Six weeks ago, I had a baby.
Three weeks ago, I committed to finishing my novel.
Crazy? Perhaps. Genius? Absolutely.
The Most Productive Year of Your Life
In addition to writing a novel, I write 2-3 articles here each week, freelance for 2 other sites, plus promote my blog through guest posts.
That’s a lot of writing when you’ve got a baby to look after.
Nevertheless, this year will be the most productive year of my writing life because:
- A newborn baby is the best reason in the world to be anti-social. I don’t have to go anywhere or do anything I don’t want to. When people come to the door unexpectedly, I can answer in my pajamas and they will look sheepish and go away. Neglecting to brush my teeth is also helpful.
- I can pretend I have no time for totally unnecessary tasks. Laundry and cooking aren’t as important as they might seem. They’ll get done sooner or later. How can I be expected to keep the house in order when I have a newborn??
- I don’t have to go to work. Yes, the sweet, sweet knowledge that I can completely ignore my job for the next 12 months–now that’s motivating.
- I spend 50% of the day feeding my baby. Literally. It’s a very demanding schedule, which confines me to the couch. Good thing I have a laptop.
- I’m up most of the night. This might not last forever, but for now I’m a creature of the night. Why not use it to my advantage? I mean, what else am I going to do at 3 am?
How to Write a Novel in the Middle of the Night
I find I’m most productive writing fiction when the house is quiet and I have fewer distractions. That said, I more comfortable working on non-fiction articles during the day.
For your reference, here’s a breakdown of how I’ve been accomplishing all that late-night writing:
11:00 pm – 12:30 am Sleep.
12:30 am – 1:30 am Wake up. Splash water on face. Change screaming baby’s diaper. Feed baby using hands-free method. Work on novel.
1:30 am – 2:00 am Try to fall asleep while mentally planning next scene. Employ warm milk if necessary.
2:00 am – 3:00 am Actually sleep.
3:00 am – 4:00 am Wake to screaming baby who has soaked through clothes, blanket and mattress cover. Change baby. Feed baby. Work on novel.
4:00 – 5:00 am Sleep (well, nap).
5:00 am – 6:00 am Wake with amazing idea for next scene. Quickly change baby. Twice. Feed baby. Work on fabulous scene idea.
6:00 am – 7:00 am Baby asleep. Rest of family asleep. Rejoice! Make extra-jumbo cup of coffee. Continue writing!
7:00 am Family wakes up. Look haggard. Complain about being up all night. Accept all offers to watch baby while I nap.
No matter how much you want to write, or how much time you think you really have–life happens.
Still, there’s no reason to sit back and accept your circumstances as fatal.
How do you get around time constraints on your writing? How will you make this the most productive year of your life?
I loved this post, it reminded me so much of when my son was born! And it gives me an idea of what to do when I give birth in April. I had been wondering how to fill those night time feed hours!
Well done, seriously though, for not letting your brain turn to mush with sleepless nights and post-natal hormones. Keep up the good work, I always enjoy reading this blog.
Rebecca,
I’m so glad I’m not the only one crazy enough to write a book in the middle of the night! We mothers need to take time where we can get it, right?? Thanks for your support here–I really appreciate it. And good luck with the rest of your pregnancy!
Enjoy this productive year. It’s the next two or three that won’t see this kind of opportunity again. So enjoy this productive year, and *do not beat yourself up over the next two or three.*
The most important thing to remember about writing with a baby is that *everything changes* and it changes *all the time.* The more flexible you are, the more productive you’ll be and the happier you’ll be in those times you can’t be productive.
.-= Read XandraG´s last article ..Accumulation =-.
Hi Xandra,
You’re so right. This opportunity is for here and now. Things are going to change, but I’ll make the most of what I have at the moment. Thanks!
This post brought back memories. You just described my early marriage and motherhood, except I didn’t know anyone else who was doing this kind of schedule at the time.
I had a baby (my third) on the first day of school of the second year of my doctoral studies. I studied and eventually wrote a dissertation in the middle of the night.
It is by far the best time for deep study, once the baby is tended to and back to sleep, of course.
It’s tricky being up during the day and getting sleep done, but by taking occasional midday naps I was able to manage it. Because I had two other children , aged 5 and 2 also. I found that the best time for me to sleep was when they went to bed at 8PM. Then I’d sleep until the baby woke at 2 AM and stayed up to study until 6 AM when it was time for everyone to get up and out for school.
I didn’t keep this upside down schedule for all week. Mostly it was a Mon thru Friday routine. But it’s absolutely doable. It took me four years of full time study to finish that degree. That was 31 years ago.
.-= Read Flora Morris Brown, Ph.D.´s last article ..Do You Have to Continually Grow as a Person to Be Happy? =-.
Flora,
Wow, that’s quite an amazing story! It goes to show just what you can accomplish when you really put your mind to it. Thanks for sharing 🙂
Wow, but you make me feel like a slacker, haha! I love your determination and thank you so much for sharing it – this is inspiration at it’s finest hour!
Hugs
suZen
Thanks, Suzen. Now quit slacking and get back to writing! 😉
Great post. I’ve got three kids all under 6 y/o and a dayjob, too. I write when everyone’s finally gone to bed and the dishes are done and the house is picked up. Sometimes I wonder how it is possible to write novels when life is crazy busy like this and writing seems like such a selfish luxury. But I’m working on my third novel now…for me, it all comes down to having a supportive wife who believes in me as both a writer and father/husband.
.-= Read Patrick´s last article ..I’m a Goat-Herding Shepherd in Vermont =-.
Patrick,
That’s great you have such a supportive family. It’s the only reason I manage to get any writing done, as well! We may not write as fast as people with fewer responsibilities, but perhaps we enjoy the experience all the more because it’s such precious time. Thanks for sharing!
With our third child due in June and me as stay at home dad, the late shift will be largely my territory. I’ve book marked this to remind me I have no excuse to stop writing once the baby arrives.
.-= Read danpowell´s last article ..Chinese Whisperings: The Red Book – review. =-.
Dan,
How wonderful you’ll get the opportunity to be a stay-at-home dad! Keeping on your writing schedule isn’t easy with kids, but there’s often more time than you think. I’m so glad this was helpful to you. Cheers 🙂
I can relate; I’m nursing my baby right now as I’m reading/writing. I’ve noticed that my time-on-task improves this way– sitting still in the chair (facing down the page) is enforced by the little sucker.
Anu,
You’re right. Why not write when you’re tied to a baby? Nothing much else you can do!
.-= Read suzannah´s last article ..6 Ways to Hook Your Readers from the Very First Line =-.
congratulations! New mom is great and keeping productive is even better. Been there twice and let me tell ya, now that I am a grandma, I can remember and appreciate the spare time I have now. But, it is all worth it. Good Luck!
Thanks, Winne 🙂 I appreciate the best wishes.
.-= Read suzannah´s last article ..6 Ways to Hook Your Readers from the Very First Line =-.
you’re all american aren’t you? this is the sort of crazy overachieving nonsense we brits have come to expect from you? why don’t you give it a rest and enjoy your baby? quite apart from the fact that most women’s brains turn to mush through lack of sleep, don’t you think your baby deserves your full attention, just for a while. If you’re lucky a newborn does sleep a lot, but use your down time to store up some reserves for the demands to some: you’ve just given birth for heaven’s sake! I worked on articles and fiction from the earliest days with my first child because I was terrified of lossing the thread of my thoughts and had to keep my career going. By child 3 I realise dthat the most important thing is to give yourself over to the experience totally: you owe it to your child!
Dear Elephant,
Thank you for your comment, and especially for sharing your past experiences with juggling children and a career.
I’ll be honest, when I first read your comment, I took it as a personal attack. But now that I think about it, I see you’re making a rash and stereotypical judgment of me based on what little information you have to work with. You don’t know me at all.
Anyone who has taken the time to get to know me, will know that my teaching career is on hold indefinitely. Writing, on the other hand, is not my career, it is my passion. I’m incredibly blessed to be able to spend my time pursuing my two greatest passions – motherhood and writing.
After having no choice but to juggle career and motherhood with my first child, I have the luxury of spending all day, every day with my newborn. If only every mother could enjoy that privilege as I do.
Oh, and I’m not all-American. I’m Canadian.
Cheers