How to Find the Time to Write

As a freelance writer, the thing that bothers me the most is my inability to find the time to write. But let me clarify: the majority of my time is spent doing client work, with non-working time divided up between spending time with my husband and daughter, and slaying the messy beast I lovingly refer to as my house. I love what I do, but I honestly can’t remember the last time I was able to sit down and write something for the fun of it. Sure, I can write award-winning ad copy and crank out blogs for clients, but notice the date of the last entry on this blog. I rest my case.

I’ve been doing some research on the subject of how to find more free time, and have decided to road test those ideas. So here goes.

Theory #1: If you have time to watch TV, you have time to do something productive.

I admit it – I’m a TV junkie, but, in my defense, I think it’s actually an asset to my profession. My husband is dismayed by my passion for morally reprehensible reality TV, and, really, the more offensive,the better. The way I see it is simple—as a writer, particularly as someone who frequent write highly technical copy—there are times when I just need to get outside of my head and tune out, in order to decompress and trashy TV works for me. Sue me.

But, for the sake of research, I gave it a try. I came home from work and had some family time, per usual. Once we put our daughter to bed, I tried turning off the TV. I fired up our ancient and wheezy PC, sure that this was all I needed to finally get started on that e-book I’ve been meaning to write. With fingers hovering over the keyboard, I found myself staring at the blank screen, wondering what to write. My thoughts began to ping-pong between the stack of laundry waiting to be folded, my neglected twitter feed, and my mental inventory of things I needed to do that weekend. After 15 minutes, I started squirming, wondering what was going on during that night’s episode of Hell’s Kitchen. At least I tried.

Now that I think about it, why should I give up TV? I’m more than willing to give up housework for the sake of my craft.

Theory #2: Prioritize and only do those projects you find meaningful. This will free up time for you to do the things you want to do.

Obviously, this strategy was created by someone who’s never met me. I am extremely Type-A—you know the type: driven—plus, I love to dabble. My career is a perfect example of that. Currently, in addition to freelancing for an agency, I am also doing side projects that include web content for one client and a number of blogs each week for another client. This is in addition to other writing commitments for projects I find interesting. Where to cut?

I gave this idea a spin. I came home one night and sat on the couch, notepad in hand, determined to prioritize my projects and eliminate the ones that I don’t find meaningful. I started with my client work—nope, they pay me and I happen to enjoy eating, so cutting clients isn’t going to work. I looked at my side projects—I’ve already let a few go by the wayside, but I finally had the opportunity to recognize that I’m not doing them anymore. Crossing them off of my list was strangely cathartic because it enabled me to let go of the guilt. Lack of time has a lot in common with Natural Selection, now that I think about it. You learn to let go of the things that aren’t that meaningful—letting go of the guilt is the hard part.

Theory #3: Be more selective about what client work you take on.

Sure, this idea looks great on paper, but so did Spandex, communism, and New Coke at one time or another. I think that, as a freelancer, work tends to come and go in waves, and I’m not about to turn away income, especially when it’s hard to predict where the next project will come. And, really, I’m already pretty selective about what clients I work with, so this theory doesn’t help me at all.

Theory #4: Don’t worry about it. You’ll write when you’re inspired.

This is probably my favorite idea. Think about it: guilt is to creativity what hurrying is to cooking. Yes, they both work in a pinch, but the end result will suck a lot less if you let these happen on their own.

This Week’s Dose of Universal Truths

While many complain about being out of work, I am grateful for the opportunity to think about the things that are truly important in life – and by life, I mean marketing and advertising. I think that we can’t grow as professionals until we are able to take a step back and put things in perspective, so, without further ado, here is my list of Universal Truths that I have embraced this week:

• Be all about the love. Never be afraid to establish an intimate, one-on-one relationship with your customers. I discovered this Truth during a recent trip to a mall. I happened to wander in because I was in the neighborhood and had some extra time on my hands. As I strolled past the stores, I was approached by several different kiosk vendors who desperately wanted to sell me their wares at unbelievably discounted rates. While eventually I wanted to run from these people, I was impressed by their assertiveness. Yes, they were aggressive in their approaches, but they managed to tailor their messages specifically to me. For example, there was a guy who wanted to sell me a manicure set. When I told him that I did not have the money for the kit because I’m out of work, he altered his guilt-laden pitch by reminding me how important details like nails are when you’re in an interview. Tricky? Yes, but it was effective and memorable. One important thing to note is that your customer is so bombarded by sales messages that s/he tends to tune them out. Stand out above the noise by becoming a brand that your customer trusts because you have their best interests at heart and aren’t just out to make a sale.
• Be true to yourself. Take a lesson from one of the most hated men in America, Jason Mesnick (aka “The Bachelor“), and be completely honest about your brand and what you’re all about. Never misrepresent yourself to your customers, they will catch on and tell their friends. But, should you hit a bump in the road, make like Jason’s jilted fiancee, Melissa – make the best of it , but don’t wallow for too long.

• Embrace your business with child-like enthusiasm. This Truth came to me last week as my husband and I took our daughter to the playground. During this 45-minute trip, she was in perpetual motion, making new discoveries and new friends, only stopping when she was completely exhausted. At the age of 3, there is always something new to discover and someone new to meet. This is what I believe to be the most important Truth in life and in business – you either have passion or you don’t.

Ultimately, it is up to you to look for new ways to breathe life into your brand – don’t wait for someone else to do it for you. You need to meet your customers, get to know them on their level, and become relevant to them. Make new discoveries about your brand and what it means to your customers, and, most importantly, enjoy what you do or else it’s time to look for a new line of work.

A Valuable Lesson in Creativity, Courtesy of My 3-Year-Old

Following a snowfall of eight inches last week, my daughter and I were snowed in, much to my chagrin, as I had a looming deadline for one of my weekly articles. I popped in her favorite DVD and then settled down at my computer to write. No sooner had panic-induced writer’s block settled in, then my daughter started tugging at my pant leg. “Play with me,” she pleaded. “Not right now, honey. Mommy’s trying to write,” I responded. Resolutely, she straightened up, planted her hands on her tiny hips, and demanded, “well, STOP!”

She was absolutely right. There I was – racking my brain, not feeling especially inspired, but trying to come up with a witty article on the perfect topic, which I had not yet been able to define. I was trying to force creativity, which, as we all know, is the kiss of death in any creative endeavor.

So why do we do it? Surely, panic plays a major role in forced creativity – missing a deadline or failing to perform at a certain level for the client can, and often does, result in lost revenue and/or jobs. Plus, anyone with the slightest ounce of competitive spirit wants to land the account and win awards – all in the same day.

Here’s the thing – you’re not going to hit it out of the park every time. Don’t believe me? I offer up the following case study: Crispin Porter + Bogusky was hired to come up with a campaign to rival the much-beloved “I’m a Mac” ads. The resulting product was a series of awkward commercials, featuring Bill Gates and Jerry Seinfeld, which were quickly pulled not long after the first spot aired.

The lesson learned from this particular example? Keep trying until you get it right. After this spot aired, CP&B replaced it with the ubiquitous “I’m a PC” commercial, proving that perseverance pays off.

Also keep in mind that your work should be more than merely pretty. It needs to be meaningful – to your client, your client’s brand, and to your client’s customers. Take the time to figure out what the “big idea” is and go from there. Creativity tends to flow when some kind of direction is provided and the creative staff is allowed to do what they do best.

Forget about spoofing the latest trend. The best creative work doesn’t mirror pop culture – it creates it. How many times have we seen a piece of work that was so laden with gimmicks that it instantly became dated? Challenge yourself to create something unique, rather than borrowing from existing material.

Finally, and most importantly, trust yourself, as well as whatever creative process works for you. The ideas will come to you, provided you “do your homework” and don’t try to “force it.” But should you find yourself trying too hard, do what my daughter says to do – STOP.