Set Time Aside

As a mother of four, wife, and a full time working mom, I am finding I have to be really creative with my time.

Since I have decided to take writing more seriously, actually write to be published someday, not just for enjoyment, I have tried to set time aside everyday.  One audio workshop I listened to said if you can write a page a day that is one book a year.  Sounds easy, right?  You must not have four kids. *smiles*  The only thing in my schedule that is consistent on a daily basis are my work hours.  Even my mornings are debatable with my athletic daughter having morning practice.  Mama has a hard time functioning at 5am.

So, why do I want to add the extra stress in the first place?  Because to me...writing is a destressor...it is something just for me that I enjoy.  I read Stephen King's On Writing (which btw is a fantastic read) and he mentions that you need to write everyday to be a better writer.  He was right.  I have made an effort to write as much as possible daily, trying to incorporate all the new techniques I have learned.  I am seeing drastic improvement in my writing style.  If I don't write everyday, I lose/forget where I am in my story and waste precious time going back and reviewing.  So, if I can manage to write, even a little bit, every day it helps to keep me moving forward...slowly, but surely.

So, how do I squeeze in time? 

First off, I carry a bag with me everywhere I go...school, store, everywhere.  This bag has a notebook, writing/editing utensils, and a hard copy of a chapter I am currently working on.  This way I can work on something if I find five minutes somewhere in my day, whether it is waiting at the doctor's office or waiting for one of my kiddos to get out of school...I do a lot of waiting.  It is small and lightweight and is covered with ball field dust from writing while watching my kids' ball practice.  (It also has a handy pocket for my iPod when I need to block out extra noise).

I can get a solid twenty minutes during my lunch break...plus it gets me away from work - mentally - for awhile.  I try to stay after work two or three times a week for fifteen or twenty minutes.  I close my classroom door and write.  It all adds up!  I have a thirty minute commute where I do one of two things...either listen to audio workshops on writing (I check these out from my local RWA chapter) or I narrate my ideas onto a small portable tape recorder.  Sometimes I work on my next chapter in my head and scribble them down when I get home.

When I get home is the challenge.  Believe it or not my 'off' nights - where we don't have anything going on - are the most difficult.  The kids want my attention after not seeing me all day, especially my four year old.  The nights we have ball practice is where I get the bulk of my writing done.  This spring all four of my kiddos will be playing ball, so I am looking forward to all the extra time!  Other parents look at me funny as I sit by myself scribbling away, eventually they will ask what I am doing.  Their reaction is a whole other Blog.

On nice evenings (or my summers *sigh*) we go outside to play.  I alternate between pushing my little one on the swing, catching for my daughter, pitching to my son, and working on my wip.  This is where my bag comes in handy!

As you can see, most of my writing is done in pieces and chunks.  This method might not be for some people, but it works for me....for now!