Focus is at the heart of success. Unfortunately, we do not live in a world that nurtures concentration and single-minded devotion to one’s art. So, how can you minimize those pesky interruptions that keep you from writing?
Digital DistractionsLet’s start with all things online – they are just beckoning for your time and attention. Luckily, there are some tricks to reduce your susceptibility to those online Sirens.
- Only check email, social networking and news sites once or twice a day. If absolutely necessary, check every hour but only for five minutes
- Turn off email and smart phone notifications of any sort while you are writing
- Close your Internet Browser while you’re working – do your research beforehand
- If feasible have a dedicated computer or lap top that is strictly for writing – nothing else, not even checking the weather
Activity DistractionsOf course, not all activity distractions are digital. You may be pulled in by your favorite TV show or sidetracked by the need to clean the house from top to bottom. It’s also not unusual that cravings for ice cream or potato chips supersede the writing process (I’m in the potato chips category). Here are some tips to minimize the temptation to self-interrupt:
- Create a very calm and nurturing writing environment
- Remove TVs from your writing area
- If at all, only keep very small amounts of snack food in your writing area
- Leave all reading material that is not immediately related to your novel outside your writing space – read for fun in other areas of the house that you can’t see from your desk
People DistractionsWhile you have quite a bit of control regarding the Internet and activities that pull you away from your novel, people distractions are a little bit more complex. Setting boundaries can be challenging.
First of all, decide on the people who are allowed unlimited access to you – such as small children. Then list the people who are very dear to you but would be fine with you being unavailable at times. In these cases, telling people in advance when you are busy is most helpful – especially when you live in the same house.
People on your periphery are much easier to deal with. A simple, “Sorry but I am really busy right now. Can we do this later?” usually does the trick. In addition,
- Turn off your cell phone while you are working – or at least your message notifications
- Assign a gate keeper if you are living with somebody - that person can screen phone calls and visitors for you
- Protect your writing time with velvet fists
- Practice saying no to anything you don’t really want to do
No more distractions – let the words take over!
***
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Renate Reimann, PhD (bottom photo) is a co-instructor in the upcoming class, WRITING YOUR NOVEL FROM THE GROUND UP: How to Build Your Story While Building Yourself as a Writer for Long-Term Success–In Two Parts. Part I starts on Tuesday, September 17, 2013. For more information, visit our classroom page.
by Kelly L. StoneOne of the most powerful actions you can take to establish writing as a habit in your life is to carve out time to write every day for at least 30 days, and make a commitment to write every day for that entire 30 days. Even if it’s just 15 minutes a day, if you make the short-term commitment to do this, you will soon have a deep understanding of a very important concept: there is power in daily writing!
Daily writing leads to success, no ifs, ands, or buts. That’s because it forces you to focus like a laser on your work in progress and hone your writing skills whether you feel like writing or not. This in turn influences your subconscious mind to help you start thinking of yourself as a writer (or reinforces that belief) and that in turns affects your thoughts, feelings, and behaviors toward writing. Writing begets writing. Daily writing begets writing success.
Success is predicted by how you think, feel, and behave toward your writing goals. A person who has success-oriented thoughts and who feels confident in her abilities will naturally take daily actions that bring about her desired outcomes. She will feel enthusiastic, motivated, and dedicated to those outcomes because she thinks, feels, and acts her way toward reaching them, and she does the things every day necessary to achieve success.
This is the case with writing. An aspiring author who thinks positive thoughts and believes in herself will touch her craft daily, which will generate the enthusiasm and motivation to set goals. She will then cultivate the dedication required to take steps to reach those goals over a long period of time. She will write every day or take action every day toward her writing dream. She will act in methodical, self-disciplined ways that bring about desire outcomes. She will think, feel, and act in ways that stimulate enthusiasm, motivation, and dedication for achieving success as a writer as she defines it.
You can be that writer. Even if you have gotten off-track with your efforts to become a successful writer, it’s never too late to start again! Through daily writing, you can generate the enthusiasm, motivation, and dedication needed to work toward your long-term writing goals. You can create for yourself what is known in psychology as a positive self-fulfilling prophecy, which is a belief system that sets you up to succeed!
***
Kelly L. Stone (www.AuthorKellyLStone.com) is the author of a women’s fiction novel, GRAVE SECRET (Mundania Press, 2007) which Romantic Times Book Reviews called “powerful” and “well-written.” She is also the author of the TIME TO WRITE series for writers: TIME TO WRITE: No Excuses, No Distractions, No More Blank Pages (Adams Media, 2008), THINKING WRITE: The Secret to Freeing Your Creative Mind (Adams Media, 2009) and LIVING WRITE: The Secret to Bringing Your Craft Into Your Daily Life (Adams Media, 2010). She is a sought after keynote speaker and workshop presenter at writing conferences across the country and offers online classes, critiques, and coaching services to writers. Contact her at [email protected].Make your writing a priority and join Kelly in the WOW! Women On Writing Classroom!EmpowerYour Muse, Empower Your Writing Self starts
September 3, 2012.No MatterHow Busy You Are, You Can Find Time to Write! starts
October 8, 2012
As summer temperatures heat up, some writers heat up as well, typing like mad until they have to go back to their day jobs as teachers. Yet there are many other writers whose writing comes to a halt because they are Moms.
Maybe it’s because my family needs my income. I’ve never said, “I can’t write because the kids are home.”
If you’ve used this excuse, I’ve got something to say. If you genuinely want to write, it is possible even with the kids home if you are willing to follow these four steps.
Commit. The first thing that you need to do is commit to writing even when you aren’t home alone. You are a writer. Writers write. You are not neglecting your children by writing. You’re a Mom not a cruise ship activities director. You do not need to fill their every waking moment. They will survive on their own for short periods of time and they will learn to amuse themselves. Commit to the idea that you can write even with children around. This step is essential. Repeat it until you mean it. I am a writer. Writers write.
Talk the Talk. Lay things on the line for everyone involved. Explain that you are going to write. Because this is work, it is not optional and they must give you this time. Period. All requests during work time will get an immediate NO. Snacks. Movies. Swimming. The park. No, no, no, and (do I need to say it again?) no.
Help Them Find Something to Do. If your kids are used to sailing along with you as activities director, they won’t amuse themselves with grace or dexterity. Ask them what they plan to do while you write. A movie or the Playstation almost always work. Maybe they’d like to read or play a game. If your kids are particularly clever, they may announce that they are bored. You can’t say no to that, but you can always bring out the Jar of Joy. This is a sarcastic name for the chore jar, the perfect anecdote for boredom. Ask my son.
Do It. Decide how long you are going to write. If you normally don’t write with the kids home, this is going to be a learning process for everyone. If you have younger children, start with a shorter time, maybe 15 minutes. Set a timer and get to work. Don’t check Facebook. Don’t pop over to your e-mail. Write.
How do I know this will work? I’ve been writing since my son was an infant. He gave up naps at 3, but I didn’t give up writing. Why? Because I’m a writer and I’m not neglecting anyone if I take the time to do it.
–SueBE
Author Sue Bradford Edwards blogs at One Writer's Journey.
I just watched this beautiful video called "The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore. It has already won several awards including "Best Animated Short" at the Austin Film festival and is up for an Academy Award.
It's 15 minutes long so get a cup of hot chocolate and sit back and enjoy. It's worth the time.
The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore from Moonbot Studios on Vimeo.
Here is a little blurb that explains the inspiration behind it:
Directed by William Joyce and Brandon Oldenburg, the 15-minute film draws from Hurricane Katrina, "The Wizard of Oz," Buster Keaton and, of course, a love for books. The story starts in New Orleans with the Keaton-like Mr. Morris Lessmore writing a book on the balcony of a hotel. A menacing storm swirls into town, blowing away houses and street signs, taking Mr. Lessmore and his unfinished book with it.
My take on the film: *spoiler alert*
I love the story and the idea of finding a magical place where books and literature become the food of life and happiness. But at the same time I felt sad for Mr. Lessmore (and herein lies the genius of his name), there is so much more to life than simply books. He finds joy in his fantasyland and his writing, but he misses out on the best part of life--family and friends, relationships.
It was a good reminder to me that (to quote Uncle Iroh) we must all find balance. No one part of life, no matter how wonderful, should completely take over.
What are your thoughts?
I recently read an issue of The Writer Magazine at the library, and one of the articles caught my attention. The main point of the article was that you should spend most of your writing time on what you write for money like magazine articles, business newsletters, blog posts, or whatever writing income stream you have found. According to the article, about 80% of your writing time should be spent on pieces that will make you “instant” money, instead of royalties later on down the road.
The other 20% should be reserved for your creative side—that poem you’ve been thinking about since you went for a walk in your old neighborhood, the novel you’re rewriting, or a short story to send to a contest.
This “theory” makes perfect sense until I try to put it into practice. One of my main problems is that I want the pieces I write during my 20% “creative time” to be my main income stream, but I don’t feel like I spend enough time on them. How will these stories and novels ever be successful if I’m only spending 20% of my time on them? The real problem is that this creative time is probably more like 3 to 5 percent of my writing time, instead of 20, when I figure in e-mail, marketing, and networking, too.
So, as writers do, I decided to make a list, full of tips and tricks to make sense of balancing my writing income work with my creative, hopefully-someday-income-gathering, writing. I hope that some of these tips and tricks can help you if you face this same dilemma, and together we can become more balanced writers.
Plan With Your Daily Calendar
If I sit down at the computer without a plan, I waste a lot of time. So, this year, I invested in a calendar with large spaces for each day where I can clearly write what I want to work on. The calendar has two days on every page, so a two-page spread shows four days of the week. This calendar’s organization really helps me see if I’m planning to write for money and creativity in the same four-day spread.
Now, don’t get me wrong, I enjoy writing, any writing. So, I’m not saying this 80% "business writing" is not fun and enjoyable--it’s just a different type of writing. If you write fiction and poetry AND you write non-fiction articles, you know what I’m talking about. I just love writing!
On each day of my four-day calendar spread, I make a note to work on some sort of creative, currently non-income writing, such as writing a chapter of my YA novel or revising and sending out a picture book manuscript. This is my 20%. Now, I haven’t mathematically figured out if m
I’m so excited! This weekend I completed my first assignment for
Lynne Garner’s class on craft book writing. I’ve walked over that threshold of a new project and feel that I have a firm foundation that will carry me through. Of course, it helps that someone is mentoring my progress.
I’m one of those people who, for better or worse, tends to place everyone else’s needs first. Therefore, if I have any other “work” to do I will put my time into that before I ever spend time on my own projects. The consequences, of course, are that “my” projects are ignored. I hold my creative children hostage against other duties. When all my other work is done I will spend time with them…if there is still time.
Apparently I am not the only writer feeding her children with spare chunks of time. Last Saturday
Elizabeth alluded to the same habit of imprisoning her projects in the desk drawer until she had time for them. It is curious…we become writers because we have a creative drive, a story to tell, a soul longing for expression—and then we push all of that aside to attend to what “really” needs to be accomplished.
Knowing that I have this tendency, I recently joined a Friday morning creativity group. Every Friday morning we meet via phone or Internet for a brief chat and then dedicate the next forty minutes to our separate creative endeavors. This “appointment” makes me schedule time for my own pursuits. I’ve found that setting these dates with my creative children enriches my relationship with them and with my soul. The children grow, my soul feels acknowledged, and I have a sense of peace and fulfillment.
If you are like me and have difficulty scheduling time for your own projects try setting regular dates with a friend. You can meet via phone or Internet and agree to spend the next half hour on your separate projects. Knowing that someone else is expecting you to show up might just be the extra nudge you need.
by Robyn Chausse
I have a confession to make. Over the past six months I have struggled to write. I have some excuses - a time consuming day job, a relocation, growing kids, living apart from my beloved during the week - the list goes on. But in spite of all this, I've managed to still watch TV, play games, go for walks - lots of things that are ostensibly less important to me than writing. It's as if the
Grandma and Grandpa Schindler with the two writing "distractions" who are visiting this week.
Writer mamas: I salute you!
Seems like I've always been a writer. When my kids were young, I'd write after they went to bed or were down for a nap. It wasn't ideal, but it worked.
As we all grew older, the writing schedule changed. Now, while they stayed up till all hours completing history projects or geometry homework, I'd be right there with them, composing like crazy or editing short stories.
And then, they were all gone. I quit full-time teaching and began freelancing full-time. And I could set my own office hours and work whenever inspiration - or deadlines - hit.
But this week, my 23-year-old baby is home from Arizona with Jorden and Walker, our 15- and
5-month old grandsons, respectively.
Whew! (I imagine mom says that more than grandma!)
I don't mind the distractions. Really, I don't. But it seems in a week filled with newspaper deadlines and blog posts, this grandma needs more naps than the babies!
Squeezing in writing time presents challenges, too. Write then those three take a nap? Tried that yesterday and I wrote 2 sentences. Erased. Rewrote. Edited. Erased. New sentence. Erased.
You get the point.
Write while Jorden stands by my chair blowing kisses and saying "Gamma..."? Just can't do it.
Write after they go to bed? I tried last night and decided I'd wake up early this morning and work for a few hours while the boys slept in.
Right.
It's tough being a writing mom - or grandma! You learn to prioritize and juggle babies and bottles and diaper changes while you write a lead paragraph in your mind, hoping you remember it when you actually get to the computer.
But, I also wouldn't want this week to be any other way. I'm blessed to have a supportive family who understands my crazy writing schedule. And, I'm grateful that I get to spend a week with these little boys who will be little men before I blink.
So deadlines and blog posts: beware.
You will get completed and written.
And you may even get a handful of blown kisses from Jorden or a coo from Walker.
But I'll get to you when I find time in my precious schedule.
by LuAnn Schindler. Read more of LuAnn's work at http://luannschindler.com.
Time Management for Writers
by Kelly L. Stone
One of the primary questions I am asked by aspiring authors is “where do you find time to write?” Most people already know that the answer is you don’t have time, you make time. But making time to write in what feels like an already crammed schedule isn’t as easy as it sounds.
Unless you try counting.
Let me explain.
It is a scientific fact that whenever you start counting the number of times you do a certain behavior, that behavior will either increase or decrease in frequency depending on what you want it to do. So one way to track how often you are doing a behavior is to count it.
Let’s say you have a suspicion that time spent on social networking sites is eating into time that you could be writing instead. How can you tell for sure? Get out a pen and paper and start counting how many hours you spend each day on social sites. One person in my writing classes did this and discovered she was spending 3 hours a day on social networking sites, and this was after working a day job! And she wondered why she never had time to write!
This can be done for anything activity that you want to eliminate, compress, or delegate in order to make time to write: tv watching, checking your email, internet surfing (under the guise of *research*), talking on the phone, going shopping, checking for loose change beneath the sofa cushions, and so forth.
An easy way to find out where you can shoehorn writing into any schedule, no matter how busy, is to use what I call the 24-Hour Time Budget™. It’s simple. Simply track every minute of your day for a few days; I suggest a typical weekday and weekend day for starters. This exercise is similar to writing down every penny you spend in order to get a handle on where your money is going; the goal is for you to see where you are “spending” your time in order to wedge in some writing. After a few days, you’ll have an overview of where the bulk of your time is going. Then you can scrutinize the budget to see where you can eliminate, compress, rearrange, or delegate some activities and fit in writing time, instead.
Don’t be surprised if you find, like my former student, that you spend a lot more time in non-essential activities than you thought you did. (The average person watches more than 4 hours of television a night.) Just lop off some hours on the social networking sites and focus on your WIP instead.
Leave a comment letting me know where you discovered you’re spending all your time, and be entered into a drawing to win a TIME TO WRITE or THINKING WRITE lecture packet. Two winners will be selected from a random drawing.
***
Kelly L. Stone’s (
http://www.authorkellylstone.com/) novel, GRAVE SECRET (Mundania Press, September 2007) was called “powerful” and “well written” by RT Book Reviews. She is the author TIME TO WRITE, THINKING WRITE, and her latest book for writers is LIVING WRITE: The Secret to Bringing Your Craft Into Your Daily Life (Adams Media, September 2010).
Kelly is also a WOW! Women on Writing Classroom instructor. Her interactive workshop EMPOWER YOUR MUSE, EMPOWER YOUR WRITING SELF starts Monday, June 6th. Click he
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By: LuAnn Schindler,
on 5/15/2011
Blog:
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So, you think you want to be a writer?
It doesn't matter if you devote 24/7 to the writing life or work another job and squeeze in writing time when possible. You still need basic necessities that make writing an easier task.
First, you need a space. Virginia Wolff believed a woman needs a room of her own. And, she's right. A writer needs an office/spot at the dining room table/a booth at the local coffee shop that she can call her own. Granted, some places provide better work opportunities than others, but a writer needs a space to set up shop. When I started freelancing, I converted a former bedroom into my cramped office, but I made it comfortable by repainting the walls to a cheery tangerine, adding memorabilia that inspires me, and using the space for writing only. What is your ideal office set-up?
Second, you need supplies. Even though you'll submit the majority of your work online, you still need to stock up on basics, like envelopes, paper, and stamps. I also make sure I have plenty of ink cartridges on hand, as well as Post-It notes, notebooks, batteries, postage (it's a 17-mile trip to town) and pens. I keep a separate notebook in my office, kitchen, bedroom and car. You never know when inspiration will strike! If you will be conducting interviews on a regular basis, invest in a digital audio recorder. It's a time saver! What office supplies do you have available?
Third, you need a computer and accessories. When I began freelancing, I didn't have the latest, greatest computer. I had a five-year-old laptop that was slow as molasses. But, I could still produce articles and stories. After a couple successful (translate: lucrative) sales, I upgraded to a computer that fit my needs. This included a photo software program, since photos must accompany most articles I write, as well as digital movie making software, since more online publications are asking me for a video to accompany a story package. But you can't just think about what computer you need. Think internet connection and make sure it's reliable. You also need to consider a printer, camera, digital video recorder, and scanner, depending on what you write. What type of computer essentials do you rely on most?
Fourth, you need a phone. Plus, it needs to be reliable. Nothing is more frustrating than being in the middle of an interview while on a cell phone and the network cuts out! We do not have a landline in our home, so I rely on my Blackberry to connect with contacts. With its myriad features, I use it to schedule appointments, network, send Twitter updates, and even type a story if I am on deadline. Do you use a land line, cell phone, or both to connect with your contacts?
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A day-job colleague asked me yesterday whether I made much money from my writing. When I explained that I don’t earn enough to justify giving up the afore-mentioned day job, he was surprised. After all, I’d just told him about being shortlisted for Children’s Book of the Year, and told him about my other books, and the various successes I’ve had with them. I explained that the day job is what
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I'm a "brewer." Once I get an idea in mind for an article or story, I like to let it simmer, let it steep and build until I have the perfect blend, like a delicious cup of tea.
Honestly, it's procrastination at its best - or worst - depending on how you look at it. Once I get the initial sentence down on paper, I have no problem letting the words spill onto the page.
(Smartphone just dinged. Gotta check my Facebook message. BRB.)
Perhaps it's perfectionism. Maybe I'm trying to string together the perfect sentence filled with beautiful imagery and bold action verbs.
(Hubs just walked in and asked if I planned on serving breakfast today or if I was going to make brunch.)
Or, maybe I need to learn to better manage my time.
All writers need to find the right balance between writing and life's other obligations. Often, we complain that we can't find time to write.
(Excuse the interruption. I'm checking Twitter right now because a building is on fire in downtown Lincoln, Nebraska, just a block from our oldest daughter's apartment. Phone call confirms she's okay.)
Sometimes, we need to learn the difference between finding time and making time. Need help? Here are a few of my favorite ways to boost productivity:
- Identify time wasters and get rid of them. Facebook, Twitter, email can suck you in, and before you realize it, you've lost minutes (or hours) of time. Limit the amount of time you spend on social networking and perusing the inbox. Your WIP will thank you.
- Devise a plan to add writing time. Some writers are up writing way before daylight breaks. Adding an hour or two in the morning may seem like a grand solution, but waking up early means you're also taking away precious pillow time. Make a plan to wake up 15 minutes early, or a half hour early a few mornings and see if it helps your routine. Personally, I like to stay up late at night and write like a mad woman once my husband is entrenched in bed and snoring like a baby. The key is making a writing plan and sticking to it.
- Mark your territory. When I first began freelancing a decade ago, I wrote from my dining room table. I'd spread all my materials across the table and write. When I was finished, I packed up stuff until the next time. Now, I have an office, and even some days, I prefer to get out of the office and move to the kitchen table or the living room sofa. The point is, you need a space to write. And then, you need to use it.
- Multi-task. Sometimes, I'll write a paragraph, leave the office, walk into the kitchen and perform another task. I'm still thinking about my project, but when I'm stuck, this technique allows me to get some daily tasks accomplished while I contemplate my next word, sentence or paragraph.
I made time to complete this blog post. And now, I'm staring at my to-do list and planning the remainder of this writing Sunday.
(Oh look, Grown Ups is on pay per view.)
Make time to write. Make a commitment to your writing. Your craft will thank you.
by LuAnn Schindler. Read more of LuAnn's writing at her
Writing is hard enough. On any given day I wrestle with hundreds of distractions – some real, like my children’s needs or my other professional commitments, some self-imposed, like checking email or needing snacks. But when the holidays roll around, maintaining any level of productivity is a challenge of epic proportions. Between the shopping, wrapping and sending (both personal and corporate), card-making and sending (again, personal and professional), household decorating, cooking, attending holiday events at school, work, and with friends, and the very real and important desire to spend as much time as possible with my family, there’s barely a moment left for writing.
But I can’t afford to stop altogether – that would mean both a loss in income and a loss of ‘muscle.’ Writing is a discipline, like working out, and in order to do it well I have to stay in shape. So I need to be extra creative at this time of year to juggle the extra load and still stay somewhat sane.
Here are some of the ways I maintain focus and momentum with my writing during the holiday season:
- Organize and consolidate the gift-giving – I try every year to come up with a unique and personal gift that will work for most of the people on my list. Last year it was a custom cookbook with all our favorite family recipes. In previous years, we’ve made bulb-planting kits, jeweled book ‘thongs’ (i.e. strappy bookmarks), and made countless yummies with recipes attached. We’ve purchased dozens of copies of one favorite book, or found unusual gifts that are also charitable contributions. This not only limits the amount of time I spend shopping (I still get individualized gifts for my immediate family and a few special friends), but it also makes the holiday budget much more manageable.
- Enlist the family’s support and assistance – I send out over 500 holiday cards, when you factor in both personal and the corporate ones. To simplify this, I print our holiday message inside, thus greatly minimizing how many I need to hand-write in. (Again, I do put personal messages in a few, but not all.) I also print mailing labels, as opposed to hand addressing (I know – but I’m lucky to be getting out holiday cards at all, let alone hand addressing them!) Then I recruit the kids and my husband and anyone else who’s around and game to help for stuffing, labeling, sealing, stamping, mailing etc. I also lean heavily on my family for help decorating the house, tree, etc.
- Stay flexible about my writing time, and space. While I greatly prefer to write in my home office, in the morning or early afternoon, with the door closed and a cup of tea at my side, the reality is that I have learned to write at the kitchen table with chaos going on all around me. I have also learned to write at odd hours, and in other places. For instance, I am writing this post in a waiting room while my daughter is at an appointment…
- Keep lists. I save my holiday gift and card lists on my computer, so I can call them up each year and adjust them accordingly, rather than having to create them again from scratch. I also record the holiday bonuses we give to mail carriers, garbage collectors and other service providers, so I am consistent and don’t forget anyone.
- Remember my priorities. In the end, I know I will not look back and wish I had spent more time working, but I may well look back and wish I had spent more time with my family. December is actually my favorite time of year in our little town, as everything is so beautiful, and everyone is in high spirits… and I love our family’s annual holiday tradit
I Need Writing Workshops Like I Need a Personal Trainer
by Jennifer Smith Gray
I love to write. I want to write. I have many story ideas brewing and I know I need to write them down. I know that I will be a better writer the more I write.
I like to exercise (I tried to use love here, but just couldn’t do it). I want to exercise. I have many thoughts about my fitter, leaner, healthier life and I know I need to get on with it. I know that it will be easier the more I do it.
But, both activities seem to be pushed aside far too often. With a demanding job, a busy family, and a mild addiction to a select few television shows, writing and exercising frequently get carried over from one day’s To-Do List to the next.
In the past, I’ve resorted to paying to exercise. Even gym memberships or weekly fitness classes didn’t always provide the necessary motivation though—I didn’t have to go. What did work was a personal trainer, because I did have to go to meet up with him—I was paying him $60 an hour regardless of whether I showed up.
Now, I’m applying the same theory to my writing. It may seem silly to pay money just to write, but it has been working. When I commit to a workshop, I go, I write, and I keep on writing. Some workshops have had me writing pieces on the spot, from prompts, and reading those out loud to a group. A few of those pieces have been the starting point for longer works. A recent day-long lecture workshop sparked the idea for a memoir that I’m working on now. I hope that an upcoming online workshop will provide a straightforward introduction to the world of book reviews.
Of course, I could just write, and learn these things on my own, just as I could go for a jog and do push-ups on my own at any time. But, when I was working out with the trainer at the gym, I gained more than just fitness. I learned what I was doing wrong, I heard about other success stories, I learned how to vary the routine, and I saw results.
Similarly, writing workshops, with fees typically much more affordable than a personal trainer, give me:
• Forced time to write.
• A built-in audience—what motivation to know a piece of writing will be read or heard, not just sentenced to life in the In Progress folder on the laptop.
• Professional and personal contacts.
• Tips and lessons learned from writers who have been there.
• Results.
The key for me now is to heed the one piece of advice that comes out of every single writing workshop I’ve been a part of—set aside time to write every day, no matter what. If I can fit that in, along with the occasional workshop for further development, I’ll be in good shape, so to speak. A personal trainer is out of the question right now, so I guess I'd better walk or bike to my writing workshops—at least the ones that are not online.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Jennifer Smith Gray is a technical writer by day and writes creatively as much as possible by night (or whenever she can fit it in). When she’s not attending writing workshops, she’s exploring her East York, Toronto, neighborhood with her husband and kids, and perhaps thinking about exercising. www.juniperink.com*****************
Do you want to reach WOW’s audience? We welcome short posts (500 words or less) from writers just
I don't have time to write.
This is probably the most common reason I hear from people why they don't write, in spite of their professed desire to be a writer and/or to get published.
"I am going to write a book one day," they'll say. "But I just don't have the time right now."
Tosh! If you are reading this blog post, you have the time to write. In the couple of minutes it has taken you to
I’ve talked about this before, but I just read a post by literary agent Rachelle Gardner and thought that this is something worth repeating.
Rachelle answered a reader’s question about tips on time management by saying that prioritizing her work is the best way she knows of getting through the day. She also talks about the things she DOESN’T do so she has time to do her work. Here’s a quote:
I’ve dispensed with a lot of non-necessary things in life… things I’d like to do if I could! But the path I’ve chosen means I’ve had to let go of some things. For example: I don’t scrapbook. I don’t knit. I don’t separate the whites from the colors… don’t clip coupons… don’t grow a garden… don’t make jam… don’t bake my own bread… don’t go to PTA meetings… don’t make my kids’ Halloween costumes… don’t homeschool… don’t remember everyone’s birthday… don’t run marathons… don’t go for manicures or pedicures… don’t watch Oprah. I don’t even vacuum or dust (I delegate those tasks).
A writer friend of mine has been struggling with finding time to write. She’s a single mother of three with a demanding job, and she’s trying to also live out her love of writing and fulfill her dream of getting her work published. She writes beautifully, and I have no doubt that if she preserveres, she will get her dream. But sometimes her schedule is so hectic, she doesn’t write for a few weeks or months, and she misses it. Of course, her addiction to TMZ doesn’t help either.
For us writers, writing is not something we think about sometimes and would maybe like to do if we have time — it’s something we have to do, something that pulls on our mind, begs us to pay attention. It’s a desire, a need. And when we’re not writing, we don’t feel entirely whole. We know that something is missing.
Rachelle’s quote reminded me that to make time to write — not find time, make time — is imperative. It’s the best thing we can do for us as people as well as for our dreams. Because we’re happier writing. And to make time to write, we often have to forego other things.
Like Rachelle, there are lots of things I don’t do that I would love time to do: I don’t do puzzles … knit … learn to play a musical intrument … get my hair cut as often as I should … keep the garden as nice as I would like … finish decorating my house … get my nails done … chat with friends … And ditto on everybody’s birthdays (sorry to my friends and families — know you’re in my thoughts).
This might sound selfish, and it is to a point. But it’s something I have to do right now, and my hope is that one day, I might be able to just have writing as my job, cutting out one of the tasks during the day. We’ll see.
My point is, if writing is important to you, make the time. I get up early in the morning so I can work on my novel before the sun comes up. Find your time and be selfish about that time. Make the time for your family and friends, you need that too, but look at your life and see what you can cut out or cut down on so you can use that time to write — then be selfish about those minutes or hours. They’re yours. Use them well.
Write On!
I’m still planning to write up a more detailed account of the SCBWI Houston Editor’s Day on Saturday, so think of this as a primer.
Finding time to write seemed to be a theme for the writers at the conference, fitting in our novels/picture books/whatever between our day-jobs and families. A number of writers I talked to said they hadn’t written for a while because they were finding it hard to find the time.
My answer to that was, “I’ve been there, but I’ve found a solution: Don’t try to find the time — Make the time.”
Long before I finished my novel, I would write for a couple days, maybe a couple weeks, then get busy and not touch it for months. Then when I got back to, always because the drive to write was so strong it pulled me back, it took a while again to figure out where I had left off and what the characters were doing. I blame this for a lot of my early structural problems with the story, which took me months to fix.
But one day, I realized that finding time to write wasn’t getting me anywhere. If I was truly dedicated to finishing my novel and writing becoming a permanent part of my life, I had to MAKE the time, not wait around for my schedule to free up. (It never will.)
Once I made that commitment to make the time to write, writing became a permanent fixture in my schedule. For me, I set my clock to 5am and get up as soon as possible after it goes off (I have a love/hate relationship with the snooze button). Then I write until my husband gets up around 7:30 and we go to the gym. This is my writing time, and I’m very protective of it. I won’t open my emails, won’t open my iGoogle and look at blog posts — no matter how much I’m tempted. I won’t reply to instant messages that pop up. That time is for my writing. I have set it aside. I have MADE it. So I write. (Of course, I have my off days, and often stare bleary eyed at the screen for 45 minutes before my hands even touch the keys, but I’m still there.)
I don’t get as much done as I would like in those mornings. Remember my goal of six chapters a week for my current revision? I was a chapter short last week and am at only about 2.5 chapters so far this week, and it’s Thursday.
But, making that commitment, making that time, allowed me to finish my novel. Maybe I would have finished it if I was still finding the time, but it probably wouldn’t have been for a lot, lot longer. Also, when you make the time, it’s a state of mind, saying to yourself that writing is important to you, so important that it gets a regular slot in your schedule. You wouldn’t miss an appointment for work, so don’t miss your own appointments for your writing. Even if they’re not paying your way yet, they’re just as important, for your psyche (writers need to write, and if you’re a writer, you know what I mean) and for your future.
On Monday, as I chatted on the phone with my mother telling her about the conference, I told her about my finding time/making time conversations. At the end, she said, “You’ve inspired me. I’m going to start getting up early and making time for the gym.”
I hope my “make the time” pep talk helped my friends at the conference, and I hope this helps you.
How do you make the time to write?
Write On!
The title of this post is misleading. Two days off might sound like a good thing: two days off work, maybe. But, no. Unfortunately, I mean two days off of my writing, and the reason is two too late nights and I overslept both yesterday and today so didn’t get any writing done. I’m once again behind on my unofficial participation in National Novel Writing Month, which for most people ended Nov. 30. I vowed to do 30 days, and I still have four to go — of course, they were supposed to be 30 consecutive days, but oh well. Maybe next November I can do it for real. Either way, I will DEFINITELY be getting up early tomorrow and writing. I’m realizing that if I don’t get up early, there’s no way I’ll fit writing in during the day.
On another note, a friend from my critique group found me on JacketFlap today, which was exciting. On her profile, I found her blog and thought I’d share it with you. Sarah Joiner’s blog The Journey has the tag line Traveling the rocky road to publication. Sounds like something we all can relate to.
How’s your writing going? Hopefull better than mine!
Write On!
SIMON SAYS
A weekly column from children’s author Simon Rose
I do a lot of my creative work at night, especially during the school year from September to June, although this is largely a legacy from the time when I worked outside the home from Monday to Friday.
In more recent years, I have gradually moved away from exclusively working in the evening and now try to get more writing done during the daylight hours. However, I find that full days conducting workshops with children and doing presentations over the course of a week can be
exhausting. Consequently, I often do very little creative work once I get home if I have been busy with author visits at schools. At these times, my writing work schedule at home seems to be restricted to responding to e mails, attending to blogs, answering inquires from schools and engaging in various aspects of promotional work.
During busy periods, very little creative work gets done. If you have a full-time job during the week, your only option is to create your masterpiece at night or over the weekend. However, this process has to be finely balanced with allowing time for your family. Often, spouses and other family members can be incredibly supportive of your burning desire to break into print, but they can also soon begin to feel neglected if the writing project starts to take over your life.
Develop not only a schedule, setting time aside in the evening or weekend to attend to your writing, but also have a firm starting time and especially a finish time, no matter how involved in the creative process you are.
Always remember to be respectful of the people in your life who are supporting your efforts and allowing you the precious time to pursue your dream.
finding time to write,
Simon Rose,
writing for children,
Writing Tips
My past few weeks have been even busier than usual. At a time when my creative juices are really flowing, it seems there are a million little demons determined to trip me up and keep me away from my keyboard or, when I’m at that keyboard, to ensure I’m busy doing anything other than writing creatively. But I’m a writer – and writing creatively is what I need to do. So I try try try (not always
The Murphlets have gone back to school today after the long Summer holidays. I love having my kids home for the holidays, but must confess to being happy to see them back at school, so I can get more writing done. And I think they were happy to be back at school, too, or at least acceptant of the fact that they were going there.
So now the house will be quiet from 9 till 3, and I should have
Focus is at the heart of success. Unfortunately, we do not live in a world that nurtures concentration and single-minded devotion to one’s art. So, how can you minimize those pesky interruptions that keep you from writing?
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Distractions are going to be the death of my writing. The "platform building" aspect of writing: blogs, Facebook, Twitter, are important and deserve, as you mentioned, a selected time during the day for attention. But they can too easily start to be "productive procrastination" distractions as I numb out on the computer and avoid the creative work of writing. I. Must. Be. Better.
Computer and phone distractions are the worst. It does help to silence incoming e-mail, texts, etc., or even shut down everything except the Word doc you're writing. Easier said than done though!
I laughed at practice saying no. It does actually take practice--not so much the physical act of saying NO (although that may help) but the guilt/indecision--should I do this? after you say no. Believe me, I need to practice!
I needed this 'smack upside the head'. If my writing is going well, time just slips away and I lose track of everything else, to the point of letting the kettle boil dry. If I'm bogged down, everything else is appealing, from Facebook to running a load of laundry. MUST learn to focus and stick it out, no matter what. Thank you for the reminder and suggestions.
Julie, I see your point. Sometimes productive procrastination on tweets and Facebook posts can be a good thing. But the "numbing out" might be the moment to take a break. Then switch to your creative writing. Let me know if that works for you.
MP, sometimes it helps to set aside certain periods during the day when you are "off the grid." But let people around you know when that is so they won't get nervous about you not responding. No need to upset anybody.
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Lynn, sometimes it's a good thing to do something else like the laundry when you are stuck. Just instruct your subconscious mind to find a solution to whatever is in the way. Going for a walk or meeting a friend can also give you new insights that will bring you back to your creative writing.