To be productive as a writer, you need to actually write. I know this isn’t a surprise, but I also know how easy it is to let other tasks, projects, people, or any other distractions take us away from our writing. Consider using the following words to describe your writing time (in case someone asks you to quit).

1. Sanctioned – Tell yourself, this is my authorized writing time. It’s a great honor.
2. Protected – Tell someone in your family: “This is my protected writing time. Let’s work around that.”
3. Programmed – Tell a person who asks for time when you are scheduled to write: “This is my scheduled time to write, but what about _____ as an alternative?”
4. Sacrosanct – This sounds like a good word for a writer to say about their writing time, doesn’t it?
5. Strategic – Use this word to describe your writing time to someone who thinks strategically and needs to understand that writers are also planners and deliberate, not just playing games.
6. Required – If you are a writer (and I suppose you are because you are reading this), you must write or you are no longer a writer.
7. Non-negotiable – There are people who consider that Saturday afternoon nap time is non-negotiable, so I think you can describe your writing time as non-negotiable. If it is, that’s …
8. Dedicated – You may have to say this to yourself.
9. It does not matter that – You can use this out of desperation when faced with a deadline. Saying it out of desperation isn’t very powerful, but if it works, use it. However, if you’ve used some of the above on the list, you’re less likely to despair.
10. Unless there is blood or bones in sight, it is not to be disturbed … Generally, this is one that should be used by mothers, graduate counselors, and the like. It is when “children” (be they real children or adults acting like children) seem unable to make any decisions when the “parent” is not there to arbitrate. Use this if you need to.

If you need to practice, do it. Imagine the scenario where you have 10 – noon on Thursday as your write protected time. When someone asks you if you can meet then, you say, “I can’t meet then because that’s my required writing time. How about we meet at noon or anytime later that afternoon?”

Note: When I was sharing this list with people in one of my writing groups, one person said that the word they use to talk about their time spent writing is “MINE!” I like this!