Finding the Time to Write: How do you do it?

Just a thought I had earlier today. There's only 24 hours in a day and so many things take up our precious time. We come from so many different backgrounds here on these boards some teenagers, college students, singles, marrieds with children and marrieds with none. How do you go about finding the time to write down those plot bunnies that come to you during the day.. (or night)?

 

I write whenever I have some spare time. If an idea strikes at work or something, I always scribble down the outline of it, and then go back to work. I always carry paper and pen and with me, so if it happens on the bus, which has been known to happen) I can write there too. And I'm lucky - I have a husband who understands my need to write, so he lets me alone to do it. I'm lucky that way.

Shaindl

 

One word, two sylabells, summer. Oh and weekends...

 

I be good. Trust me, it works. If I can do my homework, empty the dishwasher (my personal chore) and do everything else that needs doing, I can slope off up to my room and compute for the rest of the evening, and nobody will disturb me.

Long car journeys are also cool, but my writing's totally illegible nine times out of 10.

If I have readers leaning on me for an update, I make time. Usually Sunday afternoons when my dear parents think I'm doing my homework.

 

I do it like Shaindl. Since my computer's at home and I can't carry it around with me (yes, I'm one of those who still has a good old 10 kilo computer ), I always have a small book with me, where I write down anything that comes to my mind (plot bunnies, sentences that sound good, etc). But I do have a problem with making the time at home when I can use my computer. But don't we all?

 

I don't really know how I do it. I'm always so busy but somehow I find the time to scribble a plot bunny down. During school I usually just use the notebook that I have from that class and depending on what's happening in the class, I just write the entire little thing down or I write the outline. If I have a plot bunny bite me while I'm doing something else (like playing a sport, it's happened before ) I just try to think about it a lot when I'm not on the floor. It's kinda hard and I've lost a few plot bunny's from that but I try my best. Also, I always find the time to write when I should be sleeping. Seriously, I'll be laying in bed and all of a sudden a plot bunny hits me and I can't sleep until it's down on paper, I've even dreamt about plot bunnies before, which helps because then I'll have the picture in my mind whenever I get around to writing it.

 

I write when the bunny tells me to write. Doesn't matter where or when. Once it starts pestering me, I write. Which is why I take a notebook and pen with me wherever I go.

If I can't write at the moment that the bunny's bugging me, I just work it out in my head and save it for when I can pull the notebook out.


Dana

 

I usually write in the daytime, before I have to go to work, then sometimes go into a kind of writing frenzy later in the evening. During work I can draft entire scenes, but they're all in my head.

 

Also, I always find the time to write when I should be sleeping. Seriously, I'll be laying in bed and all of a sudden a plot bunny hits me and I can't sleep until it's down on paper,

I do that to. I think it has something to do with your mind relaxing, or something.

 

Sometimes, I'm a bad girl. I write because I've got inspiration, even when I'm supposed to be making dinner, like yesterday, when I had so much inspiration, I wrote 3 posts, then came home and had to rush to get my chores done before the hubby came home from work.

 

Like everyone else, I grab the time when it's there. I'll jot down storylines during the day and usually end up writing for a few hours after everyone's in bed or gone out for the day.

 

Whenever I have a spare moment, I'm writing. Unfortunately, spare moments don't happen all that often, so I have to snatch them when I can. I write during the rests of my orchestra music; I write between the five minutes it takes me to inhale my lunch and the time I have to go back to work; I write when my teachers are presenting information I already know. I write when I should probably be doing other things, too, but I think we all do that.

 

Uhm, I don't sleep. Seriously, about four hours a night tops. Also, I take a notebook with me almost everywhere and jot stuff down. Some of it I toss after looking at it with a more critical eye, some I expand on.

 

I used to take a notebook with me to my old job, but now I don't have any spare time to write. I've been considering taking a little tape recorder with me in case I get an idea (Who could fault me for talking briefly into it? I talk all day anyway! )

My problem is finding the MOTIVATION to write. I spend my days working in production and design as an engineer. When I get home I barely have the energy to cook let alone write. My readers will have to realize that I'm not super human like that and that DRL pays the bills. Unfortunately.

Jae Angel

 

I skip class. No, really, I did that once! I didn't feel like going to class anyway, so I stayed in bed. And then a little bit later, I ended up writing a vig I'm now very proud of. So you see, skipping class does indeed produce positive results.

I have that same motivation problem. I'll see several posts in my head, but they don't want to come out. As far as finding actual time to write, I do the notebook and pencil thing. It's a small one that I can carry everywhere without it getting too cumbersome. I also have a mini taperecorder, but I'd feel a little silly running to the bathroom every few minutes while at work to dictate ideas. If I'm at a computer, like at work, then I'll quickly type something up and email it to myself.

But if I'm feeling really motivated, I'll set aside some time at night (while my roommate is asleep so she can't bother me!) and type away. Of course, the late hour makes me want to sleep in and not go to class...vicious cycle...

 

Time to write? Are you kidding? With kids and a job and a husband, I have barely enough time to think, never mind write. But then there's those darn plot bunnies that sit there, staring at you just begging to be written. Oh, heck. Who needs sleep?

Seriously, I have to deliberately carve out time or nothing would ever get done. Right now I should be doing laundry! And the kids do interrupt just at the crucial moment and then it's gone forever.... Mostly I do what I can - when I can.

 

I put a wireless NIC in my laptop, and I sit in the living room while the wife and I watch TV. That way she doesn't think I am hiding away from her in the computer room all night.

 

I was writing well until I started working (camp counselor for 3rd graders. Mostly fun but insane). Now, unfortunately, I find that I have little time, and the time I do have tends to be spent vegging in front of the computer or a jigsaw puzzle or something. I'd write on the bus to camp, but I'm scared some kid'll ask me what I'm doing. I don't want to explain fanfiction to a 7-year-old.

Most of the time with me, it isn't that the time for writing doesn't exist; it's that I for some reason or another don't feel like writing. Then later, of course, I kick myself for it.

 

During class. I don't pay attention anyway, and the drone of a teacher's voice is good background noise.

~Rogue

 

I write whenever i get the chance. but one of the tricks i do is i always imagine a particular story in my head if there's nothing else to do. I go over it again and again until it sticks, then write it down as soon as i get the chance. sometimes ideas come from the strangest of places, other times the most obvious. My idea for 'witness' actually came from out of the blue. I was just sitting there bored out of my skull and starting writing. it was the first thing that came to my head

 

Goodness, good question. Sometimes I don't know the answer myself. When I was in college I jotted notes and ideas on the back pages of my notebooks in class, then went home to my apartment and typed with my keyboard on my knees until my eyes couldn't stay open anymore.

Now, I keep a word processor open in the background at work and type a few words when inspiration strikes and I can spare the time. I keep a mini tape recorder on my bedside table so I don't have to get up and turn the light on once I've gone to bed. I can just dictate. And I type after dinner until bedtime sometimes.

It's just a matter of .... it being important to me, so I find ways to do it.

 

Erela, I ended up trying to explain fanfiction to my 18-year-old cousin in China. That was harder than explaining fanfiction to a kid. I write when I have access to my personal comp, time, and inspiration. I carry my sketchbook and pencil everywhere I go in order to record the plot-bunnies that hit me. Then I'd play the scenes over in my head for anytime between a few hours and a few months before I'd type everything up and edit the story.

 

It's always a balancing act. Between working part-time, caring for my husband and kids, and trying to keep the house halfway clean, I myself wonder how I have time to write.

But I usually can find a couple of hours at night and on the weekends. I think people can usually make the time for the things they really want to do, even if you have to give up other stuff (like sleeping, ).

Kristeh

 

Wow so many replies! I think it's something we all struggle with, balancing out personal life and time for hobbies like writing. For me, personally, my husband Tim is as bad of a computer junkie as I am, though he sits and plays video games and I use that time to write I write during the day while I'm doing the chores. I'll take my laptop downstairs and do laundry and write while the clothes are washing/ drying that sort of thing. When I was working a full time job it was much harder because I had no mental energy to spare for writing. I tried writing at work but I needed that mental break to sit and do nothing instead of trying to think some more. Very glad that job is over now..

 

It's very hard to find time, i'll admit. I'm one of those who are married and have kids (3) and work full time. I'm actually at work - currently on breaktime at this moment

I almost always have a notebook on hand and hand write alot of my posts. Sometimes during a 15 min break at work, or a very rare lunch hour that is free of errands and such-or even in a waiting room at dr. appts. Sometimes i'll only get a 15 minute span of writing done in a three day period.

But I love to write, so I do it when I can. It tends to suck for any such readers who may be waiting for a post - but I can only do what I can, when I can. And Force Forbid if writer's block hits

Another outlet for me has been the Plot Bunny thread. Since i'll never have time to write like some others do - it's a real pleasure to be able to read some of my ideas, but not put in any of the work

--shan