From Edie: Struggling to find time to write? Discover practical ways to overcome busyness, stay consistent, and remain faithful to your calling—even in life’s busiest seasons.
Too Busy to Write? How to Make Time and Stay Faithful to Your Calling
by Martin Wiles @LinesFromGod
Christy Brown could use his brain and the little toe on his left foot, but little else. As a helpless babe, he lay on the kitchen floor of a cottage in Ireland. That’s when his mom noticed something very interesting. He reached out with that one good toe and grabbed a crayon that one of his siblings had dropped. At that moment, a writer was born—although neither knew it then.
Some years later, someone at IBM made a special typewriter for him, enabling him to punch in one letter at a time with that one toe. All one must do is Google books by Christy Brown, and the excuse that “life is too difficult right now for me to write” should fly out the window and soar to its death. Sol Stein, in his book, Stein on Writing, said, “The film (My Left Foot) may cure you of fishing for an excuse for not writing.” [1]
Well, that’s the difficult, but what about the busy? As the managing editor for Christian Devotions, I can always tell when the holiday season arrives by the fewer submissions. People are busy shopping, preparing for holiday meals, and getting together with families.
I recall the email I received from a staff member at a professional editor’s organization. I was teaching a course that she had enrolled in, but she was quite behind in her homework.
Hi Martin,
I just wanted to let you know why I’m not more active in your class. I didn’t want to say anything earlier in case it sounded like an excuse. I really wanted to do my homework right away and reply to the quizzes as you sent them. However, I had no idea of everything that would hit me after I started this class! Some of these things were already going on, but quite a few happened after class started ... Being an instructor myself, I feel bad for not being able to fully participate in your class and do every one of the homework assignments and quizzes. I just wanted you to know that I appreciate your course very much, and I've been determined to finish it.
Difficulties and busyness are parcel for most of us. Some things we can control; most we cannot. And I know about busyness. I’m a husband, Dad, Pop to seven grandboys, POA for my mother, bi-vocational pastor, fill-in Sunday school teacher, full-time English teacher, blogger, managing editor for two websites, instructor for The Christian PEN, writer, freelance editor, and proofreader. I rise at 3:40 a.m. and try to hit the sack by 9 p.m.
If we believe God has called us to write, we will find time to write amidst the difficulties and busyness. But how?
Tips to Write Amidst the Difficulties & Busyness
1. Know Your Best Writing Time
There is no right or wrong time. It’s just what works best for us. Just like our daily quiet time. For me, early morning works best because my brain shuts down around 7:30 p.m. Just ask my wife, who constantly yells “Wake up” to my bobble head.
2. Know Your Personality
All of us are either Type A or Type B, although some characteristics may overlap. This is why some writers are plotters, and others are pantsers. Identifying our personalities determines our perception of difficulties and helps us manage the busyness.
3. Know Your Schedule
Some things are schedule essentials: God time, family time, others’ time, and us time. Jesus had all of those, and if he needed them, certainly we do, too.
I love Lori Hatcher’s perspective: “You may work a day job that limits your writing time. Guard those lunch hours like the Queen’s diamonds. Think about what you’re going to write in advance so you’re ready to go once the lunch bell rings. Or earmark those snatches of time while your toddler sleeps. Or wake up an hour early. Or skip the evening’s TV time. Use your precious minutes to accomplish your most important writing tasks," from Three Questions Writers Can Ask When Feeling Overwhelmed or Confused.
4. Know Your Finances
We writers must learn and hone the craft, both of which can be expensive. So budget. Conferences are important. Attend at least one. Books are cheaper but lack connection. Writing groups are helpful. One word of caution: avoid debt.
5. Know Your Goals
Only a small percentage of writers make a living solely from writing. Most have day jobs, edit, mentor or coach other writers, and dabble in any number of side hustles. Nor do another writer’s goals have to be ours. Pray and find out what God wants. We don’t even have to write a book to be a writer. Many other avenues will yield more readers than a book ever will.
Perhaps John Piper said it best: “Books don’t change lives. Sentences do. Make every one count.”
Don’t let the difficulties and busyness keep you from what God has called you to do.
[1] Sol Stein, Stein on Writing. New York: St. Martin’s Press, 1995.
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