Ten Ways Writers Can Utilize Their Time

Time for a writer is elusive. As I was thinking about a post for today, I remembered a post I did a couple of years ago. It was such a good reminder for me, I thought I'd share some of it again.

From July 2017:

Putting your behind in the chair and doing the work of writing is difficult. Whether you are putting new words on the page, editing a rough draft, or learning more about the craft, it takes time. It takes sacrifice. It takes discipline.

Life gets in the way. Your car breaks down. There's a funeral, a lunch date, FAFSA to fill out (can I just say UGH?), hair cuts, and...dare I say it?...toilets to clean.

So what do you do to make the most of your time, and feed your writerly self? Everyone has to decide for themselves. No one can do it for you, because only YOU knows what will work for YOU.

We all have to find the "thing" that helps us - that motivates us - into writing when it's hard.

Here is what I came up with - in no particular order.

Top 10 Ways to Utilize Your Time

1. Use a diction app and dictate a scene on your way to work, or while doing dishes, ironing, etc.

2. Listen to a craft book or podcast in the car while going to work or hauling kids to school.

3. Carry a Moleskin notebook in your purse to write down ideas for your story, prompts for short stories, or blog post ideas.

4. If you get stuck in your story, move on to another project. (I stole this from Tina because it is so helpful.)

5. Stay up 30 minutes later to write. (I get up at 5 am already....can't go earlier!)

6. Read a chapter of a craft book at lunch.

7. Email a chapter to your Kindle so that it is there when you are in a waiting room, carpool line, etc. Highlight things that you need to change.

8. Alternate cooking nights with your husband so you have more time to write.

9. Make a date with yourself once a week and go to the library, coffee shop, or park to write free from responsibilities at home.

10. Purchase a cute timer or use the one on your phone to write in 30 - 60 minute increments. Then set the timer for 15 minutes and clean a toilet or make the bed or do a load of laundry. Then get back to writing.

Nothing on my list is new. Many have already figured out the best way to get the most out of their day. But some of us need reminders that we can carve out extra time, and every minute we garner gets more words on the page.

What things have you found to help you carve out time and up your word count? 


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Sherrinda Ketchersid is a born and bred Texan, preacher’s wife, mother of 4 children, and works part-time as a bookseller at Amazon. With the children grown and out of the house, she weaves tales of fierce knights and their ladies in a time where men were warriors and women had to be strong enough to keep them in check.

After taking time off from writing, she has returned with a new motto in place to spur her on. “Writers write. Everyone else makes excuses.” ~Jack Bickham.  No excuses this time. She is weaving her love of romance with history to bring joy and the hope of love to those who may one day read her stories. Her first book, Lord of Her Heart, released in May 2019.

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The Saturday Show on The Writer's Alley

Today we have the privilege to host guest, Lindsey Brackett.  Lindsey was at the Blue Ridge Christian Writers Conference with Mary and Pepper this year. We are giving a shout out to her debut release: Still Waters.

Here is a little bit about Lindsey. What a list of accomplishments! 

Award-winning writer Lindsey P. Brackett once taught middle grades literature, but now she writes her own works in the midst of motherhood. A blogger since 2010, she has published articles and short stories in a variety of print and online publications  In both 2015 and 2017, she placed in the top ten for Southern Writers Magazine Best Short Fiction. Previously, Lindsey served as Editor of Web Content for the Splickety Publishing Group, and currently she is a general editor with Firefly Southern Fiction, an imprint of LPC Books. In addition, she writes a popular column for several North Georgia newspapers.

Today on the Alley, Lindsey shares her thoughts on Time Management for the Writer with a Life. And boy can we use this, right?

Time Management for the Writer with a Life

People crack me up when they ask how I “do it all.” I’m pretty sure if these same people were a fly on my wall, they’d a) have full run of the house because I’m too busy to buy a fly swatter and b) realize pretty quickly, I’m definitely not doing it all.

What I am doing is a lot of little things that take up a lot of precious time. Some of these things help fund my writing. Some of these things help keep my sanity. A few of these things are because I’m still unable to use the word no to my best advantage.

And all the people-pleasers just whispered amen.

However, as my career grows, so do my commitments. I launched a book last month and suddenly social media, marketing, and networking have become black vortexes of time. I’ll sit at my computer for three hours, look up and realize I only accomplished one or two items on my Bullet Journal daily task list. (Canva is the culprit, I’m sure.)

I’m realizing pretty quickly I can’t go through life chained to my computer. There’s a time for “butt in chair, hands on keyboard”—and there’s a time for scrolling and posting and sharing. There’s also a time for walking and reading and cooking and showering. The trick is to realize: your time does not manage you. You manage your time.

I like to work in big chunks, so as my needs migrate, I’m muddling through a new system. I’m constantly self-evaluating, and I’m having to remind my task list that this thirty minutes of self-reflection is going to help me work more efficiently in the future.

Here are three questions to ask yourself as you manage your time:

1.    When do I feel most creative?

2.    What finished tasks bring me joy?

3.    What’s my return on investment (ROI)?

I’m at my most creative in the early morning hours, so right now I’m using those to work through my WIP and get it ready to send to my editor. I love teaching and connecting with other writers, so I’m changing some of my social media focus to allow time for engagement, rather than only sharing. I’m looking at my marketing techniques and putting my money into passive streams that make sales, but my time into places where I actually get to connect with readers, like libraries and bookstores.

We can all agree, as writers, we’re doing so much more than crafting stories. But I think we can also learn from and support one another so that venturing out into this beautiful busy place doesn’t have to be quite so intimidating. Don't you?


Here is Lindsey's debut novel!!

Still Waters, influenced by her family ties to the South Carolina Lowcountry, is her debut novel. A story about the power of family and forgiveness, it’s been called “a brilliant debut” with “exquisite writing.” A Georgia native, Lindsey makes her home—full of wet towels, lost library books, and strong coffee—at the foothills of Appalachia with her patient husband and their four rowdy children.

For more information about Lindsey and her writings: 

Website | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter

Wow, Lindsey. Thanks for those amazing time management tips! We loved having you here on the Alley and pray God's blessing on your debut novel.

Do you have any questions for Lindsey?
If not, please leave her an encouraging word.