Intro

One cannot help admiring those people who boast on social media, and even write books, about how it’s possible to write a sequel to War and Peace on just 5 minutes a day. I find it difficult to write anything much of value when severely constrained in terms of time. (I also find that if there are things going like family illnesses, it’s hard to think creatively even when I do have the time.)

Take this week, for example. Every time I sat down to write, something needed more urgent attention. For example, I had to deal with an email from Paypal, which involved a bit of faffing about because I don’t tend to click on links in emails, just in case….. Then I had to deal with a credit card issue. Then… Well, you get the picture. That’s why this week, both on this website and my other one, there have not been as many articles published as I would like.

In short, what I’m describing is normal life for most people, so this post is for other normal people. It answers the question: what can you do to write when you don’t have the time or the mind to write? In case it’s helpful, this is what I do:

Read newsletters and blogs

If you’re waiting for your turn at the vet’s, you should at least have time to read a blog post or two, or a newsletter article, in your niche. Doing so will help you to think of ideas for writing when you do have the time.

Read the newspaper

I often find that reading the newspaper gives me ideas for things to write about, or provides me with information I may not otherwise have come across. I also find that reading the sports pages, even though I’m not a sports fan, can provide me with examples of fine writing — as can the obituaries page.

Read a magazine

If you subscribe to a magazine, install the app on your phone. I’ve found that small amounts of time are ideal for reading book reviews, which I especially like doing because it helps me keep abreast of what’s new and on the horizon in the book world.

Read a book

The Kindle app is ideal for this, as you can read books, periodicals and documents on your phone.

Listen to a podcast

When I’m doing stuff like feeding the birds or our feline parasites, listening to a podcast or radio program is a good use of time.

Mentally outline an article

You can think about articles or a chapter in the book you’re writing while you’re doing other things — and then make notes on your thoughts as soon as possible afterwards, before you forget the great ideas you had.

Make lists

Make a list of ideas for articles, books or places to pitch your writing to. That’s why I recommend always having a notebook or a notes app with you at all times.

Conclusion

Having too little time to write is by no means ideal, but there’s no point in sitting around moaning about it. The suggestions here should help to ensure that when you do have time to write you won’t be at a loss for words!