"Not enough time to write." This is the number one excuse for millions of writers to never complete their work in progress. This article can help you break through the time-sucking barriers and give you the tools to become the best version of your writer self.
 

Time Management

Many times people do have the time to write; they just plan and manage their time poorly. I was once a victim of poor time management, too. I worked, went to school, and played the role of single parent. In my mind, I didn't have time to write. I barely had time to sleep! Although this was true to some degree, I realized that there were several activities that I planned throughout the week that were unnecessary. For instance, television. I am not a binge watcher, and I rarely watch a lot of television. But I found that there were times when, instead of writing, I would prioritize an episode of X-Files over writing because I felt that I needed a vacation from life. After strictly ignoring the need to get lost in Mulder and Scully's world, I discovered that writing my novel was a vacation in itself! 

There are times that one doesn't have enough time for much writing, but writing even five minutes a day is still five minutes of words on paper. The best part about writing is that a good percentage of writing starts mentally. Learn how to outline a novel, use a beat sheet, or your preferred method and then spend your day applying it mentally. When you have time, write it down or record your notes on your phone, tablet, or voice recorder.

Get Organized

Whether you write on a typewriter, notebook, laptop, or just toilet paper, your notes must go somewhere. It is imperative that you keep your digital and physical writing areas clutter-free and organized. If money is an issue, Evernote is an awesome tool that will save all your notes, plus, you can even write scenes in the app. Although the last is convenient, I would suggest Scrivener for the more serious writer.

Invest In Software

Although it is not necessary, investing in software can make a huge difference in how productive you are. I have spent many moons researching ways to save time writing. Here a few that have proven to very helpful. 

Scrivener 

Scrivener is a lifesaver in many ways. This software not only keeps your writing meticulously organized, it has so many features and abilities that I can't name them all. To start, it is simple to use, it has a word counter and you can set your word or character goals. Since I like to color-code my scenes by the beats on my beat sheet, I use Scrivener's colored flags as a symbol for each beat; that way I know exactly what needs to be written and approximately how long the scene should be.

Character Profiling is a breeze using Scrivener, as are creating scene settings.

It isn't easy to wipe out a file. If you want to scrap a scene, throw it away in the Trash file. If you want it back, just retrieve it.

The best aspect of Scrivener (aside from the price of $40) is that everything is in the same place. You don't have to move from Evernote to Word, to your sticky notes. Scrivener lets you just write!

Dragon

When you don't have time to write, dictate! Dictating into a recorder makes it possible to write while driving, working out and even working. Dragon software is a must if you want to simplify your speech-to-text conversion. I love using Dragon's dictation feature because it is more accurate and I can dictate anywhere. Another lovely quality is avoiding "writing injuries." Yes, they are real. Carpel tunnel syndrome, tendonitis, and back issues can severely limit the writer, but Dragon can help keep the words flowing. It is important to note that Dragon Premium is the lowest of the Dragon software versions to have the dictation feature. Doing some research before purchasing is recommended.

Grammarly

Although it isn't technically a software, Grammarly is a great learning tool for the lesser experienced writer. If grammar isn't your thing, investing in this program can help save you future embarrassment. While it does not, by any means, replace a professional editor, it can help you polish your work for an editor. Although it does not sense all issues, it does find a good portion of them. I like using Grammarly because when I just want to let the words flow, I know that I can later run the scene through Grammarly.

Commit

Most importantly, commit to your dream. If the words are screaming to be let out, to be heard, then you must write! Do what it takes to let your creativity flow; no matter how silly you look or sound. Just shrug the looks and comments away and say, "I'm a writer!"