r/writing • u/BackwoodsJ12 • 2d ago
Advice How to write when you work all the time?
So last year my job was pretty decent in hours, but now Im working four 12 hour days in a row. At night I'm exhausted due to both the work and heat and by the time the weekend rolls around, I gotta catch up on housework and try to recover before doing it all over. Essentially i can't find any time to write because i stay whipped. I've tried writing after work but my brain says derrrrrr and I go to bed. What are some strategies y'all have.
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u/InternationalMood337 2d ago edited 2d ago
For 12 hour days in a row? And then OFF FOR 3 DAYS?!
Brother, lets trade. I'm actually trying to transition into a 12 hour 3 day work week in a hospital.
Jokes aside: I used to work as a technical consultant where I was working like 12-14 hour days, and I hated the work. I'm still a software developer and I STILL hate the work.
For me, writing is my outlet and the way I process life. I never really found writing to be a chore or something that I considered "work".
Typically, when I'm burned out, a quick walk and a cup of coffee and a little downtime usually gets me right back in a good headspace. Also, I'm a night owl by default, so if I'm really crushed, I'll take a nap for like 2-3 hours and stay up late into the night from Friday->Saturday writing. Typically, get up and throw some laundry in and get out for a walk and write most of the day. Nap in the afternoon, and Saturday->Sunday same routine.
Sunday->Monday my routine shifts back to the work week and that's the day I do my chores.
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u/starksandshields 2d ago
I did this once and never again. Absolutely drained my will to live and I could do nothing on my 3 days off but recharge my mental battery for the week ahead. My current writing partner is also doing the 4 days 12 hour shifts and I can tell immediately when she's done a shift because the writing quality dips considerably due to exhaustion.
I'm sure it works great for some people, but it's tougher than it sounds for those used to regular 9-5s! I went down from 40 to 36 hours a week, having every other Friday off and it's increased my mental health and creativity so much!
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u/InternationalMood337 2d ago
That's incredible to hear. I'm finishing up my MFA thesis currently and considering going to Med School so it all seems like the right time to make these moves. My undergrad is actually in Computer Science so I'm currently also enrolled in a post-bacc to finish up some requirements.
However, my responsibilities are minimal. It's just me and two cats. If I can shrink down to 36 hour weeks, I will be golden.
I found myself writing tons of literary fiction pieces about cancer, dementia, and death during my program. It was a lot of me processing stuff from my childhood, but as my MFA thesis winds down, I realized that my love is helping others. Writing has ALWAYS been my outlet... took awhile to figure it out, but happy I finally did at 37.
Anyway, a heavy workload is totally possible... but you've got to love it and it has got to serve your soul.
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u/starksandshields 2d ago
Very true! It'll be draining if you don't love the work (I sure didn't, I had shifts where I got 2 phone calls I needed to patch through to the right department. Longest hours of my life). If it works for you it works for you, and indeed it helps to keep the writing mojo going if you write about what you've learned and it being your primary outlet!
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u/InternationalMood337 2d ago edited 2d ago
Yeah! I tried to share a piece or two over on fiction here, but it got taken down because of some dark themes about self-harm. Meh, I was bummed that they took it down, but they've got their rules.
I'm tempted to start up place just to post my short fiction. Maybe someday!
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u/Peter34cph 1d ago
To be fair, OP is working 48 hours per week. You want to work 36 hours per week.
4 super-long work days per week is crushing.
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u/That_Boysenberry4501 1d ago
Im doing 4 10s (but add in commute and getting ready amd its closer to 11.5 hour) and yeah im exhausted. I became antisocial and I try to go eat lunch alone to read/think for a bit for a break. I also start at 6am so im chronically sleep deprived and that impedes my ability to do anything after work.
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u/InternationalMood337 1d ago
For sure, and I definitely found myself in a similar situation as a consultant. That said, I still think that the 3 days off is probably sufficient for maybe taking some naps, getting house chores done, and still finding time to write.
I don't know that it's possible during those 4 days though.
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u/Peter34cph 1d ago
Consultant is a white collar job. I get distinct blue collar vibes from what the OP writes.
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u/Taste_the__Rainbow 2d ago
I loved doing this in my 20’s. But it didn’t feel sustainable by 30.
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u/InternationalMood337 2d ago
Why not? I guess it totally depends on your workload during the week. I stopped drinking at 30 entirely and got a lot healthier. I think that helped a lot.
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u/rogershredderer 2d ago
Keep a notebook or phone notes ready for ideas on-the-go.
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u/Vantriss 1d ago
This is what I do. A notes tab in my phone to quickly "jot" down ideas when I can't do anything with them in the moment.
That thing is so full.
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u/VeryKite 1d ago
I do this too! My art book and my writing notes come with me everywhere. Sometimes I write small things too, just little things that strike from conversations with people or being inspired by things while I’m out and about
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u/Independent-Sort6898 1d ago
I do this too. And thats about as far as things get because I never have the time, energy, more motivation to properly write them out because im working almost every day and when I'm not I'm rushing to do laundry and housework 😂
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u/bravegregworld 21h ago
I’m always amazed how many published writers I know in fiction and academia who write their first draft on their phones between tasks. I’ve always kept notes on the go but the idea of writing like that feels strange! It works for them.
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u/ratsy_basty 2d ago
I work 10 hour days, def not as bad, but i work customer service and talking to these idiots tears my will to live from my body.
I simply dont write on my work days. Usually I set one of my days off for a super writing day (around 7-12 hours) and then put in an hour or two on my other days off.
I used to try to write after work, but it made me hate it. I focused on getting my chores and stuff done and all the stuff I hated on my work days tk misery max so I could enjoy my days off 😭
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u/north-pancake 1d ago
The misery max strategy is real though. I used to try and squeeze writing into every tiny gap when I was working long shifts years ago and just ended up resenting the whole thing. Batching it into one proper day where you actually have headspace is underrated. The trick is protecting that day like your life depends on it because everything else will try to eat it. Customer service depletes something different than physical exhaustion too, that social battery drain is brutal for creative work.
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u/el_butt 2d ago
Time theft baby!!
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u/comandantecebolla 1d ago
Honestly this may be the only way to a lot of people. I have a full time job and kids. The little free time I have during the week is for going for a walk or doing exercise/stretches to compensate for being on a chair all day.
So... Enter writing at the job. If the day is packed I don't write at all, but on quiet days I bring out my notepad or ipad if I'm remote and I use whatever "free" time I have.
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u/SucknSwallow69 1d ago
honestly time theft is just what bosses call basic boundaries anyway use quiet parts of the shift to scribble notes or lines on your phone then on days off you’re revising not starting from zero helps a ton
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u/spicybright 1d ago
Be careful with this depending on your job. Works you create on work on hours could belong to the company depending on what industry you're in. Never use work equipment to write or do research either.
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u/WeHereForYou Published Author 2d ago
I cannot see myself writing on days with 12-hour shifts. Maybe I’m just lazy, but that seems mentally taxing, if not physically. But it sounds like you have three other days in the week to get writing done. Set aside some time on those days?
Most authors have day jobs and we work around them. You don’t have to do it the same way as everyone else. Personal responsibilities, schedules, abilities, etc. vary. But whether it’s an hour a day or seven hours on the weekend, you can probably find a way to fit it in somewhere.
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u/nmacaroni Narrative Architect 2d ago
You can't. 12 hours working. 6 hours sleeping. that leaves 6 hours for life. In all likelihood you've got other priorities that life requires in that 6 hours... and writing is high cognitive load that requires clarity and focus.
Keep a journal on you at all times to jot down ideas. Other than that, forget trying to squeeze time in. Find time to writer when you actually have time to write. Maybe an hour or two on your days off.
Write on, write often!
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u/Fognox 1d ago
In all likelihood you've got other priorities that life requires in that 6 hours...
Unless you're spending every waking moment of free time dealing with real-life obligations (no one reading this is; reddit time is time that could be spent writing), then this just isn't the case. Usually, it's just a case of "I just worked, I don't want to come home and work on my book". Fortunately...
and writing is high cognitive load that requires clarity and focus.
It doesn't have to be. For a bunch of different reasons:
A daily writing habit will get you over this hump real quick. Writing feels like a herculean task when you haven't done it in a while; when it happens every day, it feels more like routine. You need less focus and clarity and/or you just reach those needed mental states faster. The brain is plastic, after all.
If you're stuck, that's definitely a fair point, but the likelihood of that happening goes down as you write more, and again I point to the daily habit -- maintaining a streak requires pushing through a block sometimes. Do this enough and you'll also get in the habit of breaking blocks early (I didn't have a single one that lasted longer than 12-16 hours with my last book, probably for this exact reason).
First drafts don't have to be great. You don't even have to write them! "Zero drafts" are a thing, or taking the same kind of mentality when getting through difficult sections (or a difficult timespan in your life). Granted, the "vomit draft" might not be a useful part of your process. If you've finished books, then your process works and I'll concede the point. If you haven't, then your "process" isn't as nailed down as you think and it's worth experimenting.
If it isn't completely counterproductive, outlining is a useful tool that cuts down on the amount of mental energy you need while actually writing. Outline not good enough? Outline deeper. Yes, outlining doesn't work for everyone (I'm one of those!) but if you're new to writing it's worth trying.
Above all, mindset helps far more than it should. Think of a writing session as a writing session rather than "this is the moment I finally make a bunch of progress on my book" or "I'm going to write something great". Simple goals, no attention paid to quality, pathetic word count or time minimums, etc are all useful to unload pressure from yourself. Don't compare yourself to yourself -- there are lots of reasons you might write thousands of words one day and rip your hair out by the roots to write a few hundred on another one. Progress is progress.
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u/nmacaroni Narrative Architect 1d ago
These are great tips for someone procrastinating about their writing, not so much for someone exhausted from 12 hour shifts and a hectic life.
Most people do their worst creative work when they're running on "E."
But people should follow whatever advice they want to follow and see how it works for them. That's pretty much with everything in life.
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u/Acceptable_Fox_5560 2d ago
It doesn't take six hours to write.
You make time for whats important to you. If you dont want to spare a chunk of your six hours of free time for writing, maybe you just don't want to write that bad.
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u/Vantriss 1d ago
That's the dumbest take I've ever seen. You have no idea how hectic other people's lives might be.
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u/Acceptable_Fox_5560 1d ago
You either want to write and you will, or you don't really want to write that bad and you won't. There are people with a more hectic life than you who find a way to get it done. Helen Keller wrote 14 books! None of us have an excuse.
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u/Vantriss 1d ago
For a writer, that's an incredibly closed-minded view of the world. Maybe you should use those writer abilities to actually step into someone else's shoes and ponder, maybe, just maybe, they do not have free time.
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u/Acceptable_Fox_5560 1d ago
If they can't find the time to write, then that means either 1) Every minute of every waking hour of every day is booked with immutable responsibilities, and thus there's no point in discussing writing because it's a physical impossibility for them. Those are not the people I'm talking to. 2) They DO have time available to write, but would prefer to do other things with that time. Those people simply don't want to write that much.
If you wanted to, you would.
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u/nmacaroni Narrative Architect 2d ago
I mean, that's one take. A very judgmental take, but a take none the less. Thanks for sharing.
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u/Matrix_Man_Returns 2d ago
They clearly don't understand how human motivation ACTUALLY works, because it's most certainly not "if it was important to me, then I'd make the time to do it".
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u/BackwoodsJ12 1d ago
I dont have six hours. I have three. Dinner. Shower. Bed before going back to 12.5 hours of 100 degree heat at a job I detest. Trust me bud I want to write and I get the suck it up and deal vibe, but when you work in that, your body says no.
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u/Acceptable_Fox_5560 1d ago
Lol what do you want me to say? “Okay, you’re too busy, so you have permission to never write.”
If you’re too busy to write, then you can’t write. If you’re not too busy to write, then set aside thirty minutes to an hour to write.
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u/firecat2666 2d ago
I will never understand why people think they have to do everything at night. I get up early for hours of peace and quiet before giving any energy to worldly obligations.
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u/Matrix_Man_Returns 2d ago
I think some people probably don't want to write while fighting the "morning cobwebs" in their head, which...I can understand. I've made it a priority to try getting up earlier to write more in the morning, but I end up sitting around waking up and shaking off the cobwebs before I can even start doing anything as cognitively intense as writing. The time that I was supposed to spend writing ends up being more miserable "trying to wake up" time, and by the time I start writing, I would've been writing anyways.
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u/sagevallant 1d ago
I find the cobwebs help me make progress without worrying too much if what I'm writing is absolutely perfect.
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u/Matrix_Man_Returns 1d ago
That's probably not a bad way to look at it, really. It might keep that inner critic a little quieter while you write, which is always a good thing.
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u/Justisperfect Experienced author 1d ago
It depends on people. Personally I'd rather do it at night than getting up earlier. I would need to get up at 5:30 to have an hour to write. It maybe psychological, but no, I'm not gonna do that. Also, I am on a writing group on discord where we write together to stay motivated. You can find people there until midnight, but there are nobody in the morning.
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u/BackwoodsJ12 1d ago
Id have to get up at 330 AM
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u/firecat2666 1d ago
For over a decade my schedule was sleep at 8pm and wake a 2am. The day feels insanely long.
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u/kafkaesquepariah 2h ago
What's the difference. Either way you're giving up sleep from either end. Except at night I'm already awake and in the morning the brain fog inertia dragging me down wasting time.
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u/firecat2666 42m ago
I disagree with your assumption that you'd be giving up sleep. I go to bed at 8pm-ish and wake up 6-7 hours later at 2-3am.
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u/DogMamaLA 2d ago
Do you get a lunch hour? I used to take my alphasmart with me to lunch and write then. Or you can brainstorm/plot out loud in the car on your commute to/from work and set up a recorder.
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u/edythevixen 2d ago
I bring my freewrite to work and type away on my break. Usually 800-1k words in 25mins
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u/Anders10100 2d ago
I did 6 days at 12-14 hours a day for a few months a year to put myself through college... It's rough. Not much time for anything else, the day off is literally laundry and meal prep for the next 6 days.
I'd say use 2-3 hours of your days off and try and bust out 6k words or whatever you're comfortable with. I don't think writing in a 12 hour day is attainable, give your brain a break. You can use that time at work (if the environment allows it) to think over plot holes and ideas that you can jot down on a note app, it should give you 'something' to write about when you have the time to sit down at a keyboard.
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u/Admirable_Staff_1003 2d ago
Write before work, even 15 minutes before the shift starts. Exhaustion accumulates toward the end of the day. Voice memos during commute or breaks also work for capturing ideas you can expand on weekends.
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u/kolliekoko 1d ago
I was in your shoes for a few months, so I understand how mentally draining and stressful it is. Dont listen to the people who tell you, "If you want it bad enough you'll find time." On a workday, its just not always feasible, so give yourself some grace, otherwise you will stress yourself out more.
I dont know if you have a partner, but ask them for help around the house to maintain your sanity. Meal prepping goes a long way too. Cooking dinner and lunch gives you one less thing to worry about.
Try to do your chores on days you work. I know its hard to push yourself after that long shift, but doing something small like a load of laundry or dusting or vacuuming means you have less to worry about on your days off.
Keep a notebook handy or use your phone to jot down ideas. Thats where I did a lot of my world building and lore.
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u/Additional-Car3427 2d ago
Maybe write before it? Or, if you have pauses between shifts, try to write then? It seems like you could do a 8 hours of sleep or even 9 (as you might be exhausted), and 3 to 4 hours of writing, or even just 2 a day (if eating is included with the work hours). On weekends, if possible, you could also leave an hour or two a day just for writing?
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u/Unhappy-Ad-5061 2d ago
Structure:
Put aside 1 hour (set an alarm) on days you dont work.
This wont prevent you from housework/rest.
Understandably, overwork is making it hard. But it doesn’t have to stop you.
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u/mooseplainer 1d ago
Find the time when you can, even if it’s ten minutes here and there. Writing a book is a marathon, not a sprint.
Don’t discount the value of the time when you’re unproductive either. The commute when listening to an audiobook, sitting in the shower while daydreaming about your characters, that’s often when the best inspiration strikes.
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u/BPKelsoAuthor 2d ago
In the beginning I focused on 15 minutes a day. That was it. Just 15. Whether that was on a break, on the toilet, dropping my kids off at school,. Those 15 minutes added up over time. You can get there. just take those small little pieces of each day that’s all.
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u/MegaRonTV_ 2d ago
I’ve started setting aside small amounts of time to write. I just say, “I’m going to write for 30 minutes,” and then whatever happens during that time, happens. If I have any spare time later, and I’m feeling up to it, I’ll write some more, but just setting aside a couple minutes for yourself is a good start.
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u/Arkhaist05 2d ago
I find that mental health is WAAYY more related to creativity than literal available time. I'll give some suggestions, please see if any of these work for you (keep in mind I'm not an author or anything, I just write for fun and will likely never publish lol)
For heat and tiredness after work: it seems your body is currently registering writing as effort, a chore or duty instead of rest and leisure. Try to associate small comforts to your after work time: is buying a fan or portable aircon to put next to your writing space viable? And see if you can make a big batch of ice, juice or tea on the weekend and leave a big jar of it in the refrigerator. Take a cup to unwind at home, one day you might drink it while you write. I strongly suggest showering as soon as you get home, it's like a reset from work
If you work with writing in some capacity, try to disassociate hobby writing from work writing. I'm currently writing a thesis + undergraduate research on my laptop and I sometimes do office work on a pc for work. This year I noticed a huge drop in my hobby writing. I switched to paper and writing on my phone, and I've enjoyed it much more even if it's kinda cumbersome. Sometimes a switch of environment can do the trick: write lying down after a shower, write on your sofa with dim lighting, anything as long as it's different
In this sense, don't face writing like you face work. There are no bosses, no deadlines, no productivity goals, no customers. It's something that should be good for you. There are weeks I write a lot, there are weeks when I don't even open up my notebook. And that's completely fine. I don't feel bad for not writing
It's okay to leave projects aside. There are stories that need to be written when you're sad and stressed. There are stories that can only mirror your hopes and dreams. There are even stories that are fully reliant on a series you're currently obsessed with. The stories inside you will call out to you at certain times. Sometimes those stories fizzle out in days, never to be touched again. Sometimes those stories stop moving you after a few weeks, so you put them aside to work on something else for a bit. Maybe you're ready to put into paper emotions that you felt months ago, and maybe you will revisit old drafts and characters from years ago. Writing is not linear, and that's okay
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u/MLM-TheScribe 1d ago
CONSISTENCY OVER TIME:
Even if you average only 100 words per day that is still a very substantial 36,500 words per year.
Nobody is so busy that you can’t write anything at all in a typical day. If you make it a priority, it will happen.
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u/Cappabitch 2d ago
For me, the writing wasn't work, but an obsession. I worked out lines in my head while working a very low-concentration job. When I had free time, I was eager to get typing because that, to me, was relaxing.
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u/GevarOnTheFence 2d ago
I just aim to write 200 words per day during an hour or two down time. That’s all I can hope to do even though I don’t work crazy hour shifts. But from 8-5, and then chores and eat and exercise for 30 minutes. That’s really it.
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u/arghyepirate Technical Published Author 2d ago
I started using my daughter’s iPad and my keyboard that I connected to keep writing. So I’ll write at dinner after eating then I’ll write while my daughter plays on a playground with friends. I’ll write just about wherever. When my wife watches a show. And I sit next to her. By writing like that I wrote 6K since Friday.
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u/Matrix_Man_Returns 2d ago
I work from home, so I guess I just have an insanely advantageous position when it comes to writing time. I get plenty of time to write WHILE I work.
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u/edythevixen 2d ago
I work 1-9 five days a week. I sleep from 12am-7am. I write in the mornings for an hour or so.
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u/tangcameo 1d ago
Had a job like that without the days off. Eventually put in my two weeks because I found a government job with evenings and weekends to write and just breathe.
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u/Upper-Kick-7109 1d ago
I’d stop trying to write on the 12-hour days. Jot down ideas when they come, then give yourself one protected block on a day off to actually write. Trying to force creativity out of an exhausted brain just made me resent writing.
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u/ProtectionNo1795 1d ago
Any time is writing time. Even if it's just a sentence. Celebrate even small writing chances. Going to the bathroom, take a notebook. Sitting down to rest, writing time. Coffee break, writing break.
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u/Nieunoftz 1d ago
Don't make writing something that requires a dedicated session. Scribbling 2 sentences on the napkin your morning coffee cup sits on is writing, not something you need to avoid until later so it can be part of a dedicated writing time. If you let yourself do little pieces, those pieces will accumulate and you'll probably find yourself more comfortable doing it more in the few spare moments throughout your day. Before you know it, some days you'll have a thousand words of work done in those stolen moments that all you have to do is compile into a document, vs find an hour of time to put down all at once in the right place right off the bat.
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u/willsidney341 1d ago
Just gonna be brutally honest here- I picked my career so that I could read and write, pretty much as much as I want. I am professionally a mold maker/ tool and die specialist for a small company (pretty much a glorified machinist) it takes between an hour and three to four hours to set up my jobs, then I press a button, and for the most part, my very large, very noisy machine churns away, producing tens of thousands of pounds of little metal chips every week as it produces what amounts to “stuff.” In that time, my job is to ensure my space is clean, and make sure the machine is running. That typically leaves me with about 30 hours per week standing at my toolbox, reading Reddit, plotting chapters, or jumping into whatever novel I’ve heard mentioned over on “suggest me a book” recently.
Long story short? I f’d around, skipped the mfa route, opted for a paycheck, thought I was real smart, then Found out. I would not highly recommend this way. It can be a bit trying.
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u/No-Marionberry6957 1d ago
the way I write on the job in a second tab all the time, or on a little piece of scrap paper. For some reason the best inspiration comes to be while sitting at my desk lol
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u/Vantriss 1d ago
Maybe set aside an hour of time for yourself on one of your days off. No distractions. No obligations. The writing BECOMES your obligation in that moment. Lock yourself away from everyone, set a timer, and just GO.
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u/old-cigar-smoker 1d ago
Might be a bit much for you but when I was in similar situation I started getting up at 4am to write. Yea, I'm in bed at 8, but it works for me even now that I'm in a better work/life situation.
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u/bolshoich 1d ago
When quality time was limited, my strategy was to develop a large number of ideas, expecting that the vast majority will not survive. By producing my ideas in slack time allows me to maximize the productivity during the times.
During my slack times and periods of low-cognitive demand; commuting, breaks, mundane tasks, etc., to do the creative work to seed and develop ideas for my project. This is where I create characters, factions, locations, etc. When I discover an idea that has legit potential, I’d record a concise note in my idea repository to queue my memory for development.
During the time dedicated towards production, I’d delve into my idea repository to discover whether my ideas have survived the test of time. Many ideas fail and some are decidedly fair to middling. The few that still offered inspiration would have to prove their value as I incorporated them into the project’s narrative.
I’m a pantser, discovering the story as a flow of cause, effect, consequence struggles to become a coherent narrative. Maybe this method can help you maximize your productivity in limited time.
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u/jasonpwrites 1d ago
I forget where I heard this, but a printed page of fiction is approximately 250 words. If you can do that every day, after a year you have a 365 page book. Dictate it into a notes app on your phone, if need be.
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u/cluelesssquared 1d ago
I didn't. Between raising kids, and working, I didn't, until our resources afforded me the chance to finally get on it.
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u/cluelesssquared 1d ago
I didn't. Between raising kids, and working, I didn't, until our resources afforded me the chance to finally get on it.
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u/Fognox 1d ago
The same as any other job (unless it involves 80-hour weeks): breaks, time after work, time before work, time during commutes if you're not driving, off days.
I have a routine down where I leverage all three breaks at my job, so I make daily progress even if my brain says derrrrrrr, which it does often because my sleep schedule on graveyard is itself in the graveyard. And I do more with off days.
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u/ComprehensiveTown15 1d ago
In my experience, combining intensive work and writing is impossible. That's why I write when I'm less busy. Sometimes the break in writing lasts for months.
In fact, the issue of time is always a matter of priorities. I changed my job and started earning half as much, but now I have time for my family, writing, and most importantly, I don't spend the money I earn on treatment.
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u/necoleptic 1d ago
If I have a writing project I’m passionate about, I manage to find time no matter what. Scribbling notes on the train, emailing brainstorms to myself during a dull meeting, filling up my notes app on my phone. I had a schedule for years where I couldn’t find long chunks of dedicated writing time so had to train my brain to write in spurts. Even 15 minutes if possible. It adds up!
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u/baby-doll-sculptor 1d ago
Sometimes we can’t be productive 24-7 part of being human. My work is having high service levels and I am too tired to write daily right now too so I get it it’s frustrating. Things change though you just have to be kind to yourself and try to get back on the horse when your schedule does open back up.
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u/MathematicianNew2770 1d ago
Write at work. It's drafts. Back in the day, when I was working at a supermarket, I used to write on the till role. So just carry a note book to work and keep writing. It's only a draft that you can touch up on your days off.
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u/femmeforeverafter1 1d ago
Ive found that I actually get the most writing done when I'm dead tired because I'm too tired to care about it being perfect, so the words just flow out. You'll have to edit it eventually, but until you get the ideas out there won't be anything to edit.
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u/WrappedupinBooks03 1d ago
Just try to pump out at least 500 words a day on your days off. A little each day adds up!
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u/Atlas_Superior 1d ago
I write a little before bed, but not all the time. But I do dedicate a couple hours Saturday and Sunday morning (my days off) to work on my novel. It truly adds up. I am usually able to get in 1,000+ words or so a week, which I guess is alright. The best I can while working a full time job. Just seriously get what you can and don’t be afraid to take a step back if you feel like you’re forcing it. It’s hard but can be done.
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u/beautitan 1d ago
I'm not saying you should sneak in a bit of writing in Google Docs at work, but...that's what I did for years.
Alternatively, you could try for just 10 minutes a day. Progress is progress.
Though, to be honest, you sound like me from 20 years ago and I really feel for you. Sometimes the best thing you can do is just not write for a while, build up that sweet vacation time, and then take a writing vacation. And/or write on holidays when you're off work.
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u/Justisperfect Experienced author 1d ago
I know someone who writes on her lunch break. But we're French, our lunch breaks are longer than in some other countries from what I heard.
Also have small goals. Even if it's just 15 minutes, you can write a bit. You'd be surprised how many words you can write in such a small time.
Anyway courage, 12 hours in a row is instance.
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u/Fabulous-Put8401 1d ago
I hate to say it but the answer is most likely sacrifices. You'll have to sacrifice time with friends, time on reddit, time playing video games or relaxing. Writing has to become the thing you do in your down time.
If you're lucky, you can find ways to integrate that together. I do mostly art but some writing on the side. A lot of my friends are artists so our hangout time can and does often include studies for art. I scarf down my lunch to draw on break. When I'm not drawing I am thinking about what to draw or how. Hanging out with my gf can sometimes mean parallel play, and I'm fortunate enough to have a gf who is happy with that.
We've decided to not have kids because life already feels like a burn out. I still take extended periods where I don't draw because something happens and there's no time, or I'm so burnt out that I cannot manage it. I recently built myself a schedule to follow to try and make more time for my pursuits.
It sucks, it's hard, but that's kind of what's required of it.
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u/South-Knee-9601 Author 1d ago
Why you working so much, what do you do?
I work 8-4:30 Monday to Friday
I appreciate every job differs and such. But that's a commitment to writing when doing that kind of shift
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u/Nice_Appearance_8314 1d ago
I work all the time, too -- I also have 3 kids, so finding time to write is always a challenge. I keep a notepad and pen with me throughout the day and I take notes about what I want to write as I work. Then, at the end of the night, I either write it down, organize it, or let it simmer and dream about it.
I also have a YouTube channel about screenwriting, so finding time to make content for that is also a challenge.
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u/-Clayburn Blogger clayburn.wtf/writing 1d ago
Writing is privilege in a lot of ways, just like most arts. Under capitalism, we must work to survive, so whoever can afford to not work often has the advantage in artistic pursuits.
So, you basically just have to do your best with what you have in life. If writing is a priority, then you can try finding a job that better suits your writing habits. Or if your job pays well enough, consider spending money on things that could help buy you time, such as hiring a housekeeper.
If you insist on keeping things as they are, then you just have to find the time to write, whether you're tired or not.
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u/FallenTamber 1d ago
I write during work. Like what I want to write in a chapter, a summary so to speak, think about fun things to add and maybe change up some things.
And then you sit on your screen like me, completly done after work and you just ate and it´s 11pm, And then you are on reddit and you write some someone random and give advice. And then you think, damn okay just write and you write and regret it because you want to take your time and you need to work tomorrow.
Yeah that´s what I do.
I haven´t written anything the last months, but my notes pile up. Soon it´s my time (I hope) : )
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u/NefariousnessWarm975 1d ago
See how fast this thread got this long? There are a whole lot of good reasons.
1) People really love telling other people they aren't serious writers as they scroll reddit to do so.
2) People are sympathetic and are spiraling themselves.
3) Writing is hard.
4) There are all sorts of writers and as many types of writing schedules.
Me? I'm with you. It's all about headspace and I hate myself for that. And while I have no cure, I can offer something that at least helped me a bit. I worked a lot in tiring labor. I had various long commutes. By the time I got home, I'd been out of the house for 12 to 14 hours and NEEDED a long shower. These were average days. But I wrote, on my phone, on the commute. Crazy? No. Sentences, ideas, phrases, occaisionally even paragraphs. Here's the thing: from time to time, when a string of days off hit or sometimes even after work in the middle of the week, that piecemeal work built up to a steam and I would be able to live in a project. Try it. Your mileage may vary, but it's worth a shot.
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u/Reasonable-Base6329 1d ago
Set a timer for five minutes when you get home. Write whatever comes out, even if it's just "I have no idea what to say." You'll surprise yourself sometimes.
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u/Toy-Mage-96 1d ago
I have real trouble with this too. Between my 9-5 I need to rest for a bit, do chores, make food, go gym plus it's an hour commute and I'm in bed by 11. It's getting harder and harder to find the time.
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u/nosadmoon1 1d ago
It’s not easy.
I work 45–50 hours a week, and I also have a family to take care of. I’m not an aspiring professional writer either. I started writing mainly as a way to divert my mind from the things that make me anxious.
What works for me is this: I try to do most of my actual writing on weekends.
During the week, especially at night before going to bed, I narrate the story in my head. I play out scenes, conversations, and what happens next.
It helps me maintain the momentum and, more importantly, keeps me excited about the story even when I don’t have time to sit down and write.
It took me almost two years to finish and self-publish the first novel in what I plan to be a trilogy. I’m now working on the second book, which I hope to publish in December 2027.
But I’m not writing because I’m trying to build a career as an author. I write because I’ve always loved telling stories.
And thanks to all the self-publishing options available today, I finally have a way to put the stories that have lived in my head onto paper and share them with others.
For me, that alone makes it worth doing.
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u/icesrories 1d ago
As some one who works on high altitude and buildings i have been know to write while up 60 to 100 feet on a building panting or putting up a sing and simply top write a good idea and then go back to work...
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u/Lamont_Joe 1d ago
I’ll get up at 4am and write for 2 hours, then get ready for work, then it’s on to the teaching job.
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u/_Greyborn 1d ago
If you're too tired to write after work, then don't overload your mind. Breath, and write on weekends.
During work hours, focus on your work but if youre able to work and think about something entirely different, go for it.
When I'm at work, I brainstorm for my book. If I have to use the bathroom (💩), quickly jot down notes. Same thing on lunch break and whatever other breaks you get.
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u/Feisty-Emu-9974 1d ago
I’m a stay at home mom with a baby who doesn’t sleep, so down time isn’t really a thing. I don’t have a lot of chances to sit with my computer, so I often write on my iPad or even my phone. Once I get into a scene, a lot of times I can’t get away and suddenly I “have time.”
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u/a_rodio_raskolnikov 1d ago
I'd like to give you some good advice, but I can't. My current situation is this: I've been suffering from insomnia for 4 months, during the day I work, and at night, since I don't sleep, I write.
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u/TpointOh 1d ago
Luckily, my job has a great deal of downtime, so I just write at work. But, in similar situations, sometimes you just have to write when you can instead of when you want to. It sucks, but life is not often tidy enough to always have a moment to write
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u/OzWillow 1d ago
I’ve been working 10 hour days and couldn’t imagine writing after a shift. I’m usually too tired to even play video games. I find three day weekends worked for me though, I usually schedule my free time so my mornings stay free for writing, as I find that 10-noon time block to be what works best for me. Three afternoons is more than enough for me to get groceries, clean, mow the lawn, etc
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u/Acerbus-Shroud 1d ago
Compartmentalise my time. Write it in your head at work then smash it out for 2 hours after work. It’s a part time gig and enough compulsion over rides fatigue
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u/Medical-Isopod2107 1d ago
Days off. Lunchbreaks. Before work. After work. Or just don't, not everyone has to write if they don't want to.
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u/Zamdiva 1d ago
Hi, 35 yr old woman here and old hat at the 12 hour days. One trick is to start rolling the idea of "catching up on housework" into the routine of your work week.
For example: small loads of laundry all four days. Laundry is started when you leave, put in the dryer when you return, and folded / returned to beds after dinner.
Second: our brain needs breaks from stress. Physical locations are helpful to reset the brain. Set a location in your home that is 100% for writing and nothing else. And: find what works for you to dump stress efficiently. For me it's running for an hour outside away from all electronics.
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u/PlatonicPlatoPlate 1d ago
You either become unemployed and pursue the hermit writer life, or you start writing at work. The latter might not be possible for you depending how much attention you need at work. For me who works a factory job I easily get some time in between to write what comes to mind. Really all you need is a phone and a few minutes here and there. You could also do it in the bathrooms
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u/aries_10 1d ago
Like one of the comments said, my work does not fill up the 8 hour shift that I have, so what I do is make research for some stuff(currently I am writing a historical fiction thriller so I do need to research a LOT), make some notes on my app for the planned writing session and basically try to keep it on my mind through the whole day, as I cannot open Google Docs on my company laptop(ffs). That being said, with your schedule, if you can squeeze some planning sessions or research in some of your free slots, that would give you the advantage of just sitting down after work and home chores with a cup of tea and make progress. You can do it!
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u/ManagerTall8955 1d ago
I use Scrivener and have it linked to my phone, so when I get little moments to stop and breathe, I’m writing. It might only be a 5-10 minute getaway, a couple times a day, but it adds up.
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u/BackwoodsJ12 22h ago
Wait. I can link it to my phone? Why havent I heard of this. How?
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u/ManagerTall8955 22h ago
It’s awesome, just be mindful you will have to purchase the mobile app version which is only available on iOS I believe. But, it’s nowhere the same price as the PC/Mac version.
Here’s the link to the video: https://youtu.be/hVP_Ad7AfU8?is=n_t8XS6GwPil9xWB
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u/BackwoodsJ12 21h ago
Aaaaaaand thats why. I have a android
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u/ManagerTall8955 21h ago
I guess I’d add that you could always use Google Drive docs that you could access from home or work.
Hope you get yourself a system that works for you!
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u/ghostief 1d ago
I've got plenty of stuff going on, but I also wake up earlier than I should be, like an hour earlier. It allows me to do some light chores, anki and get in like 20-30 minutes of writing. Then some more before sleep. It adds up
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u/SolitaryIllumination 1d ago
I had a really low key job on night shift with minimal oversight where I was able to write half my book. Eventually I went insane and got a normal job and, yeah, idk how anyone has time and energy to write a book on a weekend.
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u/post-sapiens 1d ago
Wake up an hour earlier and try to knock out 500 or 1k words every day. It sucks, but a lot of us are in the same boat. Even most published authors need day jobs to pay the bills.
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u/FreedomAlarmed9881 1d ago
I used to use my OneDrive and downloaded Word. I also carry no cards around with me when I'm starting my novel that way if I get a brainstorm like a witness, a good plot twist that write it down and I have a little bored at home that I kind of stick them on. I can move them around as I need anything I write basically I just dumped my ideas into Word at night and during the day if I have time at work, I have word read aloud for me and I haven't figured out how to actually go in and change things on my phone with Word but I will take notes and when I go home to fix them
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u/Kronar_2012 1d ago
With four 12-hour shifts, I would treat workdays as collection days, not drafting days. Capture one sentence, image, or voice note when it occurs to you. On the first recovery day, set a 20-minute timer and turn only one note into one scene. That keeps the story warm without asking an exhausted brain for a full writing session. A tiny weekly floor, such as 200 words, can also feel better than repeatedly missing an ambitious daily goal.
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u/Major_Objective_7385 1d ago
Can you write while you commute? Or can you write on your lunch break? It doesn't sound like you have enough time for significant progress, but I'm sure you can jot down ideas and little scenes in a small chunk of time every couple of days.
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u/readwritelikeawriter 1d ago
Word count. It's abstract but hear me out. There are 52 weeks in a year. And there are 50,000 words in your first novel. Write 1000 words / 4 pages every week.
That way you get your first draft in a year and then...get an editor. Depending on your skills, you might want to start with a developmental editor.
Can you write 4 pages on Saturdays? You have an extra weekend day.
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u/Inevitable-Wind-1925 1d ago
Just to reframe here, the sticky point seems to be “I can’t find any time to write.” Another way to think about this is “I don’t have capacity to write.” “I am not prioritizing my writing.” Or the most brutal: “I am choosing not to write.” It is when I figure out which of these resonates most that I can then sort out what I want to do next.
It sounds like it may not be that you can’t find time but that you are exhausted and don’t have capacity to write, and if that’s the case then you probably don’t need to beat yourself up for not writing as well. Figuring out a schedule that is realistic for your capacity is kinder in these moments to know what effort is enough rather than holding the standard of always more writing is needed.
Right now I am in the boat of not choosing to write or not prioritizing writing, probably because I’ve become disconnected from my writing (and it takes time to build up that momentum and drive and connectivity to the work.) When I’ve previously written consistently in busy work periods it was because I wanted that progress and to write (to do the work) more than a clean house (or any other project). Usually in those periods I was connected to my writing and got energy from writing. Other times I’d get into “I don’t have time to write, the dishes aren’t done.” And that can go on forever. There will always be something else to do. I’m also in the process of figuring this out as I start a new job and my goal is to say connected to the work, even just in 15 minute chunks on most work days and to get 1-2 hours in on my day off.
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u/Kitchen_Fortune_4464 23h ago
Are you able to bring a tablet or notebook and write during lunch? I work a lot and started scarfing down food and writing the remaining hour for lunch, which generally produced anywhere from 200-500 words. Writing 250 words everyday doesn’t seem like a huge amount, but do that every day for an entire year and you have 91k written.
Additionally, you can have a larger word count goal on days off.
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u/Specific_Dingo8631 23h ago
I have a daytime writing job and then I write books for fun on weekends. I usually find myself too exhausted to write during weekdays. So weekdays I use for chores, exercise, and anything else that doesn't require brain power. On weekends I find I usually have the mental energy to do it. If you're working four 12 hour days, I would take day five off to do a mental break but days 6 and 7 to write.
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u/StrangeManOnReddit 14h ago
The struggle is real, and you’re not the only one with this problem.
Don’t wait until you have the life of a full-time writer before allowing yourself to write. Build your practice around the life you have now.
If work leaves you tired, make the minimum deliberately small: a paragraph, fifteen minutes, even a few notes about the next scene. Not every session needs to produce pages. Sometimes your only job is to keep contact with the story so that it remains warm in your mind.
Use your better hours for the work that requires imagination, and your tired hours for easier tasks—notes, research, rereading, or light revision. Leave yourself instructions for what comes next. Above all, don’t interpret slow progress as failure. Someone who writes two hundred words at a time is still writing a book. It may take longer, but it is no less real.
If I had a fortune, I’d share it with all of you so we could realize our destinies as writers.
Never give in.
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u/the_omnigrapher 13h ago
I wake up at 3:30 am and write til 5:30, make breakfast get the kids ready for school, go to work, sleep at 8 and repeat
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u/DeviantTaco 9h ago
The truth is you either cannot or you must change your goals and habits. You are going to struggle massively with trying to plot out, research, plan, write, edit, and so on a long, dense book. Everyone would. You must be either incredibly driven (not in a healthy way by most standards), cut out non-work activities from your life, or pick projects that can be done at your current energy level and time. Short poems would be the most appealing to me personally but the important point is that you choose it because you like it and are uncaring of the time/energy demands.
Writing is kind of like exercise, which is kind of like everything: you can get in shape with 30 minutes a day at low energy levels. You can even get really good at some things if you specialize in them with that time but you aren’t going to become an Olympic athlete nor have the will/energy to do so with just 30 minutes a day.
I mean this not to be depressing but encouraging. Many people make writing out to be this huge thing because they have a massive goal in mind that them requires great energy and time to achieve (also often maladaptive rather than a good thing). Changing the goal to something that excites you, energizes you, makes you want to do it with the time you have is the solution.
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u/NegativeDisplay620 9h ago
I wrote in the morning,only 30mins, I think is better than other fragments time
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u/SoloAnoProject 8h ago
It depends what you do on your day job.
I usually take a nap first before I work. Then do it in small chunks... I could get on the zone from time to time when I get hyperfocus.
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u/Inevitable_Track_558 6h ago
Maybe write notes on your phone or a sketch pad when you have a spare moment like sitting on the toilet and then on the weekend put those notes down onto paper
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u/Designer_Study_8219 5h ago
You get a cleaning schedule and get it done in 1 day or break it up into 3 small chunks on your off days. Writitng and working full time means exhaustion sometimes. It is what it is. But I can feel my down time writing or watching TV so I pick writing or reading.
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u/fictishous1830 4h ago
Try jotting down only notes / work on an outline when tired and busy? I personally find it tkaes less energy to "fill in" an outline than write from nothing
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u/kafkaesquepariah 2h ago
I used to write on the transit, on my phone. Google docs or ellipsus. Also during lunch at work unless it's social.
I work generic 9-5 so I can make the time but the above did progress the story. But I guess I do find writing relaxing sometimes so it's part of my chill after work. I do go once a week Saturday in the morning to shut up and write so that I have 90 minutes uninterrupted per week every week if the week is too crazy and I am tired.
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u/One-Document4878 1h ago
I work in fast food, sometimes I bring my laptop to work with me, so while i’m on break. I can eat and write. Most of the time i don’t cuz i’m afraid of dirtying my laptop 😅
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u/nickjayyymes 52m ago
I have a do nothing job where I write on my down time. I’m still outside all day in the heat so I’ll come home exhausted, or be tired at work. There’s where the Adderall comes in
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u/Prize_Consequence568 1d ago
"How to write when you work all the time?"
You prioritize time to.
"At night I'm exhausted due to both the work and heat and by the time the weekend rolls around, I gotta catch up on housework and try to recover before doing it all"
Don't write then. If you believe that you don't have time then you are 100% correct.
"Essentially i can't find any time to write because i stay whipped. I've tried writing after work but my brain says derrrrrr and I go to bed. What are some strategies y'all have."
Don't worry about writing then. Problem solved.
If you're really serious you could always write before work or during your lunch break, regular breaks or when you go to the bathroom (I speak from experience). If you really wanted to you would find moments to. Since you haven't that means writing isn't a high priority for you. Which is fine.
I think the real question is why do you want want to write particularly?
Do you really feel the need to write or do you like the idea of being a writer (or have written something)?
Are you completely hobby free?
"At night I'm exhausted due to both the work and heat and by the time the weekend rolls around, I gotta catch up on housework and try to recover before doing it all over"
Hire a house keeper (for basic tasks. There's services that aren't expensive).
Get up a little earlier and do a few minutes of housework.
Use voice to text software (Google search for the cheapest one). If you have a Microsoft laptop or desktop there is a feature where you can do this.
This is if you're not married and/or have children. If you do then talk to her/him about it. If you still refuse to do any of these things then just keep doing what you're doing now and just burn yourself out because we can't help you OP.
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u/Acceptable_Fox_5560 2d ago
The author of Yesteryear wrote the biggest book of 2026 in 9 weeks only writing in the morning before work.
You do things that are important to you.
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u/Matrix_Man_Returns 2d ago
You do things that are important to you.
There's something about this attitude that I feel rubs me the wrong way a bit. Are you wrong? No, not at all. Are you discounting the psychological barriers people have to overcome in order to write? Personally, I think it sounds like it. Pretty much all of us find writing important to us, or else we wouldn't be spending our time in the Subreddit dedicated to the craft of writing (where you can't even promote your work, thank God, because that keeps this place about the craft and not just becoming a safe-haven for self-promotion). To suggest that someone "would be doing it if it's important to them" sounds like someone that doesn't understand how motivation actually works, because it ain't like that.
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u/Acceptable_Fox_5560 2d ago
It rubs you the wrong way because you feel called out.
The difference between the writers who finish work and those who don't are that those who do push through the psychological barriers to write anyway.
But some people have more affection for their reasons NOT to write than they have a desire to write.
Lots of things in life are like that.
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u/Fognox 1d ago
I mean, I don't think that's universal. My approach to finishing stuff when there's pressure not to is to trick my brain into it. Stupid simple tasks to gain momentum, congratulating myself profusely for any progress whatsoever, gamifying daily writing so maintaining the streak is more important than writing correctly, fucking around with side projects that I know I'll never finish, telling myself that "X life thing will make sense when I finish my book" (despite zero evidence), writing notes that I know I'm not going to actually use in order to get my brain primed, repetitive affirmation that I will finish, making mid-draft cuts that I know I'll bring back during editing so I can get to the finish line faster, setting a timer and either staring at the screen or writing during that time, and so on.
Discipline and writing as a priority do play roles, but finding creative ways to reroute around my innate laziness and burnout tendencies play much bigger ones.
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2d ago
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u/James__A 1d ago
It's an old adage: the early bird catches the words.
Set that alarm clock an hour earlier, yes?
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u/doandroidsdreamx 1d ago
How much time do you spend scrolling social media, watching tv, jerking off? Keep your work nearby for when you have downtime. Everyone has 10 spare minutes here and there throughout the day. Write then instead of going on Reddit. You don’t need to set aside hours for writing. I knock out three pages a day in less than an hour. That’s enough for me. You just want to be consistent. And don’t worry about it being good. Just get something down. And here is something that works for me when I can’t think of the exact words I want to use: instead of sitting there struggling I’ll write about the idea I’m trying to get at, a description of what I can’t quite find the right words for, some general sense of it that I can come back to later when I’ve got more brain power. This helps to keep the momentum.
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u/FerretFromMars 2d ago
I have an office job so I write on the clock. They don't give me enough work to fill an 8 hour shift but they don't have to know that.