You feel exhausted and burnt out. 

Do you know this feeling as much as I do?  

There have been times when I’ve saved my writing for the night. That way, things like school, chores, and other responsibilities would be done and it’d be quiet. But that’s when I’d realized how tired I was and I simply couldn’t write. Or if I did, it’d just be plain miserable and I’d get hardly anything done. 

Yes, this happens to us writers a lot— because life doesn’t slow down just because we want (or need) to write. 

So how do we find—or make— time for writing when life is so… full? How do we maintain enough mental energy to be able to write healthily amongst the rest of what’s going on in our lives?

Be specific with yourself about your goals

This is definitely a more basic concept, but effective nonetheless. It’s much easier to set aside a specific goal “for later” when you don’t have a very specific game plan. 

Consider these two sentences below, then see which one is more likely to get you writing: 

“At some point today I’m going to write.” 

or

“At 7:00 this morning I’m going to spend a half hour at my desk drafting this specific project.” 

The second one! It certainly helps me to know all the details about when, how, and where for when I know I need to do something that may be hard or time + energy consuming. 

I don’t know about you, but I thrive on schedules. When I know all the specifics of my day, I can relax when writing, knowing that I’m not pushing aside my other responsibilities. 

Because here’s the truth… if you want writing to be your career then you’re going to have to treat it like a career. I still remember how profound that sounded when the bestselling author Brett Harris said it in my writing community. If we want to be writers who go somewhere with our writing, then we have to put in the time and effort to make it happen. 

When you add writing into your daily schedule at a specified time, you’ll be much more likely to stick with it and enjoy it without stress. 

Find what setting works best for you

Another thing that is immensely helpful for a writer is finding when + where they write best. I used to think that sitting on the couch in the evening with my music blasting in my earbuds was the best way to do it.

Recently, however, I started getting up early to write with no music. That way everything is (mostly) quiet, my mind is relaxed and fresh, and nothing else is vying for my attention. 

I never thought I was a morning person, until a blog post called “the art of getting up early” inspired me to try it out. Imagine my shock when it actually worked! 

This new setup works perfectly for me. Sometimes, I do write on the couch in the evening with music, but my early morning setup is the best scenario for me.

It’s important to remember, though, that what works for me might not work for you. You need to experiment for yourself and see what works best for you. 

Your brain associates things together in amazing ways. For example, about a year ago I would listen to the same song over and over while working on a particular writing project. To this day, when I hear that song, I think of that story. 

In the same way, if you consistently write in the same place, or at the same time, your brain will get used to that. It’ll get to a point where you just need to go to that one place, listen to that one song, or start at the same time, and your mind will engage. Oh, it’s time to write. Okay. 

Get in the habit of writing consistently

This goes along with what I was just saying. Once you find where, when, and how you write best, you should stay consistent with it! This will develop a habit, and having a consistent habit where you’re constantly plugging away—even if it’s just a little bit at a time— is much better than having a huge day of writing then completely hitting a wall for the next three weeks. 

Remember, writing is a marathon, not a sprint. 

I wrote a blog post for Deigan Marie’s blog recently (we swapped posts), and it was on creating consistent writing habits. If you want some ideas, motivation, or tips on writing consistently, feel free to check it out!

Refill creative energy when you’re not using it

One of the biggest hindrances to your writing is mental exhaustion. It’s so real. When you get to a point where you’re too mentally or emotionally tired to write, it’s not ideal to try to push through and hope things will pull themselves together soon. 

If you’re tired, there’s a reason, and there’s also a way to rest up and refresh. 

I did NaNoWriMo last year, and I constantly felt exhausted, and I didn’t pinpoint the cause of it until after I finished, unfortunately. When I was writing, I was using all my creative energy… but I never did anything to replenish it afterward. 

Just taking a break doesn’t mean you’re refilling your creative energy— not at all! If the only thing you’re doing is taking a break, and that won’t fix anything. 

You instead need to find what truly refreshes you and helps you get back your energy. It’s going to be different for every person, so there’s no formula as to “how” you truly rest. 

If you want to hear more in depth about true rest, you can read my article about finding what true rest looks like in your life. 

Let yourself be flexible 

This may seem to go a little against what I’ve been saying… but flexibility is so important too. There are so many different seasons we go through in our lives, and there are some where we can (and should) dedicate more time + effort to writing than in others. 

This might be a season for you to pursue writing intentionally and dedicate hours a week to your writing. Or, you may be in a season of journaling once a week, writing a poem every so often, or writing a short story or two in a year.

Just like chapters in a book, each season is different + unique in its own way, and although they’re never all the same, they’re all essential.      

If you feel like no matter what you just can’t write as much as you’d like to, or feel like it’s not something to pursue in more intensive ways right now, be okay with that!

This is a season in my life where I can dedicate a lot to my writing. When I’m married and have children in the future, the season will be completely different—and I’m going to be okay with that. 

If you feel like you can’t dedicate a bunch of time or effort to your writing, there’s absolutely nothing wrong with that. It’s important to be listening for the lead of the Holy Spirit, and if He’s pointing you in another direction, it’s best to follow His plans. He knows what’s best for you!

In conclusion… 

There are definitely a bunch of different ways to make the most of your writing time, but I’ve only scratched the surface. 

The biggest piece of advice I can give you is this: pray. Ask God to show you what is best for you and your writing, and He will. He promises us wisdom when we ask for it without doubt (James 1:5)! 

Did you enjoy this post? Do you have any tips to give me about how to make the most of my writing time? I definitely don’t know everything! Also, I’d love to know something: do you prefer writing with lyrical music, instrumental, or no music? I kind of do all three, haha!

Lastly, if you enjoyed reading this post, you might like this one…

• How To Find The Time To Write Consistently And Finally Finish Your Book: 7 Steps For Young Writers (I actually found this article after writing today’s. There are some similarities, and it’s super helpful!)