AFAWN - Getting Started - Part 2

Give Yourself Time

Chances are that if you’re one of the people out there with a story idea but haven’t written it, it’s because you “can’t find the time.” After all, life is busy and time is a precious commodity. But it’s not just time, right? It’s also energy. Most people who give up on working out or going to the gym do so because they’re too physically tired (I know firsthand). Well, the same can be true with writing and mental fatigue. If you reach the end of your work day or day watching the kids, and you just want to veg out, that’s completely understandable. Who hasn’t spent hours binging a TV show or reading a book or scrolling through social media to unwind? Unfortunately, this is a major roadblock to writing.

This is also why Part 1 - Be Honest with Yourself is so important. If you don’t have a passion for creating your story, that’s going to make the decision to sit down and write so much harder. But if you can push through that mental fatigue, even for a moment, then the next step is to make time for this. Get into a routine. Set an alarm. Put it on your calendar if you’re one of those types of people. And if you’re worried about burnout, start small. Don’t overdo it. If you feel completely overwhelmed, try 30-60 minutes on the weekend and build up from there.

And here’s the good news. Once you get into the groove of writing and enjoy the experience of creating your own world, characters, plot, etc, you won’t have to try so hard to make time. You’ll want to make time.

Want more good news? Creating a story isn’t restricted to only when you sit down and write. To me, this is the beauty of fiction writing. You can think about your story any time! While you’re driving, while you’re keeping an eye on the kids, while you’re eating lunch. Whenever you want, you can turn on the TV in your head and work on your story. This is exactly what I do. So when it’s time to sit down and write, I’ve already given a great deal of thought to what comes next.