Creating a schedule for the ideal week is one of the first things I ask my coaching clients to do.
I don’t have the time to write! I hear this A LOT from women who have an idea for a book, blog, or newsletter but just can’t seem to put pen to paper or fingertips to keyboard. I get it. You’re busy. But here’s some tough love – we’re all busy! Unless you’re amid a major life change, your busy schedule doesn’t make you special. Sorry (not sorry).
Now I’m not denying that you are juggling a lot between work, family, and community commitments. But there is a way to make time for ALL OF THIS and make time for writing. Yes, it is possible to write and have a life! The key is to be intentional and having a model or ideal week schedule can help you do exactly that.
A model week helps you intentionally block out time for what matters most while leaving space for self-care and fun. Ready to create your ideal week? Let’s dive in!
Writing sprints could be the answer to your “I don’t have time to write” problem. Just as physical sprints can help you become a stronger runner or cyclist, writing sprints can strengthen your creativity.
What is a writing sprint?
A writing sprint is a short period of time during which you write as much as you can – without editing. You simply set a timer and write! The key, however, is to stay laser-focused during that time.
I recommend 20 to 30 minutes for a writing sprint.
Through writing, Lara Boyle found confidence and community.
Editor’s Note: See Jane Write now publishes articles and personal essays by writers who identify as women, non-binary folks, and our allies. Learn more here.
By Lara Boyle
“Why can’t you let her speak for herself?”
That’s what family members and friends would ask my mom. I’d be at the dinner table in a crowded restaurant or even in our living room when my throat would close up. I opened my mouth to speak, but all the words I needed were gone. Under the weight of everybody’s eyes, I shrunk into my seat, unable to do more than clear my throat. I had no issues learning how to talk. I could ramble on and on for hours about horses, Percy Jackson, Harry Potter or my favorite cartoon show, Alex Hirch’s Gravity Falls on Disney. Yet, somehow I still struggled to say what I thought, to find the right words. I wouldn’t find out until I was eighteen years old that this struggle to speak was because I have a type of Autism Spectrum Disorder commonly known as Asperger’s Syndrome. My voice seemed to disappear until I found it scribbled out in jet-black ink on paper.
Kibby Araya is a writer and editor and she is the founder of She Lit, an online platform that celebrates women in literature. // Photo courtesy of Kibby Araya
Editor’s Note: See Jane Write now publishes articles and personal essays by writers who identify as women, non-binary folks, and our allies. Learn more here.
By: Courtney Nicole
Just as the late, great Toni Morrison told us to write the book we wanted to read, Kibby Araya created the online platform she couldn’t find. Kibby is the creator of She Lit, a book blog about women writers and their work.
Kibby’s love of storytelling began when she was a child. When she was just six years old, Kibby started reading the dictionary after receiving one for Christmas. It’s how she fell in love with weaving words together to create stories. Her fascination with the English language led to a passion for reading and creative writing. Growing up, she was a fan of Judy Blume and Ann M. Martin, but her father’s enthusiasm for the news also captured her. Her family would read the newspaper, and watch local and international news together. Wanting to write other people’s stories led Kibby to pursue a career in journalism. After graduating from journalism school, she realized that her love for creative writing still existed, and she decided to tap back into her creative outlet.
This past spring, Kibby was announced as the winner in the 2022 Young Adult Fiction category of the Black Creative Fund Revisions Workshop, in partnership with We Need Diverse Books. Her winning submission is a social justice novel set in the 1990s. In addition to a monetary award, Kibby was able to work with an editor and participate in monthly workshops held by editors and agents to discuss the publishing industry and how to make better revisions.
Today, Kibby is a news editor for an education technology company.
In this conversation, Kibby discusses the founding of She Lit and why it’s important for her to highlight women’s written work.
