by Eva Smart

Created on: October 26, 2007   Last Updated: February 09, 2010

Creativity Against the Clock - Tips for writers who need 26 hours in the day

If time is money, time to write is diamond studded liquid gold. If you are like me, life as a writer would be perfect if you just had two free hours to devote to your craft. Either that, or you are wishing someone would support you while you wrote as much as your heart compels you to write. Where have all of the good patrons gone?

I have neither the ability to bend time nor access to Renaissance patrons, so I rely on the following 20 tips to help me squeeze water from the stone of my day. I hope that some of them are helpful to you, because the whole world benefits when artists have time to create.

1. You will hear this again and again, because it really works. Carry a notebook and a pen, always. Jot down notes, quips of dialog, rants. Don't worry about order, grammar or spelling. Just get it down.

2.Make a daily practice of writing, and begin writing immediately even if you don't feel inspired. Eventually your mind will become trained to be ready to make the most of your time.

3. Remove writer's block from your vocabulary. It doesn't exist. Even if you're not on your game, or know where your piece is going, just write. Nine times out of the, your work will take shape. If not, nothing is lost.

4. Throw out your TV. It will change your life, you will find all kinds of time, and as a benefit your writing won't be polluted with TV drivel.

5. Train your friends and family to not interrupt you when you are writing. If you are in the flow you deserve to stay there. My children learned early on that unless they were bleeding I trusted them to handle their questions and conflicts while respecting my work time.

6. Don't feel that you have to do other things, like jump up to put clothes in the dryer while you write. Multi-tasking actually decreases productivity because you lose the rhythm of working and you lose your train of thought.

7. Say no to other obligations. Put your writing first!

8. Make writing appointments with yourself. Prioritize writing time.

9. Make a commitment to write at least fifteen minutes everyday. Even when you are tired. You would be amazed at what you can eventually accomplish in 15 minutes.

10. Jot down little quips that interest you, cut out photos that intrigue you in magazines, or lines of text-keep a scrapbook of mind joggers to get you started when you need inspiration.

11. Organize your writing when you have moments here and there. Make outlines and character

• 1
• 2
• Next Page >>