How do you make time for writing? (With McCall Hoyle!)

Stephanie here! I'm so excited to have McCall Hoyle with us this week on Go Teen Writers!

McCall writes great, clean contemporary YA for Blink/HarperCollins. Plus she's a wonderful, sweet woman who loves young writers. You can read more about McCall and learn about her books on her author website.

Let's get on to today's panel question!

Other than the phrase, “You make time for what you care about,” what do you say to people who want to write a book but struggle to find the time? How have you made time in your schedule for writing, especially early in your career? 

McCall: Honestly, it is *exactly* like exercising. I read somewhere when I used to run a lot that just putting on and lacing up your running shoes greatly improves your chances of getting out the door and hitting the trail. And I've found that to be true with writing too. If I set a designated time to write each day and force myself to sit in front of the computer, I'll write something, even if I don't feel like writing. When I used to train for marathons, I always had running buddies. If I told them I was going to meet them early in the morning, I had to get up and go. I couldn't leave them out there alone waiting on me. It's the same with writing. Find some other writing friends and hold each other accountable with weekly check-ins. 

The good news is that just like exercise, it does get easier with time. You do build stamina. When I first started writing, my goal was 250 words per day. I eventually increased that to 500 words a day and grew from their. But sometimes you have a setback just like you have injuries in running. (I'm really going with this extended metaphor here.) There was a time when I was really struggling to write anything, and I gave myself permission to write 100 words a day. That's not many words, but it was enough to keep me in the habit until the ideas started flowing again. 

So lace up those metaphoric writing shoes, people. Hit the pavement, and keep putting down one word after another. 

Stephanie: Uh, what McCall said! Sometimes, frankly, people are far more enchanted by the idea of writing a book than they are the actual writing of a book. I think a lot of times that is the real issue behind why lots of talk but very little writing is getting done. I have sometimes found myself guilty of this too!

In a way, it was easier in the beginning of my writing career. When I started to pursue publishing there was no social media and very little blogging. So I was lonely and uneducated, but I was very focused on getting my writing done!

One of the best things I ever did for myself as a writer was to set aside specific time for writing. I work best in the morning, so I decided that I would get up a little earlier than I had to and use that as designated writing time. I didn't do that consistently until after I graduated high school, but it really helped me become more productive.

Shan: Acknowledging the truth is key: none of us have time to write a book. 

Time comes in limited quantities for us all and if we’ve finished a novel, we’ve sacrificed something to do that. For me, it’s an ever-evolving process. When my kids were little, they were home with me all of the time and that felt impossible, but from the time I signed my first contract, I signed off on three books in 18 months. Now with my children in school five days a week, you’d think I could pump words out like a machine, but we tend to fill those hours with other, important things. At some point, you have to choose which obligations you’re willing to sacrifice on the altar of creativity. I recommend starting with dishes and vacuuming first.

Jill: When I started out, I had three little ones at home, two of my own, and I was babysitting my friend’s daughter. The only time I could write was if everyone napped at the same time. It worked, most of the time, but not always. But I really looked forward to it, and while the word counts weren’t amazing, they added up. That’s how I wrote my first book. 

What about you, writers? How do you make time for writing?