Writing a book is probably not your day job. You want to write a business book to reap the benefits. But how? Your job is demanding. You may also have a family with children at home and a host of social and community obligations. Oh yeah, you also must find time to take care of yourself.
Guess what? That makes finding the time to write your biggest challenge. You don’t need to take my word for it. In 2020, Anne Janzer surveyed over 400 nonfiction writers about their experiences and problems writing their books. “Finding time to write” was the biggest challenge by far. More than 40 percent chose it.
Find Time To Write In the Cracks in Your Schedule
I’ve worked with authors who are superb at this. When they have a few minutes here and there, they can squeeze in a few writing tasks.
You can leverage the cracks in your schedule by realizing that you’ll have a few minutes every day to make a little progress. So, plan. Know what small writing and research tasks you can do in 10, 15, or 20-minute snatches.
That will help, but it won’t get the job done.
Quality Writing Takes Quality Time
You won’t get quality writing done in small snatches. You need chunks of at least an hour of uninterrupted time. You need those blocks of time on a regular basis.
You’re most likely to get that time if you schedule it when you schedule your week. Go for at least one 90-minute segment a week.
That’s worked for most of my clients for the last twenty years. You may discover you work better with another rhythm, but start with what works for most folks.
Once you’ve got that time scheduled, hold it sacred. Consider it an appointment with your future success.
Leverage the Cracks in Your Schedule
Keep a running list of short tasks that you can do to make progress on your book in a brief bit of time. Update the list as you move through the project.
Touch your project every day. You don’t have to do much; a few moments will do the trick.
Staying on Track
Track your large blocks of writing time on a calendar or record them in a spreadsheet. Life will happen. You’ll probably miss a day. Don’t make it two in a row.
Master the progress principle. Psychologists Teresa Amabile and Steven Kramer analyzed nearly 12,000 work diary entries from 238 workers. They found that small wins can significantly boost motivation, creativity, and positive emotions. It doesn’t take much. A little bit of progress every day is enough to keep you moving forward.
You can write a business book, even with your jam-packed life. Schedule large blocks of quality writing time. Leverage the cracks in your schedule and make a little progress on your book project every day.
I’m Wally Bock. I’m the author’s player-coach. I use a mix of coaching, developmental editing, and writing to help you create a book you’re proud of that accomplishes your goals. Contact me if you’re ready to explore whether writing a book makes sense for you.
