March Madness Check-In Day 20 #WIPMadness
If there's one thing I'm convinced of when it comes to writers, it's this: There is no such thing as writer with too much free time.
Every single writer I talk to, one of their biggest battles to finishing a project is finding the time to do it. Why is that? Because writing is the biggest time-sucking profession/hobby that exists! Often I think we are all crazy to be pursuing such goals. I mean, think of how long it takes just to READ a book, let alone write one. Then think of the time spent revising, the time spent waiting for critique partners and beta readers to give you feedback. And I'm not even going to touch on the length of time the whole publishing side of things can take (because I don't want to depress you!)
So writers, I think, will never feel like they have enough time. They always want to be able to draft and develop their writing projects faster. But I also think this is part of what makes the written word--especially full-length novels--so special. So much thought and processing and bake-time goes into each one. Reading a good novel will envelop us and stick with us the rest of our lives. So there are rewards. But today I want to talk a little bit about battling the busyness.
If you find yourself too busy to have the amount of writing time that you would like, I have a few suggestions that will hopefully add some peace to your life:
My first suggestion, which all of you here at March Madness already have a handle on, is not to do it alone. Having camaraderie and accountability and encouragement is SO IMPORTANT when it comes to pushing through on the long haul of writing. It's good to remember that we're not alone and we ALL face similar time challenges from time to time.Admit that writing is your dream and passion. People around you will be much more supportive and willing to help you find the time and space to write when you use words like “dream” or “calling” or “passion”.Stay sensible in what you commit to. I notice that writers who set big lofty goals with their writing, also tend to set big lofty goals in every other area of their lives. Something has to give, so when you set a short-deadlined writing goal such as March Madness, see if there are other areas where you can ask for help or allow obligations to pend until April.Even when you're busy with other things, try to keep your head in your project. Brainstorm when you're at the grocery store, or driving your children around, or commuting to and from work. Write down all of your ideas for later (or use a voice recording app if you're driving). Brainstorming and coming up with the best ideas is a big part of the writing process, and one you can accomplish almost anywhere and any time.And if you disagree with this whole post and are shaking your head saying, "I'm a writer, and I have plenty of spare time," then please, PLEASE, tell us your secret!
No matter where you are at, keep pushing forward! And I'll see you tomorrow at Tonette's Blog!
Every single writer I talk to, one of their biggest battles to finishing a project is finding the time to do it. Why is that? Because writing is the biggest time-sucking profession/hobby that exists! Often I think we are all crazy to be pursuing such goals. I mean, think of how long it takes just to READ a book, let alone write one. Then think of the time spent revising, the time spent waiting for critique partners and beta readers to give you feedback. And I'm not even going to touch on the length of time the whole publishing side of things can take (because I don't want to depress you!)
So writers, I think, will never feel like they have enough time. They always want to be able to draft and develop their writing projects faster. But I also think this is part of what makes the written word--especially full-length novels--so special. So much thought and processing and bake-time goes into each one. Reading a good novel will envelop us and stick with us the rest of our lives. So there are rewards. But today I want to talk a little bit about battling the busyness.If you find yourself too busy to have the amount of writing time that you would like, I have a few suggestions that will hopefully add some peace to your life:
My first suggestion, which all of you here at March Madness already have a handle on, is not to do it alone. Having camaraderie and accountability and encouragement is SO IMPORTANT when it comes to pushing through on the long haul of writing. It's good to remember that we're not alone and we ALL face similar time challenges from time to time.Admit that writing is your dream and passion. People around you will be much more supportive and willing to help you find the time and space to write when you use words like “dream” or “calling” or “passion”.Stay sensible in what you commit to. I notice that writers who set big lofty goals with their writing, also tend to set big lofty goals in every other area of their lives. Something has to give, so when you set a short-deadlined writing goal such as March Madness, see if there are other areas where you can ask for help or allow obligations to pend until April.Even when you're busy with other things, try to keep your head in your project. Brainstorm when you're at the grocery store, or driving your children around, or commuting to and from work. Write down all of your ideas for later (or use a voice recording app if you're driving). Brainstorming and coming up with the best ideas is a big part of the writing process, and one you can accomplish almost anywhere and any time.And if you disagree with this whole post and are shaking your head saying, "I'm a writer, and I have plenty of spare time," then please, PLEASE, tell us your secret!
No matter where you are at, keep pushing forward! And I'll see you tomorrow at Tonette's Blog!
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