Where Do You Find the Time?

I recently was asked where I find the time to write and publish as often as I do. The simple answer? I watch very little television. That’s my magical solution.

The more complex answer is that I maintain a strict schedule when it comes to my writing. Even if I don’t publish some of the things I write – and it’s more than likely – I still aim to write new content almost every day. The schedule is a little harder to keep now that I have a day job, a roommate, and a budding social life, but those things simply mean I have to be more strategic with my time.

For instance, if I know my roommate has track practice, I know that I have at least an hour of uninterrupted silence between the time I get home and the time she gets home. On a good writing day, I can sometimes write at least two new posts. On bad days, I’m lucky to get one that isn’t a complete wreck.

I also use several organizational and bookmarking tools. I have Evernote, and I mainly use it as an idea storehouse. A simplistic use of the application, but I don’t need it for much else at this point. I’m also making use of WordPress’ editorial calendar, and I love it. It allows me to see gaps in my publishing schedule and to think about possible posts to fill them.

I also have my more organic method which is this: I tend to think in terms of themes and series. My thought process might be a by-product of my poetry, but I would have to confer with other writers to confirm the idea. I just always feel that there’s more than one way of approaching a topic or of thinking about it, and I sometimes want to address that topic from the various angles. I could do so in one post, but it would be a lengthy, cumbersome thing. Such a format would be better-suited for a book, so I break the post into its individual components.

Of course, none of that gets into the writing habits or processes I have for other projects or my poetry. If I were to include those, some people might worry that I’m going to burn out. It’s possible, although I don’t think it’s likely. I’ve been keeping my current writing schedule for more than a year, and I’ve discovered that the more I write, the easier it is to write. The more ideas I pen, the more ideas I have. For me, the problem is putting away the pencil and paper or the laptop, not getting and using them.