A number of my writing friends are participating NaNoWriMo this month with a goal of writing a 50,000 word first draft in November. It’s a challenge designed to push writers forward through extended, dedicated writing time.
And then, there are those who just can’t find the time for even 1,000 words—50,000 might as well be a million words.
It’s easy to get caught up in the belief that you don’t have the time
you would like to dedicate to your writing. Unfortunately, this belief can
derail your writing dreams. So how do you
pursue your writing goals when you are short on time?
Jennifer Lawler, author of the Dojo Wisdom series, discusses how a
martial artist trains each day, even when old and disabled. The martial
artist accommodates life around his art. One of my critique partners is a
lawyer with a full time job, two active young children, a wife, soccer games…the
list goes on. Yet he still manages to write one to two hours a day. How
does he do it? He gets up at 5 a.m. each morning. He puts in the
effort to accommodate his life to his art.
So how can you accommodate your days for your writing life? Commit to 15 minutes of writing a day. Even 15 minutes a day will begin the process
of transformation. Why? Through those daily 15 minutes, you are
informing your subconscious that you are committed to your goal. You will
be amazed after a week of allotting only 15 minutes a day, how much you can accomplish
and how easy it can be. Build it into
your routine (e.g. shower, coffee, 15 minutes of writing). If you are ready to change your life and
pursue your writing goals, you will find the time.
So this week start with a daily routine of even just 15 minutes. This small action oriented goal will help you
create the habit of pursing your writing dreams. Maybe that finished
manuscript will be done sooner than you ever thought possible.
Mary Jo
Guglielmo is writer and intuitive life strategist. For more information
check out:
http://facebook.com/DoNorth.biz
