My Best Writing Advice

Writing as a mother of four is hard. I was recently asked what my best piece of writing advice was and it took me barely one second to decide on what it was: Write consistently.

Consistency can be hard to achieve when you have a busy life, but it is truly worth making a priority in your writing life.

I learned this lesson the hard way. The very first book I wrote was written in bits and pieces here and there. Some weeks, I would open it up to write three or four times a week and then other times, weeks would go by between my writing sessions.

When the draft was done, it was a confusing mess of swirling timelines, inconsistent names, and repetitive sections. I had to edit and edit and edit some more to get it to a good draft. It took a lot of work – most of which could have been saved if I had been more consistent in my writing at that time.

Now, I write at least five times a week. I aim for about 500 words a session, but even if I only have 10 minutes to write and only add 173 words, I moved the story forward and – most importantly – I know where I am in the story.

If I take too much time off between writing, I lose track. If that happens, I make sure to take the time to read back and refresh my memory instead of pressing on.

I also now take notes as I go along, making sure to note the characters’ names, ages, physical traits, and any dates so I can keep the timeline straight. It’s much quicker to check those notes than to read back in the story and find those details. 

So, how do I find the time with everything else on my plate as a wife, mother, homeschool teacher, and all the other things that crowd my attention?

I know I only need a 20-30 minute block of time to write about 500 words. I don’t consider my day complete until those words are written. I often look at my planner in the morning and pick a time where I will aim to do my writing. 

(I’m writing this at the ice skating rink while my youngest has her weekly lesson. I wrote 739 words for my current novel and now I’m writing my draft of this.)

There are pockets of time in everyone’s day, and I make it a priority to take one of those pockets and use it to write. It’s not selfish, because I feel it’s a talent God gave me, and I want to follow His calling for my life in this area. 

Your pocket of time may be in the morning before the work day begins. It may be at night as soon as the children are in bed. It may be during nap time one day and at the soccer field the next. It doesn’t matter how and where you write, but that you write. 

How do you find time to write consistently?

Copyright 2022, Sarah Anne Carter