As a mom who has homeschooled five children, the number one question I’ve been asked is: “How do you find time to write?” A second close question is: “In such a busy household, where do you write most productively?”
I’ve touched on the first question before, but I can’t remember talking much about the second. So today, I thought I’d tackle that question.
Where is the best place for authors to write most productively? Should they have a set place and routine? What about all of the distractions and interruptions (especially for moms with kids at home)?
Let me start by saying that in my entire writing career, I’ve only had an office twice. The first time didn’t last long before the room was taken over for other purposes. After ten plus years of going without, I gained an office again last fall. I’ve had it for five months, but I gave it up when my college daughter was home for close to two months between semesters.
I love my new office (it has an enormous beautiful book shelf on the wall not showing!). But I don’t rely upon a separate, quiet space for my writing time. I never have. I’ve always had the philosophy that all I really need is a chair and a flat surface for my laptop. That means over the years I’ve worked at a wobbly card table in the basement, a battered desk shoved in a corner of my bedroom, the tiny kitchen-counter desk, and the busy dining room table.
In every single place I’ve worked, I’ve always been surrounded by my family coming and going and making lots of noise. None of my work spaces has ever been truly private, where I can sit uninterrupted for hours on end. Even now, my new office has a futon which seems to invite everyone to come sit and talk to me.
Yet, in spite of the chaos, I’m able to write multiple books a year. How is that possible? How can any author write productively and prolifically anywhere?
The KEY is self-discipline.
No matter where I write, no matter the circumstances around me, no matter the number of interruptions, and no matter the chaos, I park my butt in the chair, and I don’t allow myself to quit my work day until I reach my self-imposed daily goal (usually a word count to write or number of chapters to edit).
Of course, I’ve learned a few tricks over the years to help me focus better and drown out the chaos. Most of the time I wear headphones and listen to piano music. I almost always give myself writing sprints where I challenge myself to accomplish a certain number of words in thirty minutes. I went through a phase where I worked on an old laptop that doesn’t have internet (to avoid the additional distraction). And there have been days where I’ve had to tell my family to try not to interrupt so often.
For those writers who think they have to wait until the house is quiet and empty before they can work, I’m living proof that no writer absolutely has to have perfect conditions to write. If I’d waited until I had no distractions or interruptions, I never would have started and certainly never would have sustained a writing career.
Instead, we have to stop making excuses for not writing and start to make the most of the situations and environments we find ourselves in. Even if we write 500 words a day, it’s still something. Over a year’s time that will amount to a completed book.
I’ve learned that life is messy, but it’s often in the messy places that some of the best stories are born.
How about YOU? If you’re a writer, where do you write? And if you’re a reader, how do you handle the messes of life?
Jody Hedlund
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What a good post, Jody. It IS all about self-discipline (in so many areas of life!). When I first started writing, I wrote from 10PM to 2AM because I was working outside the home and being a soccer mom and leading women’s ministry—and that was the only time there was to write. But I did it and loved it. If you really want to do something, you find and make the time. I’m not nearly as prolific as other writers though and that used to bother me (granted, my books are longer than some others). But long ago my prayer for my writing became “Lord, let me never offer to you something that costs me nothing,” (based on 2 Samuel 24, of course) and he has honored that prayer over and over again in my life with writing struggles. But major writing joys too! He’s so good to lead us down roads he knows we need, regardless of whether we think we do. His faithfulness is never-ending.
Thank you for this post. As an aspiring fiction writer I’ve been discouraged by professional writers telling me that I need that quiet place to write successfully. That will never happen in my house. But I know I can write in the midst of all the distractions. Thank you for saying that works!
I admire your dedication and determination. Wearing headphones and listening to piano music sounds like a terrific idea so that you have created a little haven in which to write despite the possible distractions. As you’re wired to work, you are also giving the message that Mommy’s working, so please don’t interrupt unless it’s urgent.
Great post! I’ve commented before on how prolific you are – amazing. I have purchased a number of your books, but need more time. I have read your medieval series and some of your bride books.
I am not a writer, but used your ideas to get more reading time. When I began teaching, I found that I had sacrificed one of my favorite hobbies – reading! I didn’t feel I had time to get into a book. After a number of years, I said to myself, “Enough, I will read”. So I began taking whatever few minutes I could find during the day to read some pages (at breakfast and before bed especially), with the goal of reading at least 25 pages or a couple of chapters. Now that I am retired, I have more time and am so glad I took back such an enjoyable and relaxing activity.
Congratulations on your ability to write anywhere and anytime and your ability to be so prolific!
Thank you for this post, Jody. You are a constant inspiration to me with all you accomplish. Self-discipline is so important. I’ve found a good balance for my current writing schedule, but now that my kids are leaving the nest, I’ve started wondering what my writing future will look like. Should I take on more? Leave things the same? Is taking on more even possible, or will it just burn me out? You’ve encouraged me not to take anything off the table just yet. God holds the future, but I shouldn’t tie His hands.
I’ve spent the last 20 years working in an environment that is entirely open – no cubicles, no offices… and in a building where there’s a hundred or so employees all sitting practically on top of each other on each floor, many of whom have the job of answering phones all day long. And people can walk up to your desk at any point in time. We learned quickly to tune out the noise around us (many wear headphones) to the point that when the funneled white noise goes off, everyone stops because all of a sudden it’s TOO quiet. LOL And every day (until the pandemic sent me home to work) I would tune it all out to read during my hour lunch. Everyone knew that if my book was open, I wasn’t available.
Currently, I’ve commandeered the entire RV dinette slide out as my office. Since we’re living in our RV. This could be my smallest and most inconvenient writing location ever, but I’ve also accomplished the most while sitting in the dented cushion on the north side, surrounded by the printer (egads, what space it takes!), and 3 file folder baskets. My “desk drawer” is the drawer beneath the far end of the dinette. The drawer beneath me, where I sit, is kitchen storage. The laptop tucks conveniently into my “desk” but it rarely gets put away, only shoved across the table to create space for meals. LOL. Long ago and far away, I once I had an entire bedroom as my office and creating space. And a different once upon a time, I wrote in the wide open dining room where I taught my family the meaning of the invisible words “the door is closed.” (There was no door.) My dream is to one day have a studio where I can shut the door and leave the mess. Because I only create in a mess. Until then, the RV dining room/living room/kitchen/spare bedroom is my writing address.
I am a reader and I confess I am easily distracted so I have to set goals for what is important each day. There was a time when I read and the family was not as well looked after as they should have been. After much prayer I was led to set times during the day when I allowed myself to enjoy the current book. This has worked well for decades now. I admire writers so much that are able to work and take care of family responsibilities.
Great post! I’m nowhere near as prolific as you are, but this is such a relatable post. My writing is done at the dining room table among myriad distractions these last 10 years through new babies, toddlers, little kids, and now some teens – plus, homeschooling this year!If there’s a will, there’s a way, and discipline (which I’m often lacking) is the key.
Hi Everyone! Loving all of your comments! Thank you all for sharing your thoughts and advice!
Daily, weekly and monthly goals are what keeps me motivated. I am fortunate in that I have an empty nest, but there are still many distractions. I am motivated by the goals and seeing the novel come to life. I’m prepublished, but still working. I’ve learned much by reading these posts and the writing of others who have mastered aspects of the craft I have not – yet! Thanks for encouraging those of us who hope to be able to say we have writing careers.