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8 Tips For Beginning Writers

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8 Tips for Beginning Writers
As a homeschooling mom of 4, finding time to write can be a bit of a challenge. My children are all young enough to still need quite a bit of help and attention doing everything from loading the dishwasher, to using the potty. To say I don’t have a lot of free time is an understatement.

A question I am often asked is this: “How do you have time to write like you do?“ Or, people sometimes say it in a statement form, like this: “I don’t know how you found the time to write a book!”

8 Tips for beginning writers, (You Can do it) <–Tweet this!

  1. I treat writing as a job. What I mean specifically is, I set aside specific time to work. I schedule it into my day, just as I would a doctors appointment or a girls night out. This helps me to plan our activities, and allow plenty of face time and class time with my kids, while still getting my projects done.
  2. I set deadlines. I’m jumping headfirst into another project and in order to make that happen, I have set deadlines for myself to complete different phases of the project. This prevents me from enjoying wasting hours of time watching Duck Dynasty, when I need to have something ready for editing.
  3. I guard my writing time fiercely. My children take a scheduled quiet time every day. This time is sacred to me. This is when I write most often (like right now) and I am very careful about things that would otherwise interrupt this time. It occurs at the same time everyday, and so I schedule our entire day around this 2 hour window. I’ve been known to turn down many activities that interrupt this hallowed time. Thankfully, my friends here know me well, and don’t often ask us to play or do anything during that time, and likewise, I avoid scheduling anything that will prevent me from being near my computer during this small window of time.
  4. I (sometimes) write at night. Part of the reason I guard my quiet time with such ferocity, is that in the evenings, I’d like to hang out with my husband. Therefore, in order to write, I must try and work around his schedule, which means limited night writing. When I was in the throws of finishing my book, many nights were spent writing, and we made do, because we knew that pace would not last. I try to have a once a week “write night” (#writenight for you tweeps out there) because honestly, sometimes, night writing is where the magic happens. I should add here that my husband is an absolute saint and supports me fully in my writing, which makes all the difference in the world. Amen.
  5. I write before the sun comes up. Early morning is an excellent time to get those first morning thoughts out on paper–and that’s specifically how I do my morning writing, on paper in my journal. I won’t speak too much to this because everybody has their method, but I will simply say this, if you write almost exclusively on the computer, I suggest you find a good legal pad or a journal and every now and then, write long hand. I am amazed sometimes at how different my writing can be when I take the time to draw out the letters.
  6. I take scheduled breaks. I have found this to be a critical component in my efforts to hold on to ideas. The more tired I am, the more often I lose the words. Scheduling rest is a key component in holding on to my story and making my deadlines. ( If you need accountability and encouragement to take time off from being creative, try this.) This leads me to my last point.
  7. I get offline. Sometimes I can be positively fed full by the online conversations I enjoy. But I can also easily waste a tremendous amount of time online, and get distracted from my own writing and work. If you want to write, get off line and do the work. Everybody knows this already, but yet, many of us still struggle with this one seemingly obvious point.
  8. I pray. This perhaps should have been the first point, but the fact that I list it last does not speak to the significance of this tip. If you want to write, take that desire to the Lord and give it back to Him. Ask Him to show you how to fit it into your life, and for the words and wisdom to share. I believe that God is honored most by our willingness to use the gifts He has given us, for His purposes. Don’t know what that looks like for you? Ask Him. He will direct your steps.

What tips do you have for other writers? Share them below–help a sister out! 

Comments

  1. Thank you Kris! People ask me the same question all the time, especially since I work full time, outside the home. My scheduled writing time is almost always in the evenings, after the house is quiet. I am blessed to be able to get away, to a local coffee shop, on occasion and write down my thoughts. I try to lean into the voice of God and write when He brings the inspiration. I need to be a little more structured with my time though. 🙂

    • That’s awesome, Barbie. I think setting aside specific time to write is truly important, especially if writing is how you (we) process life. Even if (when) I dont blog, I am always writing. I’m a fan of structured writing time 😉

  2. Loved your tips! I love how you make the absolute most of the time God has given you to write. And, you are so right about the “writing magic” happening at night. My husband has even noticed this! Great post!

  4. Thank you, Kris. I haven’t written much lately and you have given me some very valuable tips. I’m going to adopt the writing in long hand and also pray about scheduling time to write. Thank you again…these are incredibly valuable!

  5. It makes my heart happy knowing that the Sabbath Society has been a blessing to you Kris, thanks for sharing about it. The magic happens for me in the morning and on my walks. I can’t string coherent sentences together in the evening, I’m overly stimulated and clarity is hard to find. But ya know, you’ve made me think. Maybe that would be a good time to sit with my journal and just write it out long hand. I hope you know what a gift you are to me Kris. So glad to be walking out my writing journey with lovely you.

    • Really, Shelly, I am just so thankful for YOU and your encouragement to enjoy the Sabbath. I still believe that god had me see your post about it at that specific time, for a great many reasons. My soul is learning to breath again, and it’s wonderful. And yes, do try the long-hand writing. I am a big proponent of it 😉 I have a box of journals to support this 😉 Love you, friend.

  6. Don’t push your writing to the bottom of your to do list because then it never gets done! I write 2 articles a week as one of my three part time jobs. I have also found I need breathing space to actually BE creative. I have stopped feeling guilty about getting outside and taking a hike with my dog because I find that when I let my mind rest a bit and rejuvenate, the ideas flow SO much better! 🙂

    • Amen. I love all of this Rosanne! Excellent tips here!! Breathing room is so needed. I am coming out of a long season of no breathing room, and i’m just gulping in the fresh air, and the grace of not feeling the need to post constantly. And yes, you’re right, it really helps my creativity too! Good for you, sister-friend!

  7. Thanks for sharing this, Kris! I have been so blessed by your words and I am thankful for the example of you and other women who have forged a path of writing faithfulness. Still trying to figure all of this out!

    • Becky, Aw, thank you, sweet friend. I am so grateful for your encouragement. I tell you, this community, your kind words, they keep me going! Praying for you as you follow the path God has laid for you. It’s exciting to see where you go!

  8. Awesome tips, Kris! I, too, am a homeschool mom of 4 and I find that when I overdo it on writing one week, I suffer the next. I was writing 4-5 articles a week but then totally burned out. I’ve scaled back to a more manageable 2-3 and my writing is better, I’m not stressed out, and my work is ready ahead of time. What a great feeling!

    And, yes, prayer. Lots of prayer!

    • Sarah, I hear every word of this. I have had to scale back on my frequent posting, and now, I wonder how on earth I did post as often. I rather like the schedule I’m forming this particular season–margin is a good thing. It is a great feeling!

  9. I am recently unemployed, and I think I was more disciplined at writing when I didn’t have all day to do it! I needed this encouragement to be self-disciplined today. Thank you so much!

    • Christy, So thankful this encouraged you, I used to try to fit writing in, but when I started scheduling time for it, my perspective on it changed, and it has been so fulfilling in learning discipline with it. You can do it!!

  10. As a home school mom of 4, with a less hand year old, I totally get these ideas. We also have a qt in the afternoons that is sacrosanct. That is when I write my blog. I don’t do emails or get on Twitter and FB, I write. I don’t often write early in the morning or in the evenings. I have other things that I do then. And, whether I am dry or not, I still pray about what God wants me to write each week, and for the right words to convey my thoughts. I have often prayed for God to teach me so I can teach, and to order my words so I only say what He wants me to-not my own thoughts.

  12. Blessings to you and yours. What a great article. The simplicity and honesty are amazing. I feel empowered to get back to the basics of just writing! Thank you!

  13. Great tips! I am beginning to blog more & my mind floods with thoughts. I feel guilt for writing to get it down before I forget, but these tips help.

  15. Thanks for sharing. Sometimes it can be so hard to get things done. I find it frustrating when I have time to write and words don’t come–then when I am crazy-busy the words flow and I am a nut-case. Pacing would be good!

  16. As the sun has started shining and warming things up outdoors I’ve found a lot of free time indoors to write while my kids are outside playing and soaking up the sun. Yesterday I had 3 hours of writing bliss. It’s weird that I felt guilty for writing instead of being outside with the kids, but they were playing with their neighborhood friends and didn’t need me to entertain them. I think as I get used to this I’ll get some good writing time in during the next few months. I just need to stay away from social media if I want to be productive. 🙂

  18. My favorite piece of writing advice was from my long departed daddy. He’d say, “If you’re feeling like you’ve got writers block, just write; write anything. You can always clean it up later, but the action of putting words on paper ( yep this was a while back) will clear your mind and free your thoughts.”

  20. Love all of the tips…I have tried a few different approaches to scheduling my writing (also homeschooling four, etc.) but it is a constant juggling act for sure. 😉 Sharing this. Aloha!

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