Writing Strategies:

Let's get to specifics! Some of this will be contradictory. Some things that work for you at one point in your life don't work later, or other things work better. That's fine.

1. Numero uno! This is obvious but often not followed: make writing a priority. If you treat writing as a hobby--something you'll do here and there when you have free time--guess what? That's what it will always be: a hobby. There's nothing wrong with treating writing as a hobby, but if you want it to be more and you treat it that way you are going to get frustrated. If writing is your passion, if it's what you really want to do, you need to find the time it deserves to prosper.

It's okay to get discouraged--but don't let that stop you. Stay focused. Cut out or reduce those things that take time away from your writing. Turn off the TV. Get off social media. Other hobbies. That can be a tough one, because writers are curious creatures and often have a lot of interests. But you're just not going to have the time to be a stamp collector and an amateur astronomer and a classical musician and also be a serious writer. Instead, maybe research those things and write a story about them.

Do not cut back on exercise or sleep. Do not quit your job or get rid of your family. But do get rid of or cutting down on those things that regularly take time away from your writing. Avoid the trap of "as soon as I get x, y, and z done, then I'll have time to write." Because--guess what!--as soon as you get x, y, and z done, x prime, y prime, and z prime pop up. And you end up never get started on that new story.

A corollary: #1a. Make sure others close to you know that for you writing is a priority. You need to make clear to your family and friends that writing is a priority for you. It's not simply a fun hobby. It's part of who you are. They need to understand this. They will not guess. Then when the kids see you in seclusion they'll go: "that's just daddy doing his writing thing" or "that's just mommy doing her writing thing." They'll come to see it as normal. Maybe it will encourage them to write one day. A loving spouse and family. Communicate your needs. But learn to compromise.

2. Cut back on world news. If something important happens you'll find out about it. Someone will tell you. Get off social media. Stop doom scrolling on the internet. Other things to avoid: Lazy weekends. Do nothing holidays. Catch-ups with friends. Mindless work emails. Figure out your own priorities and trim.

3. Being more productive when you do write is obvious, but also: be more productive when you don't write. Focus on the task at hand.

4. Find your time to write. I'm sure everyone has heard of this: write early in the morning before the kids rise or late at night after everyone else has gone to bed. I'm ambivalent about that. I've done it in the past, for example, in high school--it can work for short periods of time or when you are working to a deadline. But it is exhausting. It is not sustainable. You can literally get sick from lack of sleep. Better to carve out blocks of time during the day. Consistency is key. Which leads to:

5. Time on the edges. Sneaking in small chunks of writing while doing something else. Thinking about writing is writing. Always have a notebook and pencil and write things down. Nothing is worse than having a great line of dialogue or plot idea vanish because you forgot to write it down and now you can't remember it.

6. A writing space. You need one. Preferably a quiet space away from the TV. Find someplace with a door you can close when you need quiet. It's a signal that you are working. A bedroom is ideal, but you don't need a large space. Consider a closet; some closets are large; a closet has a door and clothes in it to deaden the sound. Stephen King says he used to write in the laundry room while sitting on a chair with his feet propped up on the dryer, and the typewriter on his lap. Be creative.

7. Lists for the short-term and the long-term. For the long-term it's good to keep a list of what you want to accomplish in the next two or three months and cross things out with a highlighter as you go. You'll probably be surprised at what you did get done. For the short-term: Schedule blocks of time. Then write in either a larger block (1-2 hours) or a smaller block (15 minutes). But have a specific plan for writing during that time.

8. Write longhand for the first draft so you don't have the distraction of the internet. If you write longhand, you force yourself to keep moving ahead. Simplify! Write: "she came into the room" and then move on. Later say how she walked into the room, what she saw there, what she smelled or heard. At the end of a session stop in the middle of a scene; this helps to avoid writer's block and saves time for your next session as it is easier to pick up if you know where things are going. For shorter stints, unravel a plotline, add detail to a scene, or write dialogue. These don't have to be sequential.

9. Do not get hung up on "rules," i.e. that a book should be a certain length, with a certain number of chapters, and a certain number of scenes in each chapter, or must follow some pre-defined narrative arc. That kills creativity and can take up a lot of time while you try to fit a book into a pigeonhole. A book or a story should be as long as it needs to be and in whatever form it needs to be to tell the tale. It's important to know the rules and to keep them in mind, but don't become a slave.

10. When you think you have a finished story or novel, then READ IT ALOUD. Hearing it vocalized can help you find and eliminate, wordiness, improve sentence flow, even find inconsistencies.

11. Thinking about your writing is also writing and you can do that almost everywhere. Ask your kids or spouse for ideas. Incorporate them into your writing process. Think about your characters. Characterization is time that is never wasted. It separates the good from the very good. Keep daily or weekly entries to prioritize your next day or week. Ideally these are for various amounts of time. Write this scene. Edit this one. Write dialogue in this section. Explain this character's motivation in that section. Then when you have your time slot to enjoy, it's quiet, and you're free of distractions, you have a plan, you're not just staring at an empty page for a half an hour and then throwing up your hands in dismay.

12. Social media needs to be done in this day and age. I hate it, but publishers require it. It doesn't sell books. It can be a sinkhole for your time. Pick a platform. Post a note when something is noteworthy and then get back to your writing.

13. Abandon your family! Go to a café, a library. Disappear for a couple of hours, find someplace quiet, and write. Turn off your cellphone, or at least turn off notifications, when you get there. Your kids won't catch fire, your house won't catch fire. Do what you have to do to find writing time. Be creative.

14. Go on a writing retreat; rent an Airbnb for a weekend and just write. Go with a few friends of like mind. Take turns making meals or going out and bringing meals back. Do not go out to bars or to movies.

15. Short assignments--write a short story or flash fiction piece instead of a novel. Many times, if you think you are too busy to write, you really aren't too busy to write. You're too scared. Writing means commitment. And commitment is frightening. So start with something short. It gives you encouragement just to finish something and can be a springboard to the next thing.

16. Collaboration. Join a writing group. Read your work to others and get feedback. Listen to their work and give them feedback. Collaborate with someone on a story or novella. You write one scene, they write the next. Just for fun. It can take a story to places you never would have thought of. If nothing else, you will learn a lot.

17. Say NO. No, I can't go out to the movies this Friday. No, I'm not available to play nine holes of golf this weekend, or even one hole. No, I can't take the neighborhood kids to soccer practice every Tuesday for the entire semester. No, I can't go out with the gang at work for lunch every day. No, I can't volunteer to clean the school playground this Saturday. Say no to anything that makes you groan inside. Say, no and don't feel guilty about it.

18. Always have a notebook with you so that wherever you are you'll be able to write down that writing idea when it pops into your head. Ideas can arise anytime, anywhere.

19. I can't do this, but I know other writers who can. Messy life. You don't need to isolate yourself to write. Write on your messy couch with the animals running around and the kids doing their kid-stuff. Some people prefer to write this way. I knew a writer who liked to write with the TV on for background noise. It worked for her. Writing doesn't have to occur when you are alone.

20. Have a "non-word" period in which you do NOTHING word related. No writing, no reading, no scrabble, no crossword puzzles. Instead, REST, take naps, talk to friends, go to the movies. Play 18 holes of golf. Re-charge your batteries. Maybe you are not blocked; maybe you are simply exhausted.

21. If you can afford one, consider getting a housekeeper. We've never done this. But it can save you a lot of time.

22. Remove yourself from social media as much as possible. Use an app to block or reduce your access if you need to. Schedule to close off apps during certain times--your writing times--or when you reach certain limits. You know what a better use of your social time is: Be a part of your local writing community. Go to bookstore readings, go to conferences, talk to people. If you loved a book you just read, write the author and tell him or her that.

23. Writers tend to be perfectionists and perfectionists are often procrastinators. Procrastination is often a sign of fear of failure: "I'm not going to finish this story because it may turn out bad, people won't like it, they'll laugh at me, etc . . ." In other words, because it won't be perfect. Remember: you only fail if you give up on your story.

24. Use noise canceling headphones when you write. Useful at work, say on your lunch hour. I worked in a cube farm where people enjoyed tossing paper airplanes across the room and making airplane noises.

25. A fast internet. Just do it. It will save you a lot of time. Use the time to help with research. Do not use the extra time to check cnn.com every five minutes.

26. Guilt. Guilt can be a great motivator. Use it to your advantage. Say to yourself: 'If I don't write this story no one else will. It's come to your mind from who knows where and it deserves to be brought into the world. It's like a child. It's crying out to you. You can't deny it life." I do this all the time.

27. Bribe yourself. Tell yourself that if you finish this story, you'll buy that record or book that you've had your eye on. This can be incredibly motivating.

To summarize:

    Make writing a priority
    Minimize distractions
    Prioritize writing tasks
    Stick to your schedule
    And above all, don't be too hard on yourself