"I can't write a novel because I don't have a solid block of time..."
Are you making this excuse?
Busy with work and chores every day. When you finally sit at your desk, it's already 11 PM. Tired, your brain stops working, and you end up collapsing into bed. "Ah, I couldn't write a single line again today..."
Yeah, I completely understand.
"If only I had more time, I could write an amazing piece!"
You think that way, don't you?
But wait a minute. Do we really need "uninterrupted time" to write?
Umberto Eco, the world-famous author of the bestseller The Name of the Rose.
He was an exceptionally busy man—teaching at a major university, writing academic works, and publishing essays. His schedule was so packed that anyone would wonder, "When does he ever write novels?!"
How did he manage to produce such a massive volume of writing? Learning his secret might completely shatter our excuse of "not having enough time."
Today, let's unpack his unusual daily rhythm and how he utilized his brain.
The Big Misconception People Fall Into When Complaining About Lack of Time
"Geniuses must wake up at 4 AM every day and stick to a perfect routine, right?"
That's a common assumption.
However, Eco was completely different. He explicitly stated, "For me, having a fixed schedule is impossible."
Some days he would start writing at 7 AM and finish at 3 AM the next morning, engrossed without stopping except to grab a sandwich. On other days, he felt no need to write and did nothing at all. He didn't even set targets for word counts or page numbers.
"Huh? Then how did he write so much?!"
Curious, isn't it?
When asked if he ever had days without work, he jokingly replied, "Well, there were those two days when I underwent surgery."
In other words, he did the exact opposite of "sitting at a desk every day and grinding out words."
We tend to focus solely on "sitting at a desk at a scheduled time," but for him, that wasn't the essence of writing.
During the day, he was overwhelmed by university duties and urban chores, making him "not the master of his own time." That's why he generated writing through a completely different approach.
The Technique of Separating Uninterrupted Environments from Everyday Thinking
"So, where did he think deeply?"
He had two distinct sides to his lifestyle.
When in his Milan home or at the university, his time was constantly tied up by others. Therefore, while in urban areas, he accepted that he was "not the master of his time."
On the other hand, he had a country house in the hills of Montefeltro near Urbino, Italy. Once there, his lifestyle changed completely.
He would wake up, turn on his PC, check emails, start reading something, and write all the way through the afternoon. In the evening, he would head down to the village bar to drink and read newspapers. Returning home, he relaxed watching TV or DVDs until 11 PM, and then worked a bit more until 1 or 2 AM in the morning.
How does that sound? It seems like a wonderfully enjoyable, relaxed rhythm, doesn't it?
What's important here is that he intentionally created "uninterrupted places." Tasks requiring dedicated time were handled by escaping to a distraction-free environment like his villa.
"But we don't have such a fancy villa!"
I don't have a villa either (seriously).
So how should those of us without villas produce manuscripts in our daily lives?
His true brilliance lay in how he used his brain during those hectic everyday moments.
The Trap People Fall Into While Waiting for the Perfect Place
Among the words he left behind, there is a concept that shocked me the most. He viewed his day from a surprisingly unique perspective.
Imagine the matter in the universe. Between atoms, there are actually vast empty spaces—"interstices." If you removed all those empty spaces, the entire universe would be compressed into a tiny sphere.
His thinking was identical to this. Our lives, too, are filled with interstices.
The few seconds while waiting for an elevator after a visitor rings the doorbell.
While in the restroom.
During train commutes.
While floating and swimming in the sea.
Even in those moments, he was advancing his writing inside his head.
"Writing is not necessarily putting words on paper. You can write a chapter while walking, while eating."
Isn't that a remarkable insight?
Most people believe that "time spent sitting in front of a PC" is the only writing time. But in reality, the most essential creative work was happening elsewhere.
The essence of his thinking method that I discovered.
It is the "Carry-Around Thinking Protocol."
Many people think, "When I get a spare moment, I'll open my PC and type." But that's why they fail. Opening a laptop for 5 or 10 minutes usually results in wasting time figuring out what to write.
What Eco was doing was not "typing," but "settling thoughts."
During travel or waiting times when typing is impossible, carry a single "problem" to write next inside your head. While swimming in the sea, think through "how the next chapter's plot should unfold" and settle the thought.
Then, during the brief moment you can sit in front of the PC, simply type out the answers already decided in your mind.
In short:
When you can't type, advance your thoughts.
When you can type, type out what's already settled.
This thorough division of labor was the secret behind producing an overwhelming volume of work even within an overbooked schedule.
How to Make Interstices Your Real Weapon
"I see! But specifically, how should I carry those thoughts in my head?"
Let me explain a concrete method you can practice starting tomorrow.
The key is to note down and carry around "just one single point for the next scene."
For example, when finishing today's writing session, leave a quick note at the end of your document:
"Next, write from the protagonist's emotions the moment they open the door."
That's all it takes.
By doing this, whether you are on a commuting train or standing in line at the grocery store, your brain's background processing automatically starts working.
"How would the protagonist feel?"—your subconscious naturally starts hunting for ideas.
The 10 seconds waiting for an elevator.
The 5 minutes soaking in the bath.
Those cease to be idle time and transform into creative "interstices" where the best ideas are born.
Sitting at the PC is merely the final touch to convert those answers into text.
Steps You Can Start Today
Let's end the frustration of complaining about "not having enough time" today.
What Eco taught us is that non-writing time is actually the treasure chest for nurturing your writing.
Of course, just as he secured dedicated time at his villa, "protected, undisturbed time" is eventually needed to polish and complete the manuscript. In a hectic urban life, no one can constantly be the master of their time.
However, if you accumulate thoughts using daily "interstices," you can write through a manuscript in one go during occasional 30-minute or 1-hour focused sessions.
Action steps you can start today:
- When pausing your writing, write down a one-line "question" for what to write next.
- During idle moments when you'd normally just scroll on your smartphone, bring that "question" to mind.
- Once you reach an answer, type it out without hesitation the moment you sit at your desk.
Your life, just like the space between atoms, is filled with rich "interstices."
Let your thoughts run through those spaces, and create a story that is uniquely yours!
I'm cheering for you!