by Ngozi Obanye-Stephen

Created on: January 29, 2009

Most writers want to find the time to write. You may not spend 8 hours straight writing your novel, but you can still spend a fair amount of time resulting in some form of achievement.

If you have time on your hands, or are a work at home writer, writing should be an easy task. But is it? For some people, they would rather tackle household chores, go to the gym, or cruise to the mall than sit down to write. This is a clever way of making excuses.

Set yourself a goal. By setting a goal, you are more likely to spend your free time writing. Work out what it is you want to achieve, and then break down your goal into small steps. Follow the steps until you reach your goal. For example if your intention is to produce 20 articles per week, then work out how many articles you could realistically write each day. Some people can work for hours at a stretch, but for others, this is not possible. Break up the day if you have to. For example, write for an hour, rest for an hour, and then write for another hour. Leave notebooks dotted around your house so that your mind is geared up for writing.

Working full-time does not allow you the flexibility that a work at home writer has, so you will have to be extra disciplined. Much of your free time may be spent commuting or driving. In any case, do you really want to pick up a pen and paper or start typing on the computer after a grueling day at the office? You'll be lucky if you only have an hour spare each evening. So what is the answer? Firstly, set an achievable target, taking into account your current situation. There is no point in aiming too high only to find that you cannot achieve your goal. With article writing, between one and four articles a day is a good starting point. If you are a commuter, you can bring a small notepad and snatch moments to write. This can be just as effective as writing at a desk for two hours a day, as long as you are consistent. If you are unable to write whilst commuting, then make use of your breaks at work by writing what you can.

Naturally, if you are serious about writing and want to take it further, you will find the time. A simple task is to work out how much time you would need to eat, sleep, shop, etc and deduct that time from the twenty four hour day. With the remaining hours, you can use some, if not all, for writing. Consistency, determination, and discipline are what you should be aiming for. Whether you are a work at home writer or work many hours outside the home, finding the time to write is not an impossible task.

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