Little bits add up like drops of water to fill a glass.Grab notebooks. One for your purse or backpack, one for your kitchen, one for your car. Don't forget that your phone is a handy tool.
When an idea for that perfect character name pops into your head, text it to yourself. Only takes 1 minute.
When you are sitting in your car at your kids practice waiting for them to find their other shoe - grab that notebook and jot down some plot points. Another 5 minutes stolen back for your writing.
Oh, are you trapped at the car place getting your oil changed? Where are the pens? Here is 20 minutes to work on dialogue between your two main characters.
Lunch break? 30 minutes to use your smart phone to research owls and jot down all of that gross stuff about pellets while eating at your favorite spot. (For the squeamish maybe swap pellet research with that oil change dialogue writing.)
Don't feel guilty when the family is fed and you say, "I'm going to go write for 20 or 30 minutes. Entertain yourselves." (This may be harder for those with super young kids, but do what you can)
There is also a 5 am writers club I see on Twitter. I won't lie - I'm not a morning person and probably won't ever do this one. But it may work for you! If 5 am doesn't work, what about waking up just 20 minutes early?
If your goal this year is to write more then go for it. Even if it is only 5 minutes or 10 minutes here or there. You don't have to write every single day if it doesn't work for you, but you do need to write. Writing is writing whether it is using a pencil, typing on a computer, or using your smart phone.Don't forget to make time/steal time to read as well. It is market research that is vital to your trade.
Best of luck for a healthy, happy, and productive new year!
