Stories & Reflection
WRITE: Frequently Made Errors #6: "I Don't Have Time"
Friday, November 12, 2010 by Marti
Categories: WRITE
“I want to write, but I don’t have time.”
“My schedule’s already full—when would I find time to write?”
“I want to write, but I keep putting it off.”
I’ve heard—and made—all these excuses and more about one of the most common writing FMEs (Frequently Made Errors), “I Don’t Have Time.” Yes, I call it an excuse. And so should you.
You’ve heard the saying: You make time for your true priorities. For the past couple of weeks, I’ve made time for (among other things) quantity cooking, homeschooling, writing, preparing two new seminars, and traveling to teach those seminars. I haven’t (as you may have noticed) made time to blog.
I make frequent mention of my writing career here and on my Facebook page. I speak at writers’ conferences and other events. So it doesn’t surprise me when I meet people who want to discuss writing. And it doesn’t surprise me, either, when I hear one of the common excuses about why they don’t write.
One of the reasons I take time to mega-cook (our family prepares and freezes anywhere between fifty and sixty dinner meals at one time, usually five or six of each recipe, to use over a period of several months) is because this way of cooking gives me time to write. I prefer to take several days to peel, chop, grill, simmer, broil, and wash dishes (over and over) than to repeat this process on a smaller scale every night. With fifty-something meals in the freezer, dinner becomes simple. And I can spend my time writing instead of cooking or cleaning up afterwards.
Do I encourage other writers toward this type of cooking? Not necessarily. It may or may not help you (Intrigued? Check out my mini-cookbook under the “Freebies” link to the right).
However, I do encourage you to make lifestyle changes that will yield time to write. Get up earlier. Stay up later. Avoid or limit television (I instituted that long ago). Ration your time on Facebook or email. Wear earplugs. Set aside a room or corner of a room as your office.
You make time for your true priorities. If writing’s important, you'll find a way to get it done. What works for me may not work for you. But a large part of writing sounds a lot like the Nike slogan: Just do it. Today!
What lifestyle changes could you institute (or have you already instituted) that give you more time to write? Share with the rest of us, please!
Share This Blog:
Previous Posts
4 Things I've Learned Since High School
Marti
9/16/2016
7 Surprising Bonuses of the Colorado Christian Writers Conference
Marti
4/8/2016
Where's Marti? Spring-Summer 2016
Marti
4/1/2016
Words with Friends: Dan Walsh
Marti
12/4/2015
Tips from the Pros: Dena Dyer
Marti
10/29/2015
Out of the Dust featured on Heart Talk with Linda Rooks
Marti
10/15/2015
Tips from the Pros: Sharon K. Souza
Marti
5/21/2015
Tips from the Pros: Grace Fox
Marti
4/23/2015
On Writers and Rhino Skin
Marti
4/21/2015
Sam-I-Am and the Colorado Christian Writers Conference
Marti
4/16/2015
Where's Marti? Spring/Summer, 2015
Marti
4/14/2015
No More Chicken
Marti
4/7/2015
Tips from the Pros: Janet Perez Eckles
Marti
3/12/2015
Why Meet with the Conference Chaplain?
Marti
2/24/2015
Tips from the Pros: Carla Rossi
Marti
2/19/2015
WRITE: Here I Am, Send Me? Courage in Costa Rica (Never the Same Missions, Part 4)
Marti
1/27/2015
Write: Here I Am, Send Me? Courage in Costa Rica (Never the Same Missions, Part 3)
Marti
1/20/2015
WRITE: Here I Am, Send Me? Courage in Costa Rica (Never the Same Missions, Part 2)
Marti
1/16/2015
WRITE: Dear Friends (A Fresh Start)
Marti
1/6/2015
WRITE: Devotionals, Out of the Dust, Free and Clear
Marti
11/3/2014
Write: Devotionals, Out of the Dust, Purpose-Driven Prayer
Marti
10/29/2014
WRITE: Devotionals, Out of the Dust, Lesson Learned
Marti
10/27/2014
WRITE: Devotionals, Out of the Dust, Battles and Blessings
Marti
10/24/2014
Write: Devotionals, Out of the Dust, I Surrender All
Marti
10/15/2014
WRITE: Devotionals, Out of the Dust: Obstacle Course
Marti
10/1/2014
WRITE: Winners, Winners
Marti
6/10/2014
WRITE: Words with Friends, Cynthia Ruchti
Marti
6/6/2014
WRITE: Escape the Lie, The Story Behind the Book, Part II
Marti
5/29/2014
WRITE: Escape the Lie: The Story behind the Book, Part I
Marti
5/27/2014
WRITE: Words with Friends: Michelle Cox
Marti
5/23/2014
Catch Us If You CAN Spring Scavenger Hunt: Drawing Winner
Marti
3/28/2014
WRITE: Tips from the Pros, Miralee Ferrell
Marti
3/27/2014
Catch Us If You CAN: Spring Scavenger Hunt, Stop #14
Marti
3/20/2014
WRITE: Top Ten Reasons NOT to Attend the Colorado Christian Writers Conference
Marti
3/18/2014
WRITE: Reflections on the Florida Christian Writers Conference
Marti
3/4/2014
WRITE: The Introvert's Guide to the Writers Conference
Marti
2/25/2014
WRITE: Tips from the Pros: Anne Greene
Marti
2/20/2014
WRITE: Never the Same Missions, Fundraising (Part II)
Marti
2/13/2014
WRITE: Never the Same Missions: Gentle Giant
Marti
2/4/2014
WRITE: Never the Same Missions, Grace
Marti
1/29/2014
WRITE: Never the Same Missions, Adult Leaders, Part 2
Marti
1/21/2014
WRITE: Words with Friends: Author Carol Barnier
Marti
12/5/2013
WRITE: Arguing with the Editor: Yes or No?
Marti
11/7/2013
WRITE: Tips from the Pros: Crystal Bowman
Marti
10/24/2013
WRITE: Mega-Cooking FAQs, Part II
Marti
10/11/2013
WRITE: Mega-Cooking FAQs, Part I
Marti
10/8/2013
WRITE: Tips from the Pros, Davalynn Spencer
Marti
8/1/2013
WRITE: Coincidence? Not so much.
Marti
7/30/2013
WRITE: Top Ten Perks of the Florida Christian Writers Conference
Marti
3/23/2013
WRITE: Vonda Skelton's Christian Writer's Den Blog
Marti
2/5/2013
WRITE: Florida Christian Writer's Conference--Celebrate the Awe
Marti
1/30/2013
WRITE: Words with Friends: Joyce Magnin, author of CAKE
Marti
1/26/2013
WRITE: The National Bible Bee--More than a Competition
Marti
11/8/2012
WRITE: Colorado Christian Writers Conference and Greater Philadelphia Christian Writers Conference
Marti
3/20/2012
WRITE: YA Friday: Dear Teen Writer
Marti
2/10/2012
WRITE: Florida Christian Writers Conference
Marti
1/26/2012
READ: Review, Freedom's Stand by Jeanette Windle
Marti
12/8/2011
WRITE: Interview, Ava Pennington (One Year Alone with God)
Marti
12/6/2011
WRITE: The Buzz on the Bee (National Bible Bee)
Marti
12/1/2011
WRITE: Florida Christian Writers Conference
Marti
9/28/2011
WRITE: It Began with a Whisper
Marti
9/22/2011
WRITE: Interview, Janet Perez Eckles (Simply Salsa: Dancing Without Fear at God's Fiesta)
Marti
8/11/2011
WRITE: Interview with Joyce Magnin
Marti
3/10/2011
WRITE: Interview with Arlene Pellicane
Marti
2/17/2011
WRITE: Interview with Susan Meissner
Marti
2/8/2011
READ: Review, Lady in Waiting by Susan Meissner
Marti
2/2/2011
WRITE: Interview with Linda W. Rooks
Marti
1/27/2011
WRITE: Frequently Made Errors #8: Lack of Focus
Marti
12/16/2010
WRITE: Frequently Made Errors #7: Arguing with the Editor
Marti
11/30/2010
WRITE: Frequently Made Errors #6: "I Don't Have Time"
Marti
11/12/2010
WRITE: Frequently Made Errors #5: Reduce Your Use of Passive Voice
Marti
10/12/2010
WRITE: Interview with Yvonne Ortega
Marti
9/24/2010
WRITE: Frequently Made Errors #4--Failure to Follow Through
Marti
9/14/2010
WRITE: Letter to a New Writer
Marti
8/31/2010
WRITE:Guatemala Lessons--The Greatest is Love
Marti
8/19/2010
WRITE: Guatemala Lessons--Live the Story
Marti
7/21/2010
READ: Review, CHARLOTTE FIGG TAKES OVER PARADISE by Joyce Magnin
Marti
6/25/2010
WRITE: Frequently Made Errors #3--Failure to Follow Directions
Marti
6/23/2010
WRITE: Cec Murphey Appreciation Month
Marti
6/11/2010
WRITE: Frequently Made Errors #2--Too Much Backstory
Marti
5/29/2010
WRITE: Critique or Criticism?
Marti
5/5/2010
WRITE: Quad-Cities Christian Writers' Conference--My Favorite Things
Marti
4/22/2010
WRITE: Florida Christian Writers Conference: My Top Five Blessings
Marti
3/26/2010
WRITE: Firm Foundations, Fulfilled Dreams: An Interview with Author C.J. Darlington (Part IV)
Marti
3/17/2010
WRITE: Florida Christian Writers Conference; Jerry B. Jenkins Reception
Marti
3/3/2010
WRITE: My Writing Journey, Part 1
Marti
2/25/2010
WRITE: Relationships Matter
Marti
2/19/2010
