Friday, January 6, 2012

{RNW} Making Time For Writing

{RNW} is Ramblings of a Night Writer, the new feature that I will hopefully be posting on a regular basis addressing the topics of writing.  These topics will vary each and every time and may be relevant for all sorts of writers ... fiction, feature, bloggers, readers, etc.  I have made it a goal this year to really focus on my writing, both on the blog and off, and I really have a lot to learn!  I want to chat with other writers.  I want to discuss writing from a writer's perspective AND from a reader's perspective.  Some posts may be true ramblings, others will be strongly discussion-based, and others may be actual tips and tricks that I discover along the way.  I hope you enjoy and come along for the ride!

For the very first {RNW} post of the year, I really want to talk about finding the time to write.  Over this past year, I have been given the advice by a multitude of people, including bestselling authors to write every single day.  This writing may only be 15 minutes at a time.  It may be publisher-worthy, but it also could just be free-writing, journaling, etc.  As I have tried to write every single night this week, I have succeeded. However, I am not getting much sleep and am already feeling myself beginning to drag.  I wonder ... Will I be able to sustain this schedule for any length of time?  Or, will I completely fizzle out next week?  I do work full-time, raise two very active children with heavy schedules, do a bit of freelance on the side, and am still trying to fit in a regular exercise routine.  Will I fail before I even have the chance to begin?

Tell Me:  Do you write every single day?  Did you ease yourself into a schedule or dive straight in?  What are your tips for (daily) writing?

7 comments:

  1. I don t write everyday but I should...even if it's just 5 minutes...

    The question is how do you do it all and still stay healthy and sane?

    ReplyDelete
  2. I am the worst procrastinator. I do just what I warn my students not to do!
    But I do write most days.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Patty ... That is a VERY good question and one that I'm wondering myself!! :)

    Kate W. ... How much time do you spend writing most days?

    ReplyDelete
  4. Over the past couple of years, I've gone from thinking of ideas for a book to deciding that I'm just not a writer. I don't know if that would change with practice or a creative writing course or something but, like you, time is just not on my side right now. Between parenting, housekeeping, blogging and fitness, I have very little time for much else! If I had to choose between writing and sleep, sleep definitely wins! I hope that you find a way to make it work though. :)

    ReplyDelete
  5. Tif, I have the perfect article for you. Here's the link: http://thedarksalon.blogspot.com/2012/01/new-years-resolutionswriting-one-day-at.html

    Scroll down to where she says "Writing more? Not possible without brain meltdown." She talks about writing just five minutes a day while holding down a job.

    Way back when, I use to write while the daycare kids were on the playground or nap time. I did less writing and more pondering on workdays. On my off days, I'd focus on putting words on paper.

    Now, kids come first. Yes, they are much older, but what can I say? This is how I raised them. Whenever they have something going on, that's my day off. If nothing unusual is happening, I work. (Now that the social networking crap is no longer an issue...lol.)

    I will add that if I had blogging or anything else going on, I wouldn't be able to focus on my writing. Just take a look at my past. I have a tendency to lose focus and piss the day away in a heartbeat.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Good luck on this challenge, Tif! Someone just gave me a great book, The Daily Writer by Fred White: 366meditation to cultivate a productive and meaningful life. It's a great resource to help push things along!

    ReplyDelete
  7. Kristen M. ... Thank you! It seems that my current choice comes down to writing or exercise, and since the beginning of the year, writing has won out! Not sure this is a good idea! Finding the balance is so hard!

    365andMe ... I can't wait to check out this link! I'm going to head over there tonight to check it out! I like this idea of pondering and maybe mapping out ideas during the week and spending more time on the weekends writing. I may have to try this out! I would still be working towards the end goal, but just adjusting to my crazy weekday schedule! Thanks for this idea!!

    Jenny Beatrice ... Thank you! I am going to see if the library has a copy of this one so I can check it out!

    ReplyDelete

Thank you in advance for your comments! I love to hear reader's thoughts and respond to each one within the comment section. Please feel free to subscribe to the comment feed to ensure you can fully participate in the conversations.

Comments on posts older than 14 days are first approved through comment moderation. Word verification should not be turned on, so please notify me if it randomly appears.