Writers, what do you do to find time—or to make time—to write?
Readers, are you curious how the minds behind the books work some of their magic?
It’s the First Friday of the month, and A Drift of Quills is sharing tidbits on their MO (modus operandi). Ooooh, secrets!
Time—we all need more, right? Can I have a secret extra day in the week? Or how about a clone?
I’m one of those blessed souls who theoretically has time. Awesome, right? Mmmmaybe…! Anyone who looked at my life would assume there are great gobs of the stuff lying around, waiting to be used.
I have plenty to do, believe me. There are the regular chores that come with being an adult and the extracurricular chores that spring up when you belong to a group or indulge in hobbies. On top of that, there are the tasks that fall on the plate of any indie author (a.k.a. “marketing”).
And there’s research (a.k.a. “rabbit holes”).
And homework (a.k.a. “reading”).
So for me, it boils down to making the time to write. Or rather, making myself write. I seem to be most productive late at night, but convincing myself to stay up when my comfy bed is calling and my eyelids are drooping is almost as hard as scheduling dentist appointments.
Okay, not really. I’d far rather stay up late writing every single night than go to the dentist.
But…
Structure and Goals Are Not Bad Words
If when I stick to a schedule and plunk my keester in the chair before my computer every morning, I’ve found I build up steam. I might start small; I’ve set a goal to write no less than 100 words a day. In the beginning, that hundred words can be like pulling teeth. (Ha! Pun!)
But the more I stick to the schedule, the more I write.
You’d think that with such a reward,the sticking would be easy. Inspiring. Exciting!
It is exciting. It’s also challenging.
So what helps me?
- Joining a writing challenge (x-number of words per day)
- Having someone to be accountable to
- Giving in to my competitive side (trying to beat the high word counts in the above-mentioned challenge)
- My awesome writing partner, Kristie
- Reading
- Music
- Letters, comments, and reviews (especially reviews!) from my readers
I don’t list these in order of how well they work, it depends on the day and it depends on my mood (and health). The more of the items I employ, the more likely I am to sit down and write.
And apparently writing about writing helps, too. Bye, I’m gonna go practice being a fictionista!
PATRICIA REDING
Author of Oathtaker and Select
Patricia’s website
Time in a bottle.
Time will tell.
A time to love, and a time to hate.
It was the best of times, it was the worst of times . . .
A time for every purpose under heaven.
Time flies.
The time is right.
Time and tide wait for no man.
Hey! Have you got the time?
This is the question we Quills consider with our post for July 2016.
Most would agree, I think, that there never seems to be enough time to go around. So how, in a life filled with family, friends, day jobs, and more, do we find time to write?
I recall as a child, my mother saying that it annoyed her when people asked her how she found the time to do things. With eight—yes, count them, eight—children, she was a busy woman. She always said: “I don’t have time, I make time.” I guess… (Read more!)
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How do you find—or make—the time to write or read?
What would you like to see us talk about? Let us know in the comments below!