Finding the Time to Write 2
This is me at the moment... it's school holidays, but I've got most of the planning out of the way for next term after something of a marathon effort over the last few weeks of term, and the first week of the hols. There are still one or two things I should probably get done, but I'm comfortable we're all set for a good start... so, time to write? I can hardly believe it. I sit in front of the computer... bliss...
...and check facebook. I've a couple of friends who are travelling and, well, got to keep in touch, eh? No, close facebook... hands ready... type...
...oh, how did I get here, I was just looking for a bit of information and somehow I've been surfing around pinterest for the last two hours. Love that study. How do they keep it so neat and tidy?
Stop.
Write.
Okay, well I got a couple of chapters tidied up... tomorrow, I'll write some new work... is that a book I haven't read, yet?
I'm so cross with myself. Before I know it the school bell will be ringing and I'll be back in the routine: get up early, try to fit in some writing and some exercise, finish that marking I brought home, make lunches, have a shower, get dressed, wake up the rest of the family, breakfast, rush out the door... school... get home, catch up on some school admin and make some resources, help with homework, dinner, clean up, collapse...
So, I start to imagine how great it would be if only I could steal a few days a week to be a 'full time writer' and treat writing like my job instead of something I struggle to find time to fit in. I would: still get up early because I'm a morning person and I love the quiet of dawn (when I'm not rushing around trying to do a whole day's work before 7:30am), sit in my pyjamas and work on my writing for a couple of hours – maybe start by tidying up yesterday's prose then get going on my new work for the day, pause to get the others up, grab some breakfast together, then send them off for their day, elsewhere, maybe throw in a load of washing, then take a cuppa back to the keyboard, and write...
... sometime later, I could hang out the washing, throw some clothes on and go for a long, thoughtful walk, before I head home to note down my new ideas, fix the problems I sorted out while walking, and maybe write some more before stopping for lunch. Then I could write a bit more before the creativity starts to run low, bring in the washing, grab another cuppa and settle down to some re-reading and editing. I will end up writing more, I know, because I can't help myself, things will be changed...
About now, I could do a quick run around the house to make sure everything is tidy, then shower and get dressed properly to greet the others when they come in. After a more restful sort of evening, helping with homework as we organise dinner, I could sit down with someone else's book and enjoy a good story...
...brilliant...
… I would just have to disconnect from the Internet.