“You’ll never do a whole lot unless you’re brave enough to try.”
—Dolly Parton, an American singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, actress, author, businesswoman, and humanitarian (yes, she deserves this whole introduction!)
You’ve Got Passion & Vision
Working 9-5 is never an easy task. Neither is taking 12-19 credit hours in a given semester. Couple that with extra-curriculars, internships, family & religious obligations, and social interactions. If you think about adding a daily dose of writing, you will likely concur the remaining hours are for sleeping, eating, and/or studying. Fair thinking, but you are FAR more capable than you realize!
I took part in this restricting mentality, so much so that it has taken me nearly a year to get back into the swing of writing. What have I done instead? The moment the diploma hit my hands, I was back to working 40-50 hours a week to pay off my loans. Today, I am with a blossoming career in ocular health—one rich in purpose, but quite physically and mentally demanding.
And it is a traditional 9-5 occupation. As such, in the remaining hours of my day, I am catching up with family, practicing hygiene, and perusing social media.
Then as my head hits the pillow, I let insomnia take over for roughly 15 minutes so I can brainstorm story ideas, character development, and plot twists for a project I abandoned in 2020. As I enter dreamland, I merely bury it in the back of my subconscious to think about in the coming months. Why don’t I write out the ideas? Why not write the damn book? I may have the passion and the vision for what I want, but why do I always let the excuses run rampant?
Make Something of Your Own Now
If you resonate with my experiences, perhaps you too can find ways to cut back on the negativities and distractions.
Maybe hours cannot be helped—like scheduled work hours or family time. But if you take a moment to reflect, how many hours are spent, say, on TikTok? Instagram? Twitter? Computer and technology usage has advanced tremendously since the COVID-19 pandemic. 2021 data from the Pew Research indicates that about 31% of adults are constantly online while 48% are on several times a day. Where do you fall in this range? How much time is wasted? And have you considered channeling any mindless scrolling into purposeful typing?
And this is not judging. I spent a half-hour on Instagram before writing this. I am a faulty 31 percenter.
But if you are spending too much time online, why not cut back via old-school handwriting? Barnes and Noble and Target didn’t generate the cutest notebooks on earth for you to just pass them by. AND—there are considerable benefits to handwriting your projects!
The National Pen Company wrote a compelling article suggesting that “handwriting [allows] for better short- and long-term memory recall because they contain your own words and handwriting.” Of course, they’re more suggesting this for in-class notetaking, but placing your works at the forefront of your mind is key.
OR, if social media is not the barrier to your writing delays, could it be a loss for ideas? No muse to stir up your creative juices? If you feel this way, recall when was the last time you sat down to a good book. Countless articles suggest that reading helps improve our writing by helping us to make connections to our own experiences and emotions. I wholeheartedly believe opening up a book opens up a new world of opportunity.
Reading could take maybe an hour or less a day to inspire you. There just HAS to be some time. After reading The Girl They Left Behind by Roxanne Veletzos earlier this month, I have found that I am itching to invest my time in writing WW2 historical fiction. Ask yourself what kind of book/work you see yourself writing.
Gonna Change Your Life
There are many more ways to invest in yourself. You just have to find your motive and make the time. If you think of your place in the universe—rooting it in your convictions, your mission, your nonstop movement through a demanding world—I hope you can see that there is an overarching need to bring your ideas to life in the time you have. It is pivotal that as a writer you make time to create—lest the world loses a timeless relic of what could have been.
So yes, your schedule is busy. Your work and personal life need attention, but so do your ideas—no matter how small. You cannot invent stories in your mind only. Practice and planning go hand-in-hand. You also cannot retain the mindset that your story is not worth it. If your mind continues to dwell on a lingering idea, chances are that the universe is begging you to at least try. And you must, must try because only in doing so will you change your life.
And if that’s not enough encouragement for you—or you simply do not have the time to squeeze in your 9 to 5 hustle and bustle— reread that introductory quote one more time. Because I don’t think Dolly Parton became an American icon with a tremendous number of accolades for you to ignore her wisdom.
The Writer's Desk 