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!

From a Teacher's POV

     I'm a newbie writer, but an experienced teacher, so take the following for what it is worth.  All the published authors out there have already made this mistake and moved on.

     I'm talking about head hopping - switching point of view (POV).  Don't know what I am talking about?  Let me help you.  Find a 2-4 page part of your novel between your hero and heroine (or two main characters).  Now, get out your highlighters!

     With your pink highlighter go through and mark anything your heroine is thinking (what is on her mind).  When you are finished, get out your blue highlighter...you got it...mark anything that the hero is thinking.

     Put your markers away.  Stand back and look at the pretty colors.  If you are like me you have a generous helping of both colors.  This is head hopping!  (And this is bad :-)

     Try going through a favorite novel (NOT a library book) marking a scene with two main characters interacting.  How is your work different from your favorite work?

     Master writers can get away with switching POV...that is why they are the masters.  But to those of us just getting started, it is best to keep it simple and focused.

     What have I learned from my experience?  Figure out who you want telling the story...the hero or the heroine.  Just write the scene from their head (POV).  If a scene changes, then you can change POV...just don't hop around too much.  If you are not sure, try writing the scene from one POV then write from the other POV.  See which you like best...you might be surprised...I was.

     I thought it was important for the reader to know everything that was going on in my story (both "heads" or POV).  After entering a contest all three judges commented how head hopping was confusing them.  I decided to listen.  I found out the reader doesn't necessarily want to know everything at once...they want to discover what is going on through your characters.

     Don't be stubborn.  I reluctantly changed my ways and immediately could tell a difference.  Give it a shot...what have you got to lose?