Writer with a day job #1: getting started
On finding time, energy, and inspiration to juggle words and daily work
How do you do it?
This is usually the first question I get when I talk about writing. My YA debut There’s No Way I’d Die First came out in 2023 and I spent 2024 writing two books, a middle grade (The Other Side of Imani) which comes out in July and my sophomore YA Who’s All Going (to Die)? out this September.
How do you nurture creativity and dreams while holding down a 9 to 5, or 8-hour shift or full time caregiver responsibilities without losing your passion and joy for storytelling, along with your damn mind? Honestly, I’m still figuring it out but I’m happy to share what I’ve learned along the way, the highs, the lows and everything inbetween.
One of the tips I see from a lot of established authors is: don’t quit your day job. So how can we realistically attend to the creative parts of ourselves?
This Writer with a Day Job mini series is about sharing tips and strategies about balancing writing while working full time. I’ll try to post on this subject once a month so watch this space!
🌸Sit down and write
Simultaneously, this is most practical and useless piece of advice because if that’s all it takes then why aren’t we all prolific authors?
It all boils down to making an intentional decision to make writing a priority and a commitment to show up for your writing. This looks different for everyone but it is important to identify your priorities and make a plan to actively incorporate writing time into your day.
I schedule writing time into my calendar. I make an appointment with myself and I try to honor it. It’s a visual reminder of my commitment to my craft. This works 80% of the time.
Writers write. And if you want to write a book, the only way is to start writing.
🌸Adjusting your mindset
This is where it begins.
Wanting a thing, thinking and dreaming about a thing isn’t the same as showing up and actually doing the thing. Back in my childfree era, I wrote for hours at a time, had writing marathons and churned out two novels that weren’t very good but they taught me a lot about writing. I did most of my writing before work, after work and weekends. Fast forward to the brain rot of pregnancy and abrupt transition to #momlife and my writing life imploded.
I was completely overwhelmed, with returning to work and home responsibilities - writing took a backseat and the only thing I managed back in those early months was to jot a few notes and ideas in my Notes app. That was the extent of my writing. It was (and continues to be) a humbling lesson in resilience and recognizing limitations.
It wasn’t until I made a decision to work on my novel and committed to showing up to the page that I began to see progress (slowly).
🌸Start small
Set a modest goal. Maybe the goal is to write for 15 minutes. Showing up is the important part. Manage your expectations when it comes to how many words you get on the page. For now output isn’t important. For now, showing up is enough. What you’re actually doing is building a writing habit. It takes self-discipline.
Set a few goals for yourself and try not to overestimate yourself. Setting unrealistic goals is a one-way street to guilt and disappointment (ask me how I know 😂). You are more likely to give up if your goals are vague or overly ambitious.
🌸Ask yourself what you can do
How much time do you have to write?
If you only have 15 minutes, then keep it simple and write for alloted time. Crush the goal and show up the next day and do it again. Reap the reward. Apparently, accomplishing small tasks triggers serotonin release, boosting the feeling of satisfaction.
If you’re now starting out or haven’t written for a while, don’t overwhelm yourself with word counts. Maybe it’s okay to just sit and write or brainstorm a few ideas, work on a character profile - this counts as writing too. Carve out that sliver of writing time and set a goal for what you want to achieve in the writing session. Maybe you finally carve that writing time but then you get interrupted. Life happens. Try again tomorrow.
🌸Set boundaries
Womp womp… you gotta learn to say no sometimes.
Remember - we are making writing a priority. Not everyone (especially those who always seem to want their pound of flesh) will understand or appreciate what you’re trying to do.
Setting boundaries also means asking for help. This was hard for me because I have a chronic case of ‘I can do it myself’ along with flare ups of ‘It’s okay, I can manage’.
Be protective of your writing time. That book ain’t go write itself. Be like that angry chihuahua meme…
🌸Decide when you will write
My mantra is get the writing out of the way first. I try to get at least 15 minutes in before the work day begins. That way, even if the rest of the day becomes a dumpster fire, at least I’ve gotten some writing done. Whatever writing happens after that first session is a bonus. Maybe early morning writing isn’t ideal for your situation, so try evenings and weekends. Reclaim your lunch hour one or twice a week. See what works for you.
Next time:
A look at goal setting
Check out my books
Been in a bit of a writing slump and needed this reminder. Thanks for sharing!