Top Ten Time Wasters for Writers
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Your dream has come true. You finally have the luxury of working as a full time writer because you won the lottery, you were laid off from your job or your husband/wife just received a huge pay increase. Congratulations! Now make sure you use your time wisely. You don’t want to fall into the trap of wasting your precious writing time. Here are the top ten time wasters of writers:
1. Checking your email
There is no need to check your email every half hour. I know there is nothing like an email from an editor saying a contract is in the mail, but email should be used sparingly. Do not become a slave to your email account. Check it several times a day at regularly scheduled times.
2. Raiding the refrigerator
Every writer who works at home full-time is tempted by food when the going gets tough. You can’t think of anything to write? Maybe a brownie will help. Don’t do it. You need to eat regular meals just like if you were working in an office. Set up a writing space as far away from the kitchen as possible.
3. Cleaning the house
Some mornings I would do just about anything to avoid staring at a blank page, even dusting. I know that when my house is dirty, my writing is going well. When you invite people over, show them the stacks of writing you’ve been working on rather than apologizing for your messy house.
4. Talking on the phone
A lot of my friends do not understand what it means to be a writer. They call during the middle of the day because they don’t think I’m working. You must be firm. Ask your friends and family to respect your writing time. They wouldn’t call you with such frequency if you worked in a regular office.
5. Daydreaming/brainstorming
Every writer must take some quiet time to reflect before they get down to the business of writing, but some people take this to the extreme. Try to focus on one idea rather than brainstorming ideas for novels, picture books, and articles all in one sitting. If you don’t focus, brainstorming will eat up your entire day.
6. Watching TV
It is tempting to watch a show while you eat lunch, but it might be difficult to turn off the TV and get back to work. Your time would be better spent reading a book while you eat.
7. Reading
What writer doesn’t enjoy sitting down to a good book? Reading is essential to becoming a good writer. However, you could reserve time in the evening to read when your family has returned from work/school. You won’t get the same quality writing time in the evening when the house is full and noisy.
8. Marketing
Marketing is a necessary task for writers. No one will buy your manuscripts if they are just sitting in a drawer. This activity will take all day if you let it. Schedule an hour in the morning or at the end of your workday to write query/cover letters and prepare submissions.
9. Laundry
If you find yourself doing laundry more often than working on your manuscripts, maybe you should reevaluate why you wanted to be a writer in the first place. The same goes for housework.
10. Errands
This is probably my number one time stealer. It is so easy to say that you are just going out to run one errand. Too often, the short outing becomes a half-day marathon shopping spree. Save your errands for your lunch hour or evenings like the rest of the world.
If you are still reading this article, get back to your writing. You’re wasting valuable time.
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