The Time Myth: Why ‘Finding Time to Write’ Actually Makes It Harder

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Picture this: You sit down on Sunday night, planner open, determination surging through your veins. This is the week you'll finally make real progress on your novel.

You block out two hours every morning from 5-7 AM. An hour during lunch. Another two hours after the kids go to bed. That's five hours a day. And 35 hours this week alone! By Friday, you'll have written thousands of words!

Monday morning, your alarm screams at 4:45 AM. You hit snooze. Tuesday, you manage to drag yourself to your desk, but spend the entire two hours staring at a blank page, paralyzed by the pressure of your "precious" writing time. By Wednesday, you're "too tired." Thursday becomes a catch-up day for all the life stuff you've been neglecting.

Friday arrives, and you've written exactly zero words.

Sound familiar?

Here's the thing (and this might sting a little)...

You're not failing because you don't have enough time to write. You're failing because you're trying to "find" time instead of using the time you already have.

The Paradox That's Keeping You Stuck

Let me share something I've noticed after working with hundreds of aspiring novelists: The writers who complain most about having "no time" are often the same ones who:

• Spend hours researching the "perfect" writing software
• Read endless blog posts about writing (guilty as charged, right? 😉)
• Create elaborate character questionnaires they never finish
• Outline and re-outline without ever writing actual scenes
• Scroll through Instagram or Pinterest for "inspiration"

They're not struggling with time. They're struggling with fear disguised as a time management problem.

Think about it. When you say "I need to find time to write," what you're really saying is that writing isn't currently a priority. And that's okay! But let's call it what it is.

Because here's what "finding time" implies: that time is hiding somewhere, like lost keys under the couch cushions. That if you just search hard enough, reorganize your schedule one more time, or discover that one elusive productivity hack, suddenly blocks of writing time will appear.

But time doesn't work that way. Time isn't lost. You're already using it—just not for writing.

Every day, you're spending your time on something—checking email, scrolling social media, reorganizing your desk, researching "just one more thing" about your novel. The question isn't whether you have time. It's whether you'll use any of it for actually writing.

Why Your Brain Prefers the "No Time" Story

Your brain is incredibly clever. It knows that "I don't have time" is a socially acceptable excuse that no one will challenge. After all, we're all busy, right? We all have responsibilities, obligations, packed calendars.

But when writers say "I don't have time," it's often code for one of these deeper truths:

• "I'm afraid to start because I might fail"
• "I'm overwhelmed and don't know where to begin"
• "I'm scared my writing won't be good enough"
• "I don't trust myself to follow through"
• "I'm worried about what others will think"

When you believe you need to "find" huge blocks of time before you can write, you're giving your fear the perfect hiding place.

After all, it's so much easier to say "I'll write when I have more time" than to admit "I'm terrified of putting words on the page because they might suck."

But there's another layer to this problem that's even more insidious...

The Hidden Time Thief: Decision Paralysis

Here's where it gets really interesting…

Sometimes when writers say "I don't have time," what they really mean is "I don't know what to do with the time I have."

Picture this: You've managed to carve out that precious hour to write. You sit at your desk with 76,000 words left to complete your novel. But instead of writing, you freeze. The questions start swirling:

• Should I work on that problematic Chapter 3?
• Should I skip ahead to the scene I'm excited about?
• Wait, do I need to figure out my magic system first?
• Maybe I should re-read what I wrote last week?
• Or should I outline the next few chapters?

Before you know it, half your writing time is gone, consumed by indecision. You've been "writing" for 30 minutes but have zero words to show for it.

Without a clear plan, even abundant time becomes useless time.

This is why some writers can produce more in 20 focused minutes than others do in 2 scattered hours. It's not about having more time—it's about knowing exactly what to do with the time you're already using.

The Real Reason You Feel Like You Have No Time to Write

When aspiring writers tell me they have "no time," I ask them to track their days for a week. Not to judge or shame—just to see where time actually goes.

You know what we usually discover?

It's not that they have no time. It's that they've created impossible standards for what "writing time" should look like. They believe they need:

• Uninterrupted 2-3 hour blocks
• The perfect quiet environment
• Mental clarity and creative inspiration

So when real life offers them 20 minutes here, 30 minutes there, they dismiss it. "What's the point? I can't write a whole chapter in 20 minutes."

This all-or-nothing thinking is the real time thief.

The Mindset Shift That Changes Everything

What if, instead of trying to "find time to write," you asked yourself: "How can I use the time I have for writing?"

This simple reframe changes everything because:

1. It acknowledges your current reality instead of waiting for some ideal future
2. It treats writing as something worthy of your time, not something squeezed in around the edges
3. It focuses on action over perfection

In practice, this means looking at your Tuesday and saying, "I have 15 minutes between meetings. I'll use that for writing" instead of "I have no time to write on Tuesdays."

Writers who make this shift stop seeing time as the enemy and start seeing it as a creative constraint that actually helps them write.

What This Looks Like in Practice

Let me paint you a picture of two different writers:

Writer A believes she needs to "find time" to write her novel. She waits for her schedule to clear, for inspiration to strike, for the perfect two-hour window. She scrolls Instagram during her coffee break, telling herself she needs "at least an hour" to make writing worthwhile. When she does get time, she spends it trying to decide what to work on. Months pass. Her novel remains unwritten.

Writer B has made the mindset shift. She knows she has 15 minutes while her coffee brews. She also knows exactly what scene she's working on because she spent 2 minutes yesterday leaving herself a note. She opens her document and writes 200 words. They're not perfect words, but they're real words. Over a week, those 15-minute sessions add up to 1,400 words. In a year? That's a full novel.

The difference isn't time. It's how they use it—and preparation.

Related: Perfectionism vs. Procrastination: What's REALLY Going On?

Three Strategies to Support Your Mindset Shift

Now that we've tackled the mindset piece, let's get practical. Here are three strategies to help you actually implement this new way of thinking:

1. The "Time Audit" Exercise

For one week, notice every time you think "I don't have time to write." Then ask yourself: "What am I doing instead?" No judgment—just awareness. You might discover you're already spending 30 minutes scrolling social media or an hour researching writing advice. That's time you could use for actual writing.

2. The Minimum Viable Writing Session

Decide the smallest amount of writing time that "counts." Maybe it's 10 minutes. Maybe it's 5. The point is to make it so small that you can't make excuses. You can always find 10 minutes—the question is whether you'll use them for writing.

3. The "Next Step" Note

End each writing session—no matter how short—by writing yourself a quick note about what comes next. "Tomorrow: Write the scene where Sarah discovers the letter." This eliminates decision fatigue and helps you dive straight into writing next time.

Final Thoughts

Here's what I know to be true: The writers who finish novels don't have more time than you. They don't have fewer responsibilities, easier lives, or magical productivity powers.

They've simply stopped looking for time and started using the time they have.

Every time you catch yourself saying "I don't have time to write," replace it with "I'm using my time for [specific activity] instead of writing." Not to shame yourself, but to recognize that you DO have power here.

Because if you're waiting to "find time" to write your novel, you'll be waiting forever. 

Not because you're lazy or not meant to be a writer, but because "finding time" is a myth that keeps you safe from the vulnerable act of actually writing.

So you have a choice to make…

You can keep searching for those elusive blocks of "perfect" writing time, staying safely in the planning and dreaming phase where your novel can't disappoint you.

Or you can accept that you already have time, and start using some of it for writing.

If you're ready for option two, I have something that can help!

➡️ I've created a free Time Management Guide with five strategies for working with your actual life, rather than against it. Inside, you'll discover how to use 15-minute pockets of time effectively, work with your natural energy rhythms, build sustainable writing habits, stop perfectionism from stealing your writing time, and maintain momentum—no matter how busy you are.

Because here's what I know about you: What looks like a time problem is really something else—fear, lack of planning, or both. But these are so much easier to overcome once you call them by their real names.

Your story deserves to be told—not someday, but now. The time you need is already in your day. You just have to use it.

👉 Want more help right now? Check out these free resources:

• Listen to the Fiction Writing Made Easy Podcast for weekly writing guidance
• Take the Author Success Blueprint Quiz to get personalized next steps for your writing, editing, and publishing journey
• Grab my free Time Management guide to see how busy writers (like you!) pushed past this “lack of time” excuse to finish their novels