by Simon Wright

Created on: January 29, 2007   Last Updated: May 21, 2011

One of the biggest difficulties that writers face is finding sufficient time to write. Even professional writers have to wrestle with this challenge, especially if they have child care commitments. However, a shortage of writing time is a particular bane in the lives of amateur writers who have to juggle their writing commitments with their need to hold down a full-time job.

So how do you overcome this thorny challenge if you’re a citizen journalist, poet, or would-be novelist? Well, if you are constantly cursing the fact that there simply aren’t enough hours in the day, then here are some options that you could consider.  

1. Get up an hour earlier and get an hour's writing done before breakfast. After all, many people get up early to walk the dog, jog, or swim. Of course, this may not work so well for those who are not morning people!

2. Use your lunch hour to review or edit your writing, or to consider plot progressions. Often we spend our lunch times reading a newspaper or book or aimlessly browsing websites, so put that time to more productive use.

3. If you commute by train or bus, use this time to work on or think about your novel or article. Obviously, there's more scope for this on a train, where you can get a table, than whilst standing on a bus during rush-hour.

4. Buy an ipad or laptop. Modern technology, such as ipads and laptop computers, have been a godsend for writers and can help you to be productive even when you’re on the move. As well as utilizing them whilst commuting, they also enable you to continue writing when you’re away from home. For example, if you find yourself out of town with work, you have the option of writing from your hotel room. Similarly, if you feel inclined to do so, you can take it on holiday, although your other half may complain!

5. Make a commitment to set aside time when you are definitely going to write. We are often guilty of writing only when the mood and inspiration take us. If you want to be serious about your writing, you need to write regularly and for that writing time to be free from interruptions. For example, you might commit to write every night from 8pm to 9pm. That's the easy part. You then have to stick to that resolution but if you do it should be very rewarding. If your family know that is your writing time, then they are less likely to interrupt you.

6. Be more organized about your non-writing commitments. One of the biggest problems isn't so much the hours that we work

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