ONE THING YOU SHOULD DO TO BALANCE YOUR PROFESSIONAL LIFE WITH YOUR WRITING LIFE

So, you are a writer. But, it's not your job. Not yet at least. Or maybe you don't want it to be that way, you are happy with both your professional and writing life. I, myself, am a student. I spend most of my time attending classes of engineering. But, I'm also in love with writing, and I managed to write a book while I was a full-time student. That was in high school but still, there are a lot more stories for me to share. In this post, I would like to share some of my tips for managing your time as a part-time writer.

If you have the same problems, just grab a coffee (preferably a caramel latte ;)) and let's get to it!

The most important -and frankly, the only- thing that you should apply is... drumrolls please...

Continuity.

Yep, it's that simple.

Forget about all of those pages-long advices like the pomodoro technique, or waking up at odd hours of the day or even quiting your job to become an actual writer (yep, I still can't believe that was an actual advice I've seen). You just need to do one thing. You just need to keep going.

First, you may want to try just sitting in front of a laptop and staring at a blank page for a time period, everyday. You can choose an hour of the day, no matter how odd it is, and give yourself 20 minutes at least to jug down your ideas. And if you seem like you are interested in what you are writing, you can always take more time. The key here is that you are doing this everyday. No matter what, you are giving yourself time to write. And frankly, that is all you really need. Your brain is probably already a mess if you are a writer, so making a routine, organizing at least your time even a little bit, is going to have tremendous effects.

And also, don't stop thinking about it. Don't let it fade away in your head. If it's a project that's forming, or even if it's a small adjustment that you should make to an already existing work, let it linger in the back of your head. I mean still be present in the moment, never get lost in your own world that you have created (trust me, it's never good, especially when you are talking to someone and you forget to respond for like five minutes and they are worried that you are having a stroke- was that too specific? Nah, it was just an assumption, really!) BUT it's never a better feeling than getting lost in fiction when you are inside a boring reality.

So, to recap. There is just one thing that you should do, just continue! Don't try to force yourself to spend three hours writing everyday when you don't want to, or just write a crappy thing just because you need to write. Thinking and forming is a part of a writing job too. Do it consistantly, even if it's only five minutes, and you are on your way.

But if you really need a solid exercise:

For a week, try to give yourself an hour in which you will sit down at your desk, and do something, anything to further your writing. This might only be thinking and coming up with ideas, or fixing a work that you have written a while ago, or actually writing something. Whatever it is, just give yourself 20 minutes to do it. Just twenty minutes. (It's as long as two youtube videos, like, c'mon) You can do it. And when you are bored and have nothing to do while at work or school, let yourself get lost in your world. Don't let yourself be fooled by crazy suggestions, and never stick to somebody else's schedule. 

Have fun!

If you have any more suggestions for my next post or things you want to learn about the topics I cover, let me know! Write me from here or dm me from my insta: @lattecaramelblog . I would love to write about them! :)

xoxo