Writing with kids in the family home is not a task for the faint of heart.
When I was finishing up my first attempt at a book proposal, the editing process was completed while sitting on the edge of the bathtub while a tiny child proceeded to slosh seven million gallons of water onto the bathroom floor. Simultaneously, my two older children were standing in the hallway, screaming at the top of their lungs and nearly breaking into fisticuffs over the last juice box. My husband was in the middle of a desert somewhere (he’s active-duty military), and there was no cabin in the woods for me. My stress level climbed to astronomical proportions, and distractions were never in short supply. I checked the last few tasks of prepping and polishing my proposal off the list, but I found the cost was high. Ultimately, I found that my boundaries around time and focus were lacking. Summertime writing during the “power hour” of bath and bedtime was poorly planned. I needed a predictable and routine time to write.
A wise mentor once told me that the difference between a writer and someone who wants to be a writer was six hours and 6,000 words a week. Now, several years into my own writing career, I would agree. At the beginning, however, finding six hours was a real challenge. My children were younger, we homeschooled, and my husband was deployed. I could barely find six minutes to myself, much less six hours. But I promise: It can be done. One can write and work around the mayhem of parenting and all the rest. Here’s how I learned to build a back-to-school-season writing schedule.
Think outside of the box. Ideally, we would all be able to dedicate the ol’ 9:00 to 5:00 schedule to writing and working. But, for many writers, this schedule isn’t realistic due to jobs, roles, or other responsibilities that this time-block belongs to. For me, I found that my six hours a week had to be slipped into a slot that was unoccupied by “mom” duties. My writing time was scheduled from 5:00 to 7:00 a.m. every Tuesday through Saturday. Clacking away on my keyboard happened blissfully uninterrupted before the sun came up and prior to little fingers sliding underneath doors begging for snacks. If the kids are off to school again this fall, find times where your writing time can be the most effective; and get writing on the calendar.
Be disciplined. Schedule your writing time, and stick to it. Think of the work as small acts of obedience. You might not get 10,000 words on the page before supper time, but stay the course. Be faithful to the time and effort writing a proposal or manuscript takes, and don’t skimp. Work through to the end, and keep pushing toward your goals.
Celebrate the small wins. Writing can be a lonely gig, and the process can sometimes feel a little daunting. Be encouraged and celebrate the small things. Did you finish your writing goal for the day? Celebrate. Did you manage to write for three weeks in a row? Great! I’m not saying to forget the long game or the big wins, but definitely take the time to enjoy the journey of writing in meaningful ways.
Writing might not always be the most glamorous work, but the work is certainly worth it when you’re following God’s call to the Great Commission through writing. If He has called you to share more about the finished work of the cross and reach His children, you can expect the work to be challenging, sometimes tiresome, but always joyful and redemptive.
