Wahoo, #ReVISIONweek-ers! You’ve made it over hump day.
The revision train is full steam ahead as we enter day 4.
I hope you’ve picked up a few new tricks and feel good about the revisions you’ve made so far.
Today’s post is all about PROTECTING WRITING TIME by the talented and amazingly funny, Michal Babay. Stay-tuned, Michal will be announcing extremely exciting news soon! I just know her post will help you prioritize your writing time. To your writing heart, you must be true…
By Michal Babay
Last year, after nearly missing a writing deadline because life kept distracting me, I had an epiphany.
It was time to revise…
EVERYTHING!
Well, everything writing related: my schedule, focus, and priorities.
Here’s what happened:
As soon as I heard about Tara Luebbe’s mentorship program, Writing With the Stars, I couldn’t wait! I immediately pulled up the application page and filled in my name, my dream mentor’s name, and the date.
Then…my cat barfed.
On the nice rug.
So I put our three dogs outside (they’d begun “helping” me clean up), wiped down the rug, opened windows for non-barfy air, and gave the cat fresh food/water.
And since I was already in the kitchen refilling her water, I washed dishes, wiped down counters, ate a sandwich, tripped over a suitcase left by the door, yelled at my empty house, let the dogs back in, called my daughter’s school to arrange a meeting, called my son’s school to arrange a meeting, called my old principal to discuss those meetings, realized it was my day to pick up carpool, grabbed the keys, and I was outta there.
It wasn’t until weeks later, right before the due date, that I realized I’d never completed my application. In desperation, I pulled an “almost” all nighter. And it was miserable.
Time. It all comes back to time.
As in, how should I spend it?
What are my priorities TODAY?
Where did it go?!
As a die-hard procrastinator and pantser, it takes a few tricks to get my butt in chair (BIC) and stay focused. Luckily, there’s a world of wisdom out there from writers wiser than myself, and I’ve gathered a few to share:
Trick 1: Make writing part of your daily schedule.
Writing requires time. We all know this. We’ve read the craft books and we realize those words aren’t going to write themselves.
BUT… life.
We all have numerous demands on our time (day jobs, kids, elderly parents, etc.). However, we can’t let those demands kill our dreams.
In order to take ourselves seriously as writers, the work must be part of our daily schedule.
Some ways to do this are:
- Find a time that works for you, and stick to it: Join the 6 a.m. club (or 3 p.m. club, or even the 11 p.m. club if necessary!).
Here’s what RJ Palacio says about her writing process for WONDER:
“It took me about a year and a half to write WONDER. The only time of day that I could find to write, since I had a full-time job and two young children to keep me busy during the day, was in the middle of the night, so I got into this routine where I would wake up at midnight and write til 3 am. I did that every night until I finished the first draft of the book.”
- Now realistically, some days our schedules go out the window. Life happens.
That just means it’s time for yet another revision!
Look for hidden pockets of time in those crazy days: doctor’s waiting rooms, kid’s soccer practice, while the noodles boil, etc.
Instead of playing games, write.
A friend of mine revised her manuscript in hospital waiting rooms. And that manuscript? It’s a published book now!
A story written in 5-minute increments is still a story.
- How do you revise in a hospital waiting room if your computer is at home? So glad you asked! Use Google Docs. This way, as long as you’re holding a smartphone, you’ll always have access to your manuscripts. Revise your stories anytime, anywhere!
But, speaking of phones…
Trick 2: Put your cell phone AWAY!
When you are able to dedicate a solid chunk of time to writing, that phone needs to disappear.
Seriously.
It’s time to revise your focus!
- Turn your cell phone to silent and put it away (FAR AWAY. Like, the other side of your house, in a closet, or under that giant pile of mail). The farther away you are from those distracting pings and dings, the more focused and productive you’ll be.
Psychology Today published an article about this:
But, it’s hard saying good-bye for a long time. How long is long enough?
Trick 3: Use a timer.
This will vary for each of us. For me, 60-minute writing chunks work best. That way I get into the flow and my BIC doesn’t get too sore.
And guess what? I’ve found that most days, even after my hour ends (and I’ve indulged in coffee/food/ and some doggy attention) the work has taken root in my psyche and it calls me back to the computer. So I revise my schedule and reset that timer.
My critique partner, Lauren Kerstein, taught me this trick, and it’s been a game changer!
Here’s the basic 60-minute sand timer I use:
But, what about those days that you don’t feel like working?
Trick 4: Find an accountability partner.
Set a goal with an accountability partner for days when you’re really struggling to focus.
Then …hold each other accountable!
The knowledge that another author is expecting an email with my latest WIP or revision is enough to get me moving. Now!
To this end, my critique partner, Katie Frawley, and I designed a writing challenge specifically targeted at lighting a fire under our butts.
And we cleverly named it: #FireButtChallenge.
If you’re interested in joining us, write us on Twitter at @KatieFrawley1 or @MicBabay, and we’ll tag you next time we spring a #FireButtChallenge on the world!
Trick 5: If it’s not one of the B’s (bleeding, barfing, broken bones) IT CAN WAIT!
As you saw above, a number of distractions led me away from my writing. So I’ve learned to say NO to anything that takes away my writing time (which explains why I tripped over that suitcase instead of putting it away).
Of course, there are hundreds more ways to revise your schedule and find time to write.
Your challenge now is to identify the key distractions in your life, and work to minimize their impact.
What’s YOUR favorite tip?
Let’s work together to revise our schedules, and thus, revise our writing!
————————————————————–
Michal Babay was born in Israel, raised in Arizona, and currently lives in Southern California with her husband and three kids. After many years as an elementary school teacher and resource specialist, Michal decided to say “YES” to her writing dreams. She now spends her days wrangling teenagers, telling the dogs to stop barking, ignoring cat barf, and saying “NO” to distractions. Michal is represented by Laurel Symonds at The Bent Agency. You can follow Michal on Twitter at: @MicBabay. You can also visit Michal’s website at http://www.MichalBabay.com.
Insight and Inspiration 
I find myself being distracted so easily during my writing time. These are all great tips to help me find that focus! I think I will post a reminder for myself about those three B’s too!
I’m so glad you’re finding your focus! Those three B’s were part of my classroom rules and the second graders loved them. Easy to understand and follow. Happy writing!
Thank you for this wisdom.
Thank you for reading! I hope today is a productive writing day for you!
I am so in awe of RJ Palacio’s writing process for WONDER – that is true dedication! Google Docs is another great idea. I downloaded the app – now I just have to learn to use it!
It’s super easy – I promise! I’m a serious dummy with technology, but the google docs app is really simple to navigate. Good luck and happy writing.
Words of wisdom, AND hilarious. Love it! I have the time ti write, but mostly do revisions. I have trouble getting ideas…unique ideas. When I get an idea, I often have a hard time crafting a great story around it. Could it be because I’m not a trained writer and my degree is in biology and chemistry, not journalism?
If you have trouble brainstorming ideas, then you should give Tara Lazar’s StoryStorm writing challenge in January! It’s gets your writing year off to a great start. And as far as training goes, I don’t think any school teaches “brainstorming”! You’re just as qualified as the MFAs and J-school grads, and English majors!
Thank you!
Thanks for the kind words, and keep going with your writing! It’s all about stretching those brain muscles and learning. Your degrees in science are going to give you unique ideas that only YOU can write! I love Katie’s idea to join Storystorm and just make a list of any idea that pops in your head – no judging it on good/bad/etc.
Thanks for the great advice!
Wow! Up at midnight and writing for three hours. The results speak for themselves, although I would be an absolute mess with that schedule. Great tips on how to find what works for you. I find the Self-Control app to be invaluable. It blocks any website you want for a designated time on your computer. Use it to block all social medi when I want to get writing done.
What a fantastic idea! I’m going to be using that app from now on. Thank you for sharing that great suggestion!
(I also would be an absolute mess with that midnight – 3 a.m. writing schedule – probably end up so tired I’d drive the cat to school, send my kids outside to pee, and let the dogs free-roam our house and feed themselves. Not a good idea over here.)
Hilarious read and great tips! I especially love the timer idea. Then when something is about to take me away, I can just say, well there’s only 20 minutes left, I’ll get to it after. Thanks for sharing!
Thanks! Yes, the timer has been a game-changer for me. I hope it helps you as well. Happy writing today!
This is me. Distractions control my writing. And I often use them to avoid revisions. Thanks for the tips!
I’ve come back to report this post made you go revised for an hour!
You revised for an hour just now? YYYAAAAYYYYY!!!! That’s fantastic! I’m so happy to hear that this post inspired you.
Yes I did! I was going to let it sit for some time, but I went ahead and made some revisions. Thanks for the push.
Yes! My writing time is as soon as I get up (and make coffee, of course!) because that’s when my mind is most fresh. This does sometimes cause me to be late to the gym… but priorities, right? 🙂
Yes! Priorities! That’s the name of the game.
Definitely! Morning time writing with coffee is my favorite writing time too. And you kind of ARE exercising (well, you’re exercising your fingers and brain, so that counts, right?).
People are amazed when they tell them that finding time to write is not a problem for me. I work over 40 hours most weeks, am a full time mommy when I’m home, and still get the meals made and the laundry done (dishes sometimes don’t get done and we use paper plates for a couple days haha). BUT I find moments to write–during my lunch break, while little ones are playing nearby (crawling on me sometimes!), and after the littles are asleep. I’ve forgone TV, movies, video games, puzzles–things I love but now only do when I have time off from work.
You’re a busy woman but it’s great you’re making time for YOUR dreams. Definitely not easy to do, but 100% worth it. I hope you’re getting a bunch of revising done this week!
Love all these tips — I keep my phone close by because I use the free app of Insight Meditation Timer for meditation. I time 45-60 minutes and have light bells that sound every 5 minutes so that if I get distracted it’s a reminder to get back on track. You can also have soft music or nature sounds play in the background. I find that it helps me to concentrate and ignore all other sounds. Unless of course one of my dogs are barking, lol. And I also find that after a short break I am ready to keep going or to open up another wip and do some revision.
Do the light bells distract you? I’m such a squirrel brain that I even need to clear the space around me so there’s nothing in my peripheral vision. I love hearing all the different ways each writer stays focused! And I totally agree – a short break helps me get out the wiggles and refocus again afterwards.
Google Docs on your phone…Wwwwhat?!? How did I not realize I could do this? I’ve been going old-school with a notebook in my purse, which by the way, works too.
Notebook and pen works beautifully! I hope the Google Docs on your phone opens up even more writing/revision options when you’re out and about. Happy writing!
I need to be better about sticking to my writing time no matter what! Recently, I’ve been staying in bed too long and losing 15-20 min of my time. Thanks for the motivation to commit and stick to it!!
Happy writing! It’s tough sticking to a set writing time – and some days are harder then others. Good luck with the writing routine, but keep being kind to yourself too!
Love your timer idea!! I am SO distractible. As a matter of fact, I went over to Amazon to look at timers as soon as I got to that part of your post. The most important thing for me to revise – my writing schedule. Very timely post!
Ha! I totally understand being distracted! I hope the timer helps you stay focused during those 60 minutes. Let me know how it goes.
I think the biggest thing I learned is that my writing is important and needs to also have a regular spot in my schedule. Distractions, excuses, and other responsibilities can get in the way, but reading your post really drove home the idea of making time. Thank you for your words!!! Hope your cat has better stomach days ahead. 😉
YES! Your writing dream is worth your time! I can’t wait to hear what you accomplish with your dedicated writing time.
Thanks. My cat’s stomach is much happier this week. Now if I could just convince those dogs to stop barking at the mailman…
Lol!
Fabulous recommendations from a fabulous writer. At SCBWI Midsouth, Lynda Mullaly Hunt suggested that if you aren’t finding the time to write, instead of telling people you can’t find the time, say this out loud instead: “It’s not a priority to find the time.” Then see how THAT feels…
Thank Shannon! Oh man, I just read your comment and tried saying it out loud. It felt HORRIBLE! So it’s now even MORE of a priority for me. We deserve to follow our writing dreams!
Thanks for sharing your thoughts on prioritizing your goals!
Thanks Mia! I hope they helped. Happy writing!
So awesome! When I started reading your post I felt that someone was eerily watching me. It was my phone! I literally threw it through the doorway. Then laughed with delight when I got to Trick 2. Goodbye phone!
HA!! Yes – goodbye phone, Helloooooooo productivity!
What a great article! I like the 3 B’s.
Thanks! Happy writing and revising.
I am going to revise my schedule and be better about protecting my writing time. Thanks for the great post!
Yay! So glad to hear this. Your writing time is WORTH protecting!
Thanks, great post- now revising my writing process. Plan to start by scheduling a “screen free” day, apart from phone calls. I like the idea of setting a timer and not allowing interruptions- though finding a place to write away from distractions might help even better. 😉
Finding a quiet place and time is tough, but if you can make it happen just imagine the stuff you’ll create!
Thanks so much for the helpful advice!
Thanks for reading!
Timeless wisdom, Michal! Thanks for sharing!
Thanks for reading!
Great ideas. Love the timer. Also, I could get up earlier to write then head for the gym and come back and work on my writing. Thanks for sharing. Love the “tricks.”
Good idea! A break for physical activity makes me much more productive. Otherwise my brain gets mushy.
Great tips! I also need to turn off the text/email notifications on my laptop that distract me.
And can’t wait to hear your good news!
Thanks! I can’t wait to share it!
Love this! No one will make me move today unless there’s Bleeding, Barfing, or Broken Bones !
YAY! How did it go today? I sincerely hope there were no bleeding, barfing, or broken bones to interrupt your flow.
This is a wonderful addition to the already inspiring #ReVISIONweek posts. I’m unlikely to follow in RJ Palacios footsteps because the middle of the night would produce gibberish.
The one hour timer is how my friend and amazing author, Claudia Mills writes. She’s been a wonderful inspiration for making writing time a priority. Google docs on my phone! Good idea.
Me too – no midnight writing at my house! Sounds like Claudia is a great inspiration and friend. It’s fantastic to have those people pushing us to keep moving on this crazy journey, isn’t it? I’d be lost without my writing friends.
I’m another fan of the one-hour timer. I’m easily discouraged, and tend to worry that I’ll waste the morning trying to write without actually making any progress. When it’s only an hour, I tell myself that it’s okay if I don’t make progress — I just have to put in the effort. (And often, I’ll keep going,)
Yes! Exactly!
Oh my gosh! I so needed this post! I start the day by reading my emails and checking FB messages. And sometimes, when I look up from doing that…I see that FOUR HOURS have passed by…and it is time for lunch…and when that is over, the phone rings or some chore calls me or my need to take a walk beckons. Which is why I am always up till 3am, scrambling to get my writing done.
Of course, if I hadn’t checked my emails, I would have missed seeing that REVISIONWEEK had started…yes, I had to go back and read all the previous posts (thank goodness I did, because they were awesome). But I love the timer suggestion…and I will find a way to put on binders to those distractions that often take our attention. Great post, Michal.
And my favorite tip? I record myself reading the manuscript and then listen back…it really helps me hear the trips, slips, and places that need attention.
Oh, Vivian, I can relate to your morning distractions! Like you, I read my emails and check facebook messages. Sometimes I don’t start writing until the afternoon. It takes me a while to get going in the morning!
Ohhhh, good tip Vivian! I always read my stuff aloud, but now I’m going to start recording myself as well. GULP!
Thanks for the reminder about ways to avoid distractions! I have an app called Forest on my phone that I’ve been thinking about using much more regularly. As in this afternoon right after I have lunch. Promise! 🙂
First lunch. Always! How was it today? Did the app help keep you focused?
Yes! as a mom of two small children and an attorney finding the time to write (and take care of myself) can be the biggest challenge. I set small achievable goals for myself so I don’t get overwhelmed and paralyzed by the monumental task ahead. For example, I try to write either one chapter of my novel OR one PB a month, and revise at least one PB a month. It’s not a lot, but it’s progress.
Sorry to butt in but being a full time attorney, a full time mom and writing a chapter or PB a month sounds like a lot to me! A lot of awesome (and also a lot of exhausting. I hope you find time for naps every once in awhile).
So challenging! Your progress (even if it feels slow) is amazing and bringing you closer to a finished project. I hope you’re celebrating every single step because you deserve it!
Getting sidetracked and staying focussed has always been a challenge for me! Smartphones and social media have made the problem so much worse. I’m addicted. Like Vivian, I’m in a bad habit of “just checking” the news + emails in the morning and losing valuable quiet writing time. Add to that a secondary writing job that occupies part of my brain at all times means I struggle with clearing mental space and finding distraction free time. Recently I feel like it’s coming to a head, and I need to take control! I do have timers on my phone (which I shamefully override sometimes!) but it’s not enough. Thanks for the solidarity and the tips, MIchal. I’ll try timers again! It really is amazing how much you can do in a short time. I’m always amazed when I do remove myself from distractions how much I can accomplish. I’ve done two day poetry retreats where I will write more than I have in two months! I think an underlying issue for me, and other “emerging” writers, is a lack of confidence. We sometimes don’t see our writing as important or as validated as more established peers. And so we don’t give it the time and priority it deserves.
Nice to know we’re not alone. And I’d love an accountability partner!
Imposter Syndrome! Man, it’s so difficult to shake that feeling. I think all of us can relate to that feeling of being embarrassed to call ourselves “writer.” You most definitely are not alone!
If you tag us on Twitter, maybe we can help you find an accountability partner. They are great for writing AND working around imposter syndrom.
The cellphone! I have my notifications turned off except for email, text, and medical app. These are set to just a small icon at the top of my screen. But, If I look and see those icons . . . bye bye time. I am pretty good about leaving the phone alone in the morning and working on art or writing. I still need to make sure I make room in each day to actually write, revise, and move my projects forward.
Thank you for this reminder. My dog never eat the others dogs barf. One just throws up and then eats his own. EWWWWWWW! Gross!
SO GROSS! Mine eat all the barf – they are so undiscriminating. WHHHHHYYYYY?
“A story written in 5-minute increments is still a story.” Yes! This! A hundred times this! I hope contemplating plot points while washing my hair counts too because sometimes that’s the only time I have to myself! But I use it 🙂
I love the timer idea and the accountability partner too.
So much goodness in this post. Thank you!
IT COUNTS! Shower ideas are some of the best ones out there!
So hard to put the cell phone away, but I totally get it. I don’t even use mine that much, but have found myself grabbing for it for nothing. That’s my challenge now…to put it away while I’m writing. Thank you for all of these tips!
Those phones are so addicting, aren’t they? I hope putting it away helps improve your productivity. Happy writing!
Started reading this, then went and made breakfast, watched a show while I ate, got on the phone and got lost in instagram and twitter….then return to finish reading to find I committed a big no no!! LOL Smartphones are seriously the worst distraction, not just from writing but from life in general. As adults we should have screen time limits too!!!
YES!!! I agree whole-heartedly. They are sooooo addicting.
What an entertaining post! I love your sense of humor, Michal! These are all great tips. I have an accountability buddy and I’m a member of two critique groups. These writers are great motivators for me to get my BIC! Now I’m going to try the timer!
Thanks Pamela! That timer idea was a game-changer for my productivity. When I get interrupted in the middle of my hour, I lay it down so I remember there’s still time left in my hour, and when I’m ready again I stand it up and keep working. No faking that my hour ended early!
Thank you so much, these are amazing tips. I’m definitely going to sort out when and where, I can write every day…probably the witching hour!
Oh good! I hope your productivity skyrockets now!
While I have found Twitter and other online resources to be vastly helpful, they doing nothing to help my productivity! If I’m writing on my computer, I must be very disciplined to stay on task. I get the most work done the old-fashioned way… with pen and paper!
It definitely minimizes the distractions, doesn’t it?
Great ideas, Michal! I like the timer the best. There’s no sneaking away from time as it ticks away. BIC! Write!
Yes! Exactly!
Great tips Michal! I find that having a deadline (event if it’s self-imposed) helps me. So, if I know our critique group meeting is coming up & I want them to see my ms, I need to get my BIC & get those revisions done in time.
Those deadlines are key for me as well!
I like the idea of the timer. Even for activities that suck time (especially the rabbit hole called the internet!)
As a fellow procrastinator, I appreciate all the tips. A reward for time spent writing works for me most times. Like exercise time, I try to carve out and plan my time the night before so when I wake up in the morning I already feel committed.
Great idea to plan everything out the night before!
This post both spoke to me personally (at least it felt that way!) and reminded me that I hadn’t called my daughter’s school, then when I went to get my phone, I realised I needed to put laundry on, then I had to make a cup of tea, and while I was in the kitchen I noticed the dishwasher hadn’t been emptied… 3 hours later I came back and read the rest of it!! 😀
LOL! Oh yes, we are kindred spirits! I hope some of these techniques work for you too!
I think we must be 😁. I’ll definitely give them a try, thanks!
I appreciate that someone (you!) finally mentioned that it’s OK to write at 11PM. I only ever hear about getting up early to write, but I write late at night…and that’s OK. Whew, I’m finally validated 🙂 Thank you!
YES! You are totally and completely validate!. You’re even in fantastic company with RJ Palacio.
I’m more of a 9 or 10 p.m. person.
Thanks for the tips! All awesome reminders!
Thanks for reading!
thank you very much for sharing your techniques! As an illustrator/aspiring author-I can get my butt to sit at the drawing board for how ever long it takes to draw a picture, a picture that I MUST draw. That picture is how I start to write my story-I can draw a story, oh but those words! I have lots of ideas, lots of illustrations, sketches and dummies for all the books I am writing. Oh, but the words! My writing is more by the seat of my pants. Whenever. I am very proud that I have spent this entire week revising a manuscript, okay a total redo of a manuscript. I had to “let go” of a story that wasn’t working, for forever. It is not my story to tell. But I loved the illustration of the character. So I created another character. Mine. Now I can write. In my happy place, where ever that is at the time, on a yellow legal pad-old school. But it allows me to draw little pictures/ideas-visuals that go into the story. Now I also have post its, teeny pieces of papers, and notes to go with all that art. But oh those words….What always amazes me that no one in my house never hears the cat hacking up the hairballs, just me.(nor can they see them) thank you again!
Sometimes I wonder if the cat waits until I’m nearby before barfing. She’s not my biggest fan. Sounds like yours is also a stealth hacker.
That’s fantastic that you created your own character! And so much awesome revising this week too!
Great advice, especially about using Google docs. I look forward to participating in a future #FireButt Challenge! Thanks for the post, Michal.
Fantastic! We’re excited to have you join us.
I find it very hard to schedule a regular time every day to write. But I’ve realized that my brain is doing a lot of processing and thinking on those days when I’m doing the million other things that need to get done – so that when I finally sit down at my laptop, I’m way more productive than if I’d tried to sit down every day. But that just seems to be the way my brain works! I love Twitter – that’s how I found out about reVISION week -but boy, can I go down the rabbit hole on that 🙂 The timer is a cool idea if you want to up the ante though!
Processing and thinking is a really big part of writing! Sounds like you’re finding your productivity flow (aside from Twitter, which is my rabbit hole too, unfortunately).
Thank you for the great advice. I especially like tip number four, find an accountability partner.
It has made a world of difference to my writing.
Great advice and so funny! Thanks for the reminder that finding even small bits of time everyday to write is crucial.