Writing Worry #2: I don't have time to write

Between sleep, work, commuting, the dog, volunteer activities, exercising, and spending time with my boyfriend, I've probably got about 1-3 hours a night to do all my errands, cook dinner and do whatever else needs to get done. So when do I write? And read, because that's just about as important.

The most common complaint voiced among amateur authors and wannabe writers is that they don't have time to write. I can't even remember how many times Mur Lafferty has been asked for advice on making time to write on her podcast 'I Should Be Writing.' The sad truth is that there isn't enough time until you make it.

Many authors forgo sleep to write. Others take whole months off of their daily duties to accomplish their works. Some write in 10 to 15 minute chunks whenever they find them. Some people only write on weekends. Some people get up hours before their family to sneak in some writing time. Me?

Even as I am starting this blogging section about my writing worries, it's been almost a week since the last time I worked on my fiction. I've thought about it. I've tried to keep up with some reading. Most night I've gotten in 10-30 minutes reading. Even this blog section is a way to get me motivated to get down to keyboard and write. There just hasn't been even time this week.

Correction. I haven't made the time. The sad truth is that there is never enough time in a day to get done everything you want to get done. So we all make sacrifices. Sometimes that means writing gets bumped. Sometimes it means the dishes don't get done. Just like the dishes, if I don't make the effort to get to my writing it will never get done.

I've tried setting aside an hour a day, but that has not worked. Now I try not to stress about it, but I am always conscious of the characters I've left hanging and the stories that need writing. Tonight I won't be able to make time to write. I take responsibility for that. Tomorrow...