How to Write Your First Novel While Working Nine to Five

5 Time-Tested Tips for Writing Your First Novel While Working Full Time

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The year was 1990 (or thereabouts). I had put off starting my novel month after month for all the typical reasons writers generally put off starting a novel. Too tired after a long workday, a lack of confidence, motivation that waxes and wanes. 

Then I read something near the end of the year that had a profound effect on my way of thinking and it has stayed with me ever since. This was a long time ago so the exact words have escaped my memory. But it was a single line and went something like this: “The next year is going to pass by anyway; you may as well have written that novel.”

Within a week, I had tucked my rear end into my couch–I had no writing desk at the time–and started to jot down some notes in an attempt to come up with a plan. I was determined not to be one of those poor aspiring authors who toil on a novel for years, even decades, and never finish. I was working full time as the managing editor of a journal then and realized that I needed to get serious about carving out some quality writing time. My job required a lot of planning and organizing to assemble articles written by scholars all over the country, and I was able to draw on those skills to help me focus and get organized.

I decided to write every evening after work and on weekends and that just about all other activities would have to take a back seat to the novel. Being single with no spouse or children to distract me helped, but the time normally spent with friends, dating, shopping, and dining out were all cut back or out. Sounds drastic, yes. But this novel was going to get written within one year, and I knew that relentless commitment would be needed to complete something as lengthy and time consuming as a whole book while working full time.

Even with all these sacrifices, the going was painstakingly slow. After a few weeks I decided to make even more changes. As an editor, my days were spent laboring over words written by others and by the time I got home my weary eyes wanted to rest. Getting more than a few paragraphs out of my laptop was a chore.

So instead of attempting to write in the evening after work I decided to get up at 5:00 am and work while my mind was fresh. That way, my novel would get me at my best. (Sorry, nine to five job.) I soon learned to love waking up early, pouring that first cup of coffee, and sitting at the keyboard at this time. No ringing telephones. No unannounced guests. (Back then there was no social media to tempt me, thankfully!.) This also forced me to hit the sack earlier for a decent night’s rest. No more sitting up watching television until midnight and beyond.

I set daily and weekly word count goals, making sure they were realistic. My preference is to set writing goals based on length rather than amount of time. I don’t remember exactly how many words I decided on–remember, this was decades ago–but probably around five hundred a day during the week, more on weekends. 

Once I got into a rhythm and saw the pages piling up, allowing myself a few days a month to catch up with friends and family and the pile of books stacked up next to my bedside seemed doable. I stay away from fiction when I’m in the midst of a novel but find that nonfiction books about writing can be great motivators.

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So to sum this all up as a list of 5 tips for writing your first novel while working full time–

1. Make your writing a priority. Be willing to sacrifice a few favorite activities if needed to get your writing done within a reasonable amount of time.

2. Create a realistic writing schedule, one that suits your lifestyle. Are you at your best early in the morning, in the evening, or on weekends? Once you decide when to write, stick to your schedule religiously. Remember the quote mentioned earlier? Time is going to pass by anyway; why not make progress on your dream of writing a novel?

   Don’t think BOOK. Think pages or even words a day. Even writing a few pages daily can lead to amazing progress if you’re consistent—an persistent. Do the math–five hundred words a day—that generally amounts to about two double-spaced pages—six days a week adds up to 3,000 words a week or around 12,000 a month. You’ll have a 60,000 word novel in five months. (Notice I give you a day off weekly in the computations above. You will progress even faster if you can manage seven days a week.) 

3. Try to find yourself a nice, quiet place to write without distractions. This was not difficult for me, especially once I decided to get up at 5:00 am and write. I was single at the time and lived alone. For you it may mean spending time at the library or in the corner of a not-too-busy coffee shop. Some authors check into a hotel for a week or two here and there for round-the-clock writing marathons. Do whatever you must to minimize distractions. And don’t forget to turn off your cell phone and stay far away from social media while working.

4. Find ways to build your confidence and stay motivated. This can be a real struggle for us writers. Writing is such a lonely pursuit. It can be hard not to get inside your head, telling yourself all the wrong things such as my work isn’t good enough or I’ll never get this right. You can become your biggest enemy here and you will have to work hard to quiet those nagging voices in your head.

   I counter this by connecting with others who uplift me, reading books about writing and creativity, getting fresh air and exercise. I also celebrate writing milestones (a few chapters, 100 pages) by treating myself out to dinner or a box of chocolates for example.

5. Finally, I may have saved the best for last. During the course of going back and forth editing myself with that first novel, I eventually decided to give myself permission to write a crude first draft. This allowed me to get it all down on paper much sooner and to experience the joy of accomplishment before giving up. Then I went back to figure out what needed rewriting and polishing. So do yourself this favor if you’re struggling to make progress. Get it all out first, then go back and revise. Many successful authors write their novels using this approach.