Wednesday, September 7, 2016

Have You Got The Time?



Hallo, fine peoples! And Welcome to Insecure Writer's Support Groups first Wednesday meeting...

This month the question is How do you make time in your busy schedule for writing?

And you know what? I'm not sure. So let me tell you a story about what WORKED initially—the FIRST time I made time. I was so clever...

See, as my kids reached middle school, first one, then the other, fired me from their nighttime routine. More specifically, they were more interested in reading on their own than together. The first time it hit was right about the time I started writing fan fiction (the end of 2005). I took a bath each night, and began taking a notebook... but suddenly I had an extra 45 minutes for my bath in the fall of 2006... And three years later it happened again... I'll tell you what. Ninety minutes you never had before is a GENEROUS amount of time to write in when it has no other earmarks as to what it is for...

Sadly, a couple years ago I had the steam knocked out of me... I tried to do too much and got tired... and had a few letdowns and felt disheartened. I took up a few TV shows I love. And I decided I needed to read more... and I do more puzzles in the bath... and my writing time has been gobbled away. I write some, but I need to pick that time again to write DAILY. Because this is NOT working.

So sorry I have lost the answer... Maybe you should go read what some OTHER people are doing to find a better solution!!!


Also... The Memory of Things is out... This beautiful book was written by my good friend Gae Polisner. It is set in the immediate aftermath of the twin towers falling and has totally rave reviews from very impressive people. Gae's books are literary YA--the sort that make it into classrooms for thoughtful discussion. I received mine yesterday, so if you need me, I'll be reading.


20 comments:

Sean McLachlan said...

Ah, time! Wish I had the answer too.

L. Diane Wolfe said...

I fill some writing time like that, playing word solitaire or Scrabble on my tablet. Need to take that time to write instead.

Madeline Mora-Summonte said...

Ah, I love a good soak in the tub! I don't bring anything in there with me other than my thoughts - which I try to dump out of my brain for a bit - and a notebook for when I can't. :)

Oh, I have that book on my TBR list....

Mason Canyon said...

As crazy as it sounds, a game of spider solitaire helps to get my thinking back on track.

Thoughts in Progress
and MC Book Tours

Diane Burton said...

Reading helps fill the creative well. I don't read as much as I did pre-writing career. Now it's a few minutes (or hours) before sleep. Computer games (Solitaire, Mah Jong) give me a break and helps clear the mind. Unfortunately, I sometimes play too long. Good luck with whatever works for you.

Crystal Collier said...

Literary YA makes me cry, and I hate crying while reading. It's so easy to fall out of a good habit, eh? Here's to getting back to it and kicking life in the rear!

C.D. Gallant-King said...

I go through phases where I'll pick up a video game or something and get distracted for a few weeks - the time I used to spend writing is suddenly spent diddling around in a game. But within a few weeks, as soon as I start getting bored, I will erased the game and go back to writing. I think we need variety some times, to recharge, to let our minds wander, to do different things so as not to get stuck in a rut.

IWSG September

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

Make a rule - no crosswords in the tub!

Arlee Bird said...

I pretty much get what you're saying as I'm pretty much in the same tub--metaphorically speaking of course. Sometimes I think we need to take a break in order to regroup. My break has been going a bit too long perhaps, but it's possibly what is best for me at the moment.

You've obviously been doing something right considering your accomplishments so far in regard to writing.

Arlee Bird
Tossing It Out

Nissa Annakindt said...

What is helping me is the book 'The Eight-Minute Writing Habit' by Monica Leonelle. She recommends doing 8-minute timed writing sessions to help build up a daily writing habit. Because it's easier to find 8 spare minutes than an hour. Anyway, I'm doing that lately and it helps. Except today when I'm blog hopping.....

Nissa from
http://myantimatterlife.wordpress.com

Andrew Leon said...

I suffer from interruptionitis. Interruptions kill my writing.

cleemckenzie said...

I haven't heard of The Memory of Things. Glad you mentioned it today.

T. Powell Coltrin said...

Look, get out of that bathtub and write. Close the puzzle book and write. You are one of my favorite wordsmithers. (Not a word?) Weaver of sentences. I know you've felt disappointment, maybe discouraged, but write. Okay?

T

Susan Flett Swiderski said...

Three words: take a shower! Um, no, I don't mean right NOW. Sorry. It's not like I'm insinuating you NEED a shower, or anything. But you have to admit, it'd be a lot more difficult to do puzzles in the shower. :)

Really. You'll figure it out. If you truly want to write, you'll make the time to do it. Might not be when you THINK you're gonna do it, but you'll find a way.

Nick Wilford said...

Well, having had a good routine before, hopefully you'll work your way back to one. I think it's a question of motivation, and sometimes writing is more important to us than at other times. There's nothing wrong with that - we're not machines! When the writing is ready to burst out, you'll make time for it. Congrats to Gae - sounds like a good one.

H. R. Sinclair said...

It's so easy to get off track. At least crosswords keep your mind sharp.

grams ramblings said...

Loved the authentic feel to your post. You are just having a bit of fallow time just now. Sometimes I think it's needed. Then you will start back refreshed and with so much to say... Good luck

gramswisewords.blogspot.com

CA Heaven said...

My answer would be: I don't, unfortunately

Cold As Heaven

dolorah said...

I know how that is - to have an established routine and have something interrupt it. Mine was interrupted a long time ago and I never got a new one going. Even reading time is getting difficult to find.

Jennifer Williams-Fields said...

The Memory of Things sounds very interesting! Thanks for the recommendation.