Every writer, whether you are full-time or part-time, has had life get in the way of producing content. Maybe a family member isn’t well or perhaps there is a disaster. It could be the day job is more challenging than usual.
So what do you do when things interfere with your writing?
Do you wail and moan and gnash your teeth saying things like “Woe is me!” or “If only there were more hours in the day!” or do you smile sadly, refocus your dwindling energies and get as many words down as time allows? Sometimes dwindling energies means no energy so you regroup the next day instead.
Whatever your response, it is critical that you don’t sit back and hope that a big block of time with no interruptions will appear. Those sorts of things do occasionally happen, but they are the exception, not the rule.
I’ve been having “one of those weeks” myself for the past couple weeks. Work has been very stressful and I’ve been trying really hard to get several of my projects done. Then there are the outside things that are demanding my attention too. All of it has meant less creativity than I would like.
But, I’ve forced myself to keep forging ahead. I know very well that if I don’t, the time will pass and the writing won’t get done. I’ll be unhappy with myself and the nasty cycle will continue.
So, I keep at it. If I miss a day, I shrug it off and try again the next day.
I know it doesn’t sound very inspired, but as I have said many times before, perseverance is a key part to becoming a published author. If you cannot work through the hard times, chances are good you won’t work when things are easy either. So what does that leave? The rare times when all the planets are in their proper alignment, the ambient temperature is perfect and your muse speaks clearly about what needs to be written.
That would be perfect, but it would likely mean you would only write for fifteen or twenty minutes a year. Not quite enough to make a living at it.
So, I will laugh in the face of adversity, perhaps more quietly some times than others, and force my muse to bend to my will. It will mean less sleep some nights and perhaps less time being lazy, but it will allow me to continue down the path to becoming a full-time writer.
What tricks do you use? I’d love to hear your thoughts on this.
I try not to stress about missed writing days. Sometimes there just isn’t enough hours in the day. If I can’t write, I plot. Usually there are a few moments within the busiest days to think about what I will write next. A missed day only makes me what to write more. Besides, writing is a long-term activity. Results are achieved in the long haul not in one day, one week, or even one month, sometimes not even a year.
It sounds like you have worked out a very healthy way of handling it. Way to go!
I try to write every day, but I only succeed about half the time. I console myself with the knowledge that I’m still writing which is the important thing. Also, I know that summer is the hardest time of year for me to write (bar December – Nanowrimo tends to burn me out for about a month afterwards).
You are absolutely correct. Continuing to write and trying to move forward is the most important thing, especially when there are many demands on your time.
This is a tough one. I haven’t been writing much ever since our third child came into the world. With 3 kids 3 years old and under live is a bit full. I have only been able to find about a half hour a week to write, so I have started writing on my lunch breaks, and also recording into my phone. We’ll see how much I can get done in a week. I’m excited.
You can never tell what will take precedence over your writing. The family should always be more important so I think you’ve got your priorities right. Still, it makes getting the words down that much more difficult, doesn’t it?
You are on the right track. Find those little nuggets of time and carve them out for your writing. You will be amazed at how much you get done, especially since you will probably be thinking about the story between writing sessions. You may even find yourself more productive than before because you have had that extra time to mentally work through the story.