From Edie: Struggling to find time to write? Miriah Taverna shares three common time thieves, practical productivity tips, and ways to finally finish your book.
What's Stealing Your Writing Time? How Authors Can Overcome Distractions and Finish Their Book
by Miriah Taverna
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I’m from the sweet state of South Carolina, where we tend to sugar-coat things a little too much. My husband is from New York, and he’s a no-sugar-on-top, straight shooter. In true New York fashion, I’m gonna shoot it to you straight. If your goal is to self-publish, you’re going to have to lock in and be extremely intentional with your time management.
Self-publishing is a lot like being self-employed. No one is coming to wake you up. No one is checking your time card to make sure you’re not late. No one is coming behind you making sure you crossed your t’s and dotted your i’s.
Yes, you maintain full control, full rights, and full freedom over your book, but this also means that you set your own timelines and deadlines.
In today’s day and age, there will always be something or someone pulling for our attention. We’re all as busy as we allow ourselves to be. And while of course some seasons are busier than others, I truly believe that we make time for what's important to us, and even more so, what's important to God!
Writing a book requires intentionality. It is not about working endless hours; it is about showing up consistently. Slow progress is better than no progress. One hundred words written in just ten minutes is more than zero words never written at all. It is not about how much time you have, but about what you do with the time you have.
As one of our most valuable assets, time is precious. Sometimes the greatest challenge in finishing our book isn’t a lack of desire, but a lack of stewardship over our time. Revelation 12:12 says that the devil “knows that his time is short.” And the honest truth is, our time is too. We are “a mist that appears for a little time, and then vanishes.” (James 4:14) So, let us make the most of every moment, and complete our God-given assignments, trusting that they will continue to produce fruit for His glory long after our time here has ended.
3 Thieves That Steal Our Writing Time
There are many thieves that seek to steal, kill, and destroy things in our lives.
Here are three to look out for that may be stealing your time and hindering you from finishing your book:
Thief #1 - Digital Distractions:
Probably the number one thief that steals our time today is smartphones. Endless scrolling on social media, constantly checking notifications, new emails every hour, not to mention the trap of comparison that can be a snare when we spend too much time consuming.
Have you ever picked up your phone with the intention to do something productive and somehow you find yourself on a totally different app doing something not so productive? Yeah… me too. And I’m not saying that technology is evil, but I would love to use my phone as a tool that serves me and not the other way around.
To overcome this distraction, you can leave your phone in another room at certain times of the day, set time limits on how long you can engage on certain apps, and give yourself boundaries around when and how you use your digital devices.
Thief #2 - Mental Distractions:
Not all time thieves are external. The devil is a liar and the battlefield of the mind is real. Fear, anxiety, inadequacy, and overwhelm are all lies that can be major distractions if we’re not quick to take those thoughts captive. Fear of failure or of what people will think will keep you in a place of insecurity. Perfectionism will keep you from making progress. Don’t wait to “feel” inspired or motivated because feelings come and go.
Regardless of the lies the enemy may try to whisper, you can overcome these mental distractions by first calling them out for what they are. Second, taking up your shield of faith. And third, meditating on the truth of God’s Word continually. Remind yourself that God has called you to write this book and He doesn’t want you believing the lies of the enemy! You can do this. God is on your side!
Thief #3 - Life/Responsibility Distractions:
There will always be dishes that need to be washed or laundry that needs to be folded. The normal responsibilities of life, self-care, and everyday household chores aren’t going anywhere. So what we have to do is protect our time and be intentional with every day. I’m not saying to neglect your household duties or your first ministry (your family) for the sake of writing a book. No. That is out of order.
But what I am saying is that there should be a healthy balance of work and play. The way to juggle the many demands of life without letting them weigh you down or distract you is simply time management.
Depending on your personality type, implementing systems and scheduling will come easier for some of us than others. But redeeming time and making the most of every day won't happen by accident. It happens one intentional decision after another.
Making Time to Write
Once you begin removing distractions, the next step is making sure you have systems in place that serve you. In the beginning of my writing journey, I highly underestimated the amount of time that goes into writing, editing, and self-publishing a book, but when I got serious about writing, I asked myself this question: “How much time can I actually dedicate to writing this book?”
As you look over your own calendar, you may be surprised by the pockets of time that are waiting to be filled with purpose. Pockets that can serve as moments for you to show up, be disciplined, and chip away at your manuscript little by little. Whether your schedule allows for long hours spent writing multiple chapters, or short twenty-minute spurts spent writing a single paragraph, take advantage of the time you have!
Set realistic goals and deadlines to motivate you and keep you accountable. Yet even in being realistic, don't be afraid to stretch yourself beyond your comfort zone. Without goals and deadlines, it is easy to keep putting off writing.
Accountability is a Secret Weapon for Productivity
Deadlines feel more real when others know about them. Accountability throughout your writing journey is invaluable. If you lose motivation or momentum, other people can help turn your intentions into actions and spur you on to complete your manuscript.
When considering people who could be your accountability partner, pray and ask God if He has someone in mind. You could ask a friend, family member, mentor, or look into joining an in-person or online writing community.
Writing a Book is a Beautiful Learning Process
Ultimately, hold your plans and timelines with open hands. You can trust that as you pursue to honor God with your writing and with being a good steward of your time, that your labor in the Lord is never in vain and everything will come to fruition in His perfect timing.
At the end of the day, self-publishing will not only teach you how to write a book, but also how to steward your time. I pray that after reading this blog you come to realize that you likely have more time than you think you do. May God meet you today and help you make time in your calendar for what matters most.
TWEETABLE
MIRIAH TAVERNA was born and raised in Greenville, South Carolina. She is a wife, mama, and award-winning, bestselling author of The Unashamed Life: God Found Me in the Pit of Hell, But He Didn’t Leave Me There.
After spending years lost in drug addiction, she encountered Jesus Christ in a hospital bathroom stall, and in an instant, He changed everything.
Now, her passion is to share Jesus with the world through writing, speaking, Bible teaching, and simply loving people right where they are. Her heart is to help inspire and equip others to deeply seek God for themselves and to boldly share their own stories for His glory. She also creates faith-based resources for aspiring Christian authors.
When she’s not reading, writing, or wrangling her three wild boys, you can find her on a treasure hunt at the local thrift store with an iced vanilla latte in hand. Connect with her at WWW.MIRIAHTAVERNA.COM or on social media.
