Five Tips to Find More Time for Your Writing Life

When I asked new ezine subscribers, "What is your Number One writing question?" the answer came back loud and clear: "Time!"

How do I find time to write? I'm busy all day -- and when I make some time, the phone rings or someone needs to see me right away.

Here's how a coaching session -- or series of sessions -- might address these questions.

1. What's happening in the rest of your life? Are you chronically late? Waking up exhausted? Feeling out of control? Some people have gotten so accustomed to feeling pressured they need to learn a whole new concept of creating space in their lives to do what they want.

2. Why do you want to write? Do you have room in your life for everything but writing? Maybe you need to find a new way to reach your goals.

Remember: You do not need to write. This is your coach speaking! Writing can be the most powerful tool in your marketing arsenal -- but chances are you can find ways to succeed by hiring a writer and promoting your service in creative, non-writing ways.

Alexandria Brown, the "ezine queen," has to have an ezine to be credible. Most of the rest of us don't. If you are a life coach, an ezine is a nice-to-have. Some successful life coaches do fine with a signature website and no ezine. They network extensively and build business from referrals. And some have thousands of ezine subscribers but no clients. Use the marketing tools that feel comfortable to you.

3. Have you bought into the myth, "Good writing takes time?" Think of each piece of writing as an email you are writing to a good friend. You might need to combine two or three short emails to make up a single article or a few dozen to make up an ebook. As you get time during the day, dash off an email to yourself or a very trusted friend. Don't edit or censor your work.

When you're in a good mood, arm yourself with your favorite beverage. A piece of chocolate is okay, too, if you're not allergic. A cat in your lap will discourage frequent breaks. Turn on your favorite music. Now -- look over what you have written. Fix typos and spelling errors. Cut out as many words as possible; short is almost always better.

4. Remember the Odd Couple? Following their divorces, the excessively tidy Felix moves in with the proudly sloppy Oscar. Most of us tend to relate to one or the other. If you are a Felix, you have to learn to let go. Send out your work when you are eighty percent satisfied and move on.

Oscars have to learn to hang on. Sit on your work a few days -- even weeks. Remember that your potential customers and clients include some Felixes.

I must admit I tend more towards Oscar in most areas of my life. I dashed off a website and proudly set up a "work in progress." My writinglady.com site continues to change while I invite subscribers to visit. That's my style. I wouldn't be motivated if I spent too much time working on perfection. However, I've learned to let writing projects simmer for a few days, and I revise extensively.

5. Are you forcing yourself to choose a topic you think you "should" write about? Take your topic off its pedestal and write from the heart. What topics get your juices flowing? Are you so happy, angry or frustrated that you want to jump up and down? Use that energy to create an idea and transform that idea into an article.

About The Author

Cathy Goodwin, Ph.D., is an author, speaker and career/business consultant, helping midlife professionals take their First step to a Second Career. http://www.cathygoodwin.com.

"Ten secrets of mastering a major life change" mailto:subscribe@cathygoodwin.com

Contact: cathy@cathygoodwin.com 505-534-4294

---

Keep your Book Dream Alive

Is your book nearly finished, finished, published, or even in... Read More

Format Each eBook Chapter Before you Write It

Do you have a problem creating a focus in your... Read More

7 Writing Muse Kickers to Fill Up That Blank Page

Nothing is more daunting for any writer than having to... Read More

The Opportunities As A Freelance Proofreader in the UK

A UK based freelance proofreader should be able to provide... Read More

Zany Ideas That Increase Writing Productivity And Quality

Welcome to the zany ideas of a productive writer. My... Read More

How To Co-Publish For Profits!

The Benefits of Co-Publishing There are a number of publishers,... Read More

Starting a Local Writers Group

My husband is no poet, so when I offer my... Read More

8 Advantages to Writing a Book as an Entrepreneur

As an aspiring or an established entrepreneur, you are an... Read More

Looking For Good Copywriter Books?

If you are looking for copywriter books, you'll want to... Read More

Is Horror Dead?

I've noticed a big shift away from traditional horror recently,... Read More

Graphology - Unleash Inner Personality & Talent of Child

|| Graphology & Graphotherapy ||Everybody wants to know more about... Read More

The Cost of Being a Writer

You are the only one who knows what being a... Read More

Tips for First Time Authors : 2 Easy Steps to Make Your First Book a Success

Congratulations on writing your first book. That is quite an... Read More

Retail Margin, Trade Discount, and What it Means for the Author

DEFINITIONSRetail margin is basically the difference between your book's wholesale... Read More

Writing Technique: The Restaurant Syndrome

Picture this scene.Your hero is sitting in a bar. He's... Read More

How You Can Take Advantage of the Increasing Demand for Freelance Online Writers

The freelance writing market is a growing market to be... Read More

Water to Swim In

Not long ago, I took stock of my unrealized desire... Read More

Creating a Writing Space

It's important to have a space set aside in your... Read More

Writing Made Them Rich #3: Richard Bach

One day in the mid-1970's a young man stumbled into... Read More

Writer School?

Here's something from my mailbag. "Dear Michael, do you need... Read More

What you Dont Know About Book Publishing Can Cost You

Dream that your book can be a number one best... Read More

The Daily Rite

If you want to be a writer, then you must... Read More

A Writers Life

Ever wonder what an author's life is like? What that... Read More

Learn How To Write Poetry!

A poet isn't born; you must work at crafting your... Read More

Taming The Book Proposal

Taming the Book Proposal: The BasicsOh, that most maddening of... Read More

Stimulate Your Sensebuds...and Wave Goodbye To Writers Cramp!

When you get stuck for ideas, and the words won't... Read More

An Introduction to Self Publishing Material

Any article, report or book which is bought or sold... Read More

Be Your Own Literary Agent and Get Published

So you're one of 20 million Americans who want to... Read More

To Outline Or Not To Outline

Ah, the age-old writer's debate--to outline or not to outline?Outlines... Read More

Writing Made Them Rich #4: Paulo Coelho

Paulo Coelho was born on August 24th 1947 in Rio... Read More

Suspense Novels Need Fast Starts

Suspense novels, unlike any other genre, need fast starts. Fans... Read More

Write Strategy: Think, Believe, Attack

Think of writing like karate...it's about DISCIPLINE.Writing, like other forms... Read More

Open a Vein

If you want to be a writer, you must write... Read More