Part-Time Creativity

Making time is the first step towards making anything.

Hi, I’m Stace, and this is Magic and Ink, where we talk about magic, fantasy writing, and creative living. This week, my thoughts are with my fellow Southern Californians who are dealing with the impact of the wildfires in Los Angeles. Though my family and I are safe from any danger, the losses have been devastating and will continue to affect lives in the region for many years to come. If you are one of those who has suffered loss, I hope you will find ease and comfort soon.

When I was just starting out as a professional writer, the very first article I ever got paid for was titled “Part-Time Creativity.” It was for an online publication called Novalearn, which I don’t think exists anymore, and I have no recollection of how much I was paid. But it was a big milestone, and on a topic that was very important to me.

Believe me, I get it. At the time, I had a young child, I was working full-time in an admin position, and I was trying to launch a writing career. The most natural thing for me to write about was how hard it was to find time to write. So, drawing on my own experiences and the experiences of other writers I knew in the same situation, I wrote an article with tips for balancing creative work with life’s demands. Today, I want to share these ideas with you (much revised!) because I think they are still helpful for anyone who is struggling the way I was, whether you’re a student, a parent, or just someone trying to squeeze creativity into a busy schedule.

So here are my Top Ten Tips for finding ways to balance creative work with your daily routine:

TIP 1: Be Prepared

You never know when unexpected free time will pop up, so be ready for it by having a notebook and a pen handy. That way, whenever you find yourself one of those rare moments where you have nothing to do, you can start writing. Brainstorm story ideas while you’re in the pickup line at school. Jot down a few lines of dialog while sitting in the doctor’s office. Add a few items to your worldbuilding outline when you’re on hold with customer service.

You can, if you prefer, pull out your phone to make quick notes, either typed in or using voice memos or a dictation app. However, keep in mind that every time you pick up your phone you run the risk of getting distracted by something else. We all know how quickly checking a few notifications can turn into ten minutes of scrolling. That’s why it’s a smarter habit to reach for a notebook and pen instead.

Whatever your preferred tools, though, you don’t have to wait for the “perfect” moment to write. Even five minutes of creativity in a busy day adds up if you’re prepared.

TIP 2: Know Your Priorities

A lot of people will get up early in the morning or stay up late to write, but it may not be necessary to sacrifice sleep to realize your goals. Take a hard look what’s taking up your time. Is there something you can give up for your writing? Maybe it’s an hour of TV in the evenings, or long lunches with coworkers. What other hobbies and activities are you willing to put aside while you focus on your creative pursuits? Personally, since my game console died five years ago, I’ve put off buying a new one because I know I can’t stop myself from playing obsessively. Not having a console is how I avoid that temptation all together, no matter how much I am longing to play the new DragonAge game.

But when you’re serious about reaching your creative goals, some other things may need to take a backseat for a while. And if you struggle with the fear of missing out, just keep reminding yourself about how good you’re going to feel when you achieve those goals, whatever they may be.

“It takes an awful lot of time not to write a book.”

– Douglas Adams

TIP 3: Define a Regular Schedule

Like exercising, the more routine writing is, the easier it becomes. If you schedule a consistent time to write—even if it’s just 10 minutes a day—you’ll quickly find you’ll get more done.

Maybe it’s while your child is taking a nap. Maybe it’s your lunch hour, or the half hour before bed, or while you’re having your morning coffee. Maybe it’s while you’re on the train to work every morning. You’ll have to figure out the optimal time for you amidst the other demands in your life.

If you use a planner, write it in there every day. Set a reminder on your calendar. Stack it with other daily habits so that it becomes part of your routine, something you don’t have to think about doing. When I wanted to make daily journaling a habit, I started by coming home from work, changing out of my office clothes, fixing a cup of tea, and sitting down to write for 15 minutes. It only took a few weeks before that little creative break became an essential component of my day that I really miss when something interrupts my usual routine.

Also, scheduling writing sessions is useful even if it’s not something you can do every day at the same time. When you’re planning your daily or weekly to-dos, make note of times when there’s nothing on the schedule, and reserve those times for you and your creativity.

“I write only when inspiration strikes. Fortunately it strikes every morning at nine o’clock sharp.”

– W. Somerset Maugham

TIP 4: Establish Rituals

You can call it clearing space or setting the mood or summoning the muse. However you like to think of it, a small ritual at the start of your writing session is like a signal to your brain that helps you get ready to focus on the work you’re about to undertake. There are literally hundreds of things that could work, like lighting a candle, fixing a cup of tea, or a doing a brief meditation. It can be simple — clicking the button on your pen three times before you begin — or complex — like writing the first few sentences with your non-dominant hand as a way to signal to your brain “it’s time to write.” I like to do a little breathing exercise where I pinch my nose, breath in through the right nostril, out through the left, in through the left then out through the right, repeating the cycle three times before I get down to my creative work. It only takes a 30 seconds, doesn’t require any tools, and helps put me into a balanced state of mind from which it’s easier to reach flow.

Like I said, it can be anything. Just be careful of anything that is too elaborate and takes a lot of preparation — when your time is already limited, you don’t want to spend too much of it on things that aren’t actually writing.

TIP 5: Maintain a Task List

If your time is limited, you don’t want to spend a single precious moment trying to figure out what it is you’re going to write next. Then’s when keeping a detailed list of writing tasks can come in useful. You can put it in your notebook or a writing journal, if you have one, or just stick a post-it to your computer monitor as a reminder.

It might list the upcoming scenes of your story, sections of your next article, or just a checklist of revisions you want to make if you’re in the editing stage. That way, when you have time to write — especially if it’s an unexpected moment of free time — you won’t waste it deciding what to work on. Plus, you get to cross things off your list when they’re done, which feels amazing!

TIP 6: Avoid Rewriting Until the Draft is Done

You’ve scheduled 30 minutes of writing time, lit your Twilight Citrus Blossom candle, and opened your word processor to your work in progress. Are you going to spend the next 20 minutes rereading and revising everything you’ve already? No, you are not! Because if you did, you’d be using up this valuable smidgeon of time you’ve carved out for yourself without making any forward progress.

It’s so tempting to go back and polish what you’ve already written, but you must resist that urge! Focus on moving forward. When you’ve finished your first draft, you can go back and edit. But in the early stages, you should reread at the most only the last two or three paragraphs you completed, just enough to get you back into the flow. If there’s any awkwardness between sections, you can smooth them out later.

One trick to really get you back on track fast is to quit your writing sessions in the midst of a crucial scene or paragraph. That way, you will know exactly what you need to write the next time you work on it again.

TIP 7: Minimize Interruptions

Protect your writing time. Close the office door, use “Do Not Disturb” signs, put your phone on focus mode — whatever it takes to let others know you need uninterrupted time. If you’re working during lunch, don’t sit at your desk or in the office breakroom — coworkers might stop by to chat or pile on more work.

Also, prepare your drinks and snacks ahead of time. Precious moments are lost every time you have to get up in search of sustenance.

“Protect the time and space in which you write. Keep everybody away from it, even the people who are most important to you.”

– Zadie Smith

TIP 8: Recruit Collaborators

Let your friends and family know how important writing is to you. Take it a step further and ask for their support — whether it’s respecting your writing schedule or helping distract the kids for 15 minutes. Maybe someone else in your household can make dinner twice a week so you can write. Maybe a friend can take the kids for a playdate on Saturday afternoons, giving you time for a date with your computer at the local coffeeshop. It’s probably not a good idea to ask your boss if you can get off work an hour early to write, but your co-workers will understand when you tell them why you need to skip your usual lunch hour chats. When your loved ones are on board, they can help create space for your creativity.

Aside from asking the people you live and work with to help you find time and space you need, it is extremely helpful if you have at least one other person who is trying to do the same thing you are. The support and understanding of your fellow writers will help you to withstand the trials and tribulations of the creative process, whether it’s through accountability checks, shared writing sprints and body doubling, or just cheering one another on when things get rough.

TIP 9: Set Reachable Goals

You have big goals — maybe it’s a published novel. Maybe it’s a calendar filled with your artwork, or a viral hit on Spotify, or something else entirely, something that keeps you motivated and keeps you coming back to the work whenever you can. These big goals are inspiring and important. But when it comes to the day-to-day labor, they can actually become a burden, especially when your time is limited and your progress towards them on any given day is small. The big goal can feel like a weight around your neck, and leave you wondering if you’re ever going to get there.

Instead, focus on goals you can control, like how much time you want to spend writing each day, or how many words you’d like to write each week. These are goals that you can control, unlike sales or publishing goals, which are mostly out of your hands.

Write these goals down and post them somewhere you’ll see them often — the front of your writing notebook, your bathroom mirror, the refrigerator. This way you’ll remind yourself to focus on the goals that you can control each day without feeling overwhelmed by the rest of it.

TIP 10: Reward Yourself

When you work hard, you deserve to celebrate your achievements — big or small. If you hit your word count for the day, treat yourself! I mean, you probably shouldn’t have an ice cream sundae every time you have a good writing session, but maybe you can have a Hershey’s Kiss. There are other ways to reward yourself for a job well done, too. Maybe it’s a gold star on the calendar or a a colored square on your word count tracker. Or you can reward yourself with time playing video games or watching television, those pleasures you’ve denied yourself in order to focus on your work in progress. If you hit a really big goal, like finishing your first draft, you might splurge on something special for yourself. Personally, I’m planning on a pair of tattoos when I finish my current work in progress, but I’m not there yet.

It doesn’t matter what it is so much as it’s something that makes you smile, a little bit of encouragement for having stuck to your goals. The act of creating is challenging, and you deserve recognition for every step forward.

“Great acts are made up of small deeds.”

– Lao Tzu

Those are my strategies for balancing part-time creativity with a busy life. Remember, creativity is a journey, and every little bit counts. I hope these tips inspire you to carve out time for your own projects.

I’d love to hear if you’ve had success with these tips. Please leave a comment if you have, or if you have other suggestions for ways to make the most out of limited time. Thanks for watching, please consider subscribing, and if you want to support my work, please buy me a chai!