How Do You Schedule Your Writing Time?

When I worked for a living creative writing time was precious. After work it was something I tried to squeeze in between family time and life in general. I know in later years, I seldom found the free time after hours to write fiction. Or was too tired. When I finally retired, I kick-started my genre writing again.

I’d often write in the morning, after breakfast. Living with a large annoying cat, mornings come quite early. While still dark, have a coffee, read the paper, massage the cat, exercise, and then go for a 3km stroll, all before breakfast.

The early morning stroll is when the creative juices really flow. Ideas run mad, scenes get created, dialogue shows up. I just have to remember to set it all down when I return home.

My writing room is a quiet place in the lower level of the house. It’s finally gotten far too messy for the cat to interfere with the creative process on my desk. I’ve tired writing outside. Doesn’t work for me, too distracting and bright.

What else do I do: a lot of reading, belong to a critiquing writer’s workshop, work with another genre writer to discuss each other’s work, and am a member of a couple of writers’ organizations. I attend conventions when I can, and I keep on writing.

What do you do to keep the creative juices flowing?