These days the mormon mommy is over-worked and over-stressed. With schedules packed full of preschool co-op, volunteering at the school, cleaning, shopping, scrapbooking, service projects, callings, reading scriptures, exercise, writing in journals, hubby time and on and on.... how do we ever find time (and, more specifically, a certain time every day) to write?
While we are all at different stages in life, with little kids or grown ones, we all have busy schedules with deadlines to meet. In this economy many of us have "other" jobs to help with supporting the family. These are busy, busy times.
There is always something in my life that has DEADLINE written across it. There is always some pressing issue that takes precedence over my writing goals. I am not an organized person that follows a schedule every day. I just try to get everything done that needs to be done, and so my writing time often gets pushed aside. I know it's said you have to make time to write... but how do YOU do that?
Please share with me some tips that have worked for you. How do you make time for writing amidst all of the chaos of life?
that's a good question. For me, writing can't be done with only half focus. So if all my energy and thoughts are being consumed by some other project, it really is hard to switch gears and focus on my story. It helps if I can think about my story while doing other things, then when it's time to write, I'm not only ready to do so, I am excited about. This has been hard to achieve for me lately. But I'm ready to work harder at it.
ReplyDeleteI so agree with Nikki. It's really hard for me to switch gears--I can't have my MS in front of me and create new scenes just knowing that the kids are up and about.
ReplyDeleteI find that the best time for me to write is either when they are all away during school--that precious window of utter silence *sigh*--OR after they have been tucked into bed.
Before they became school age, I wrote at my own expense--after they were tucked in for the night until about 1 am every morning.
I steal time! Ha ha! That's right. I'm a time thief. Now if I could only figure out where those stolen minutes come from... Oh wait, I'm confusing myself with one of my characters.
ReplyDeleteThis is my hour--at night, when the kids are in bed and while my hubby is out fulfilling his callings like home teaching, splits with the missionaries, taking the boy to scouts etc. I used to find a good couple hours during nap time, but since starting back into school that's not terribly realistic. Night writing is my prize each night for making it through the day...alive.
Every day at 1:00 pm, I sit down to the computer to work on my novel until 3:00. I treat it like a part-time job. I don't schedule anything else during that time. I don't blog or check e-mail during that time. I make sure I get my chores, shopping, visiting teaching, working on my calling, sleeping, eating, and any other obligations I might have, done during the other 22 hours of the day.
ReplyDeleteThis takes discipline. There are some days I just don't want to do it, days it would be easier to take a nap or read a book instead. But I keep at it. I don't think I can be the writer I want to be if I only write in my "spare time."