How to find time to write - The topic

[Lady Vulpix]

Since many of us are suffering from the same problem (lack of time to write) and it's becoming evident that no one's going to write an article about it, I thought we might as well share our ideas, especially the ones that work.

As you may have noticed, I've managed to make myself some time to write today, so I'll post what's worked for me so far. Post your own ideas and experiences, and maybe we'll be able to help each other and bring more writings to this forum.

My advice is oriented to early risers because I am one, but if you're nocturnal (or vespertine) you may find a way to adjust it to your schedule. If so, feel free to post it here.

1. Think of what to write whenever you can, no matter if there are no writing implements at hand. The bus is a good place for that, or any other situation in which you have idle time. The important bits will stay. Try to remember any good ideas you've had. If you can take notes, do so (and remember when you keep them).
2. Save a day for writing, up to a week in advance. Make sure you have no compromises for that day. Arrange all your other tasks as if that day didn't exist.
3. On the eve of the chosen day, go to bed early, thinking of your story. Keep in mind that the following morning, you're going to write it.
4. On the morning of the chosen day, get up as early as possible. Go through your previous chapter, or a previous story if it's a one-shot, to get in the mood. Don't do anything that might take your mind away from writing, but do allow yourself to do things that can help you. In my case, many cups of tea do the trick. Write as much as you can before anyone else wakes up. After that, if you still need time, you can try to negotiate to be left alone for a while. If it fails, you can always repeat from step one. At least you'll have written something and you can continue it next time.

...And that's what I've just done. That's how chapter 31 of Quest of Twelve was written and chapter 30 was posted. Any other ideas?

(Edit note: funny how I was the first one to request this and now I'm the first one to provide it.)

[Houndoom_Lover]

I do number one all the time ^_^ I yell at people when they're being to loud, because theyre inteupting my 'daydream'. I act it out, and run it through my head. I'd addicted to writting.

Another helpful tip, I'd like to add. The first thing you should do is open your word program. Even if you don't feel like writting- You may come up with something. One chunky/choppy/crappy paragraph is better than a blank, everytime ^.^

[mistysakura]

Does anyone else handwrite their stories? I'm not a fan of writing on the computer, for some reason. Anyway, for other handwriters like me, it's good to keep your writing book beside your bed. It means if you get random inspiration during the night, suddenly you'll find you have a lot of time to write. And you'll be dead the next morning... I like Gabi's idea of designating a day for writing. Since I have a short attention span, I end up doing a whole lot of other stuff between writing, but it does help to not have the niggling feeling that you should be doing something else.

[Drusilla]

Well for those who are like me and find that their creativity is closer to the surface in the dead of night (it's currently 12:40 AM here, 1:10 AM by the time I finally finished writing this, and I've got some ideas buzzing about my head), I'd recommend flipping around some of LV's ideas.

I have a little pocket notebook that I carry with me for several reasons, mostly because I'll have thoughts at random times that I don't want to lose. I've been known to write things down while driving down the highway into town... which I DO NOT recommend to ANYONE. EVER. That would be a no-no, boys and girls... So don't tell your parents I said that was OK. Yeah.

I often can't set aside one day and be able to keep it because of how chaotic my schedule is. My life is built on the idea of being able to drop everything at a moment's notice for emergencies. I do set aside these hours of the night, unless I absolutely need them for something else. I don't always get to write, but more often than not I get something done.

I spend most of the day thinking about what I'm going to write, and listen to music that I associate with my characters. My iTunes is filled with playlists named after my characters that I can use to get into the right mindset.

Once the house quiets down, around 10 PM, I settle down, get some music going, maybe fix something to munch on, and just let go with everything I've been thinking of. Sometimes I get sidetracked and things don't happen (like right now, I'm talking to people on MSN, which is what usually happens), but if I at least have those ideas set in my mind, I have something to work with when I next sit down.

And tea is a wonderful thing. I might go fix some right now, as a matter of fact...

[Gavin Luper]

Does anyone else handwrite their stories? I'm not a fan of writing on the computer, for some reason. Anyway, for other handwriters like me, it's good to keep your writing book beside your bed. It means if you get random inspiration during the night, suddenly you'll find you have a lot of time to write. And you'll be dead the next morning... I like Gabi's idea of designating a day for writing. Since I have a short attention span, I end up doing a whole lot of other stuff between writing, but it does help to not have the niggling feeling that you should be doing something else.

I like handwriting for my 'real' novels, and almost always for planning. But Lisa the Legend has almost always been written on computer - to the point where it doesn't feel right to write it by hand. In fact, I often don't feel in the right mood to write LTL unless I'm at the same computer at my home in Gero that I began writing it on nearly six years ago. It's like a funny attachment thing.

I do the bedside notebook thing - it's come in handy! I can get inspired just as well at other times, but late night ideas have been very helpful in the past. Last night, actually, while I was rushing to finish an assignment, the beginning of a particular novel (one which I would like to get published) just emerged in my head, like somebody was pulling back a dark veil and revealing the exact details of the beginning that I'd never been able to see before.

I spend most of the day thinking about what I'm going to write, and listen to music that I associate with my characters. My iTunes is filled with playlists named after my characters that I can use to get into the right mindset.

That sounds like such a cool idea.

As for the tea-drinkers - I agree! I love a good cup of tea. As a travel companion in Cinque Terre once said to me as we drank tea in our grungy apartment, "Tea is so good. It makes everything better."

Hehe, I loved that.

[darktyranitar]

I agree. I take tea on occasion during my writing too. 's really good.

I don't really have much to say on finding the time to right... Gabi's idea on focusing one day to just write is a good idea, I think, but given my college's always full schedule, then Iit is a little tough to practice.

Like Dru, I do find the inspiration surfacing more often in the middle of the night (and early morning). So sometimes, during late-night stay to finish assigment, I'll open my work and work on them a bit (I plan to stay up real late tonight, I'll see if I can do any writing on my work)

I used to handwrite on one of my fic. I would take out a book, and write a script format fic, with some dialogues and comment put in between. It worked for a while, but then I dropped the habit. I guess it is because I prefer to write it down straight on the computer.

On the other hand, I began carrying a notebook around with me lately - and it works wonder when I want to jot down the details that I might forget later on.

...eh, I wish I have some tea to drink right now. All I got now is just this plain water...

[Phoenixsong]

Um. Not that I've been able to do any of this successfully, but yeah. This was written for people who want to write novels, but a fanfic of similar length should apply... really, this should more or less work for fiction of any length. Dun remember, as I haven't read it in a while, and I can't re-read it this second because I should be writing an essay. Anyway, it splits the task of developing and writing into more manageable chunks, so you can schedule long periods of time (such as an entire day or whatever) for the big parts and still accomplish things during the smaller periods of time.

Also, children, whether you actually handwrite the stories themselves or not, keep some form of writing materials on hand at all flomping times. The number of times I've had strokes of genius for story ideas, characters, even the odd poem or song or something, spent time developing it, and then... boom. I wake up the next morning, and it's like that idea never happened. You will kick yourself if you forget awesomeness like that. So write it down.

[Houndoom_Lover]

I sometimes write on paper, but I prefer the computer ^_^. I always have a pen on me! But last night, (I chew on my pens when I write) I injured myself while writting ._.. Cut my gums. They hurt like the dickens.

^_____^ I have a notebook for each fanfiction! And each of my own stories.

[Charles Legend]

well being a night owl helps me, of course that when most of my writings become truly bizarre, like for example my Idea of The Greys Factory farming humans for both sex and food...

~Charles Legend

[Houndoom_Lover]

That idea sounds like an award winner ^_^. Anywho, now the school has started, I have to do my homework at school and stuff so I can come home and write...but still *lolls about*

[Drusilla]

I have an old school binder set up with my notebook and two reams of looseleaf notebook paper... but I haven't had time to write anything new in the past week. I'm working waaaay into overtime... day jobs are a killer for writers and artists.

[Lady Vulpix]

Too true, Dru.

[Gavin Luper]

Night jobs are worse! Well, arguably.

[Orange_Flaaffy]

Most of my fanfic is written at night very very late. It really helps to get vampire ideas walking at twilight with the wind whipping the leaves . I love fall nights for writing, it's like the wisdom of ages pasts is all there. Also, rainy days are great for ideas .