5 ways to add hours to your writing day

Well, the bad news is that writing, not to mention life, isn’t like that. You need to practice. And here’s where most people will complain about lack of time. But the good news is that you have more time than you think—if you make writing a priority. Here are five ways to find that time:

(These ideas will also work for professional writers who find themselves beset with too many phone calls and other administrivia.)

1. Get up earlier: Morning is a great time to write—unless you’re a night owl, which means you have my permission to ignore this idea. If you’re OK with mornings, however, you can write with confidence that phones usually don’t ring before 7 a.m. What’s more, there’s good evidence that your “internal editor” is sleepier at this time of day, making writing easier. Save breakfast and your shower for later—and avoid email as if it were poison.