Time to write

[miriam123373]

How do you find time to write? I am a writer, but it is not my profession. So, my problem arises from being able to step in and out of that story world without my mind straggling behind in one or the other. Any tips?

[dream reader]

May be you could set aside some particular time each day for writing. Initially you may find it usefless, but very soon enough you will see that during that particular time all you would know is your writing, your story, your characters. So if you start living with your stories/characters during pre-set times, at that time you will not lag behind on writing, and rest of the time you don't need to worry about writing or your story or your characters, as you are in a different world altogether, and your characters would be waiting for you on the time you allocated to them. Once you have attained a balance, it would be a habit rather than a constraint and soon enough, time won't matter. It might sound ridiculous initially to set aside time, but it did help me. I have my job to do, my family to look after, but still, I love writing, I've written much things now (Generally happens after the world doses off), and that is how I became determined to write, without losing focus on my story and characters, and still taking care of rest of the world.

[KLyons1]

Stop and take a few minutes to see what you're doing each day that is taking the time you need for writing instead. Can you DVR that one TV program you watch each week so that you can speed through the commercials and spend less time watching? When you make dinner, can you make enough so that you have leftovers for another meal - and therefore don't have to cook that night? Likewise, when you make your lunch, can you assemble several meals at once and then be ready to just grab them the rest of the week? Can you use your lunch hour to do some writing?

Once you make writing a regular, consistent habit, then it gets easier (though never outright easy) to get into the mode and continue with the story. One suggestion that I've seen is to stop writing each time just when you've written your protagonist into a sticky situation, so that it's easy to remember where you left off and you're eager to get back to the writing.

Most of all, just keep at it!

[miriam123373]

What about the reverse problem . . . not wanting to stop writing once you've started! It becomes an addiction of the mind and body and actually a distraction from responsibilities. Does anyone ever experience that phenomenon?

[KLyons1]

Not as often as I'd like! When I do find that 'zone,' I'm happy to find ways to keep it going!

Actually, thoughts you have in that sort of circumstance can tell you what to look at in terms of what's taking time away from your writing. Pay attention when you start thinking "I could keep writing if only I didn't have to do X". Then look at whatever X is. If it's optional (i.e., some other voluntary activity), then you can decide whether it's just as important and you have to keep doing it, or if it's not that important and can be minimized in favor of more writing time. For things that aren't optional, you can consider to see if there's a more efficient way to handle them and create more writing time.

Either way, do not stint on family/friends, because they're always more important!

[dream reader]

Just how many times I wondered if the night time would have some more hours. I always feel a bit low seeing the dim daylight turning up from my window so quickly. It always feel like I had just started writing and the day-light is coming up.

[N_Simpson21]

You need to figure out what time of day or atmosphere you find it's easiest to write. For me, setting aside time in the early morning or late at night - when there are little distractions - are the best times for me. And I feel my inspiration flowing at those times.

[Amberle]

Unfortunately, I do my best writing later at night. This was fine when I worked an off-shift at my "real job", because I could wake up early-ish in the morning, and type up everything I had hand-written the night before. This got my creative juices really going for the day, reminded me of current issues/problems in the work, and let me ease into the day at a pace that balanced writing and reality for me. Then there was time for errands and work, and when I got home I was full of ideas to get down. Then, eat, sleep, repeat.
But working a day shift from time to time has seriously given me issues! For some reason, the change never settles out in my system, and I end up with, like, twenty minutes of "me-time" each day, to read or write or garden or... it just never worked out.
And yes, regarding your second question, doing my best thinking/writing at night has its hazards, and they're named "Four," "Five," and "Six" A.M.

[mbeasley]

What about right before you go to bed? I'm sure you're usually tired (I mean why else would you be going to bed?), but I find that some of my best ideas come to me right before sleep. I sometimes wish that I had a voice recorder to record my ideas so that I can go back and write them down later when I have time. I tend to forget my thoughts by morning.

[Jen319164]

Honestly i don't have a set time but sometimes the ideas just come to you and you should take that time time to write. The balance is really unique for the person and it is just whenever you feel it is right

[randolphfine]

I like what Dream Reader posted about setting a particular time each day to write. I work nights in a factory, have a family, and try to squeeze in whatever reading and writing I can. I do set time aside to write, but find that I am having a hard time staying on topic and not getting mentally distracted. I need to segment my writing times so that the book in my head is not thrown by the wayside by my blog.

[luluMoon1940]

My Mother wrote, brought up a large family and had many talents and hobbies. She always rose at 5a.m- wrote until 7a.m and then resumed her family life. It was a discipline she adhered to through thick and thin - the rest of the family respected what she did- and it worked - for over twenty years!

[Timea]

What worked for me was to set a time at which I started writing every day. So at about 10 at night I would sit down, shut the lights off, light a few scented candles and put a song on repeat. By recreating the same atmosphere when I was writing it helped me to get back in the story easier.

[c p]

I know people who have dictated into recorders while commuting and have written novels during bus rides. I used to write during nap time when the kids were little.

[moderntimes]

It's a learned response. As you continue to work at your writing, you'll find that you will be able to jump into the writing mode more easily and quickly.

As with others here, at first I recommend setting aside a specific time to write and making it a routine. Gradually you'll find it easier to write whenever.

But regardless, if you intend to actually write, you must set aside time. I've written 2 novels thus far and I can tell you that 75000 words don't write themselves. And I've discovered that those little elves just won't do the writing for you, no matter how you plead!