Writing in the Cracks of Time: A Realistic Writing Routine for Busy Moms

My writing routine isn’t aesthetic. It’s about survival. Most days, I’m either writing before the sun comes up or after the house finally goes quiet. Even then, half the time I feel like I’ve done a lot of trying and not much actual finishing. Working full-time from home with a toddler isn’t exactly optimal for an aspiring writer. However, it is my reality, and here is what I do to try to stay on track.

For me, writing happens during cracks of time. I don’t necessarily have the luxury of writing during long, peaceful stretches.

I live in caffeine and comfy sweaters – the unofficial uniform of moms who write in chaos. I guess it’s just something I have in common with the professionals I have been networking with. However, the reality is that I prioritize comfort, which means that most days I settle for a sweater and leggings. 

My mornings start off with wrangling Poppy out of bed and corralling her out into the living room. I am literally carrying like 3 bottles, a child, a blanket, and a stuffed animal. So, essentially, I carry everything, including the kitchen sink. Well, that and my mental capacity to handle early morning tomfoolery.

Once I pop her on her spot on the couch, I usually head to grab her morning protein shake. Once she’s settled in the living room with breakfast, I make my coffee, add a large shot of espresso, and top it with a protein shake. This is where the heavily caffeinated part comes in.

Now that everything is said and done, coffee in hand, Poppy is set up, and I tentatively sit at my desk, check my emails, and decide which project to work on for the day. Am I working on a blog post, one of the two manuscripts I have going, or planning social media content? That last one is honestly the least likely to happen. My social media content is pretty scattered, and I know I need to work on it. 

However, on days like today, A.K.A., Tuesday, I’m working on a blog post, whether they are short or long-form. I just want to ensure I am writing. It’s how I stay focused and as productive as possible.

Some days, creativity looks like jotting down ideas in notes, editing a single page, or working on my outline instead of drafting because it at least gives me some clear direction for how I want to proceed.

I’d be lying if I said that I worked on my manuscripts every day. Some days, the only win is opening the manuscript and looking at it. My goal for the next month is to hopefully work more on my contemporary romance manuscript, but we will see how that goes.

Maybe someday I’ll have long, uninterrupted hours to write, but right now, my stories are built in small, messy pockets of time—and I am learning that those moments count just as much.

-Destany

Real desk. Real chaos. Real writing life.