Friday, October 12, 2012

Butt in Chair Time

Like most writers, I find it hard to find time to actually write.  I have two very involved kids, I help with Girl Scouts, Boy Scouts, Battle of the Books and our school's TAG program.  I'm a substitute teacher aid and I volunteer my "free" time with the school and the local Grange.  Somewhere in there I'm supposed to write.  It doesn't happen as much as I would like, but here are some things I do when I can't be home typing away at my laptop.

1)I think about my story as I drive or walk to my next project.  It may only be five or ten minutes, but it gives me a little brain storming time I don't have to do when I actually can write.

2)Bring a pad of paper with you to your child's next activity.  My daughter has a class in town (20 miles away) and I can't exactly just drop her off and go home.  So I will bring a pad of paper with me and outline the next chapter, write a segment that has to get out, or think on things I need to edit or add in and write it down so I don't forget them when it comes to actual writing time.

3) Try to pick a time each day that you know you can usually count on to write.  Even if it's just 15 minutes it's better then nothing.  My best time is right after I drop the kids off at school.  I don't always get that time, subbing sometimes as I do, but I can usually sneak in a half hour or more of writing.  Be flexible.  If you have to be somewhere a half hour earlier then normal, then write earlier or just take that ten minutes over nothing.  If nothing else look for spelling mistakes!

Happy Writing!

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