Tips For The Hey-I'm-Workin'-Here Writer (Read: Busy)

I'm often asked how I have been able to write a book a year for 25 straight years while also being a full-time keynote speaker. My advice is:

1. 30 minutes of writing five days a week is better than five hours of writing once a week. That said, if you write for five hours, good on ya. 

2. Book some time with yourself to write. Put it in your calendar. If it feels like a colonoscopy appointment, make it for a cool coffee shop or quiet cafe to add some excitement.

3. Along the same lines as above, re-label it. Call a two-hour writing block on a Sunday your, “Writing Brunch” or if it’s later in the day, your “Word Salad”. (Trust me, I know how cheesy that sounds, but surprisingly, it works.)

4. Keep your writing materials with you at all times. Use found time (canceled appointments or while waiting for your tires to be changed) to write.  

5. Be consistent and usually your lunch break allows that. I realized I spend a lot of my downtime looking at stupid things on social media every day. (I like dog rescue videos. Go figure.) I’m going to replace that with time to write.