IWSG: SPARE WHAT??

There is no such thing as spare time in my life. It's probably the same for many writers. I have to make the time to do what I want including time for my writing.

I've been trying to figure out a writing schedule that takes into account my work schedule, family needs, and down time I need to be healthy. Burning the candle at both ends is not an option in my life any longer--yeah, I have that last part firmly in mind now and it was a hard lesson for me to learn.

To successfully write a 90k book I know I need a good writing schedule and a word count goal. 

I already know that for me to get any writing done I have to set a weekly writing goal. When I'm in a groove the words just flow and sometimes I blow right by that goal. But, when I'm not in a groove it takes work and the goal helps me stay on track.

Early morning is my best writing time. It's quiet and I'm fresh in mind--after a cup of coffee and some fresh early morning air. That means for me to meet my goals I have to come to the computer ready to work. No internet at all. I open the word document and work a solid couple of hours. 

All of this good. Five gold stars for figuring out what works the best for a writing schedule. But, then comes the juggling of everything else I need to do, sigh...

I also have to figure out time to read and comment on my blog list, answer important emails, and a daily check of my work site for emails and work related tasks. I have a daily work schedule as well and like many there is the family and house/ranch stuff that also needs scheduling. Darn it, some of my gold stars are disappearing.



I'm experimenting with my morning schedule. Trying to get up a little

earlier. Maybe scheduling Tuesday and Thursday for my morning writing and then starting work by 11. Monday, Wednesday, and Friday I have blog guests. Some how I have to figure out a way to write, then check in and read/comment on part of my blog list, deal with my work site issues, and anything else and go to work. Sometimes I can keep a window open to comment on my bloglist in between work calls but forget it on busy days. If I go straight to the bloglist, there goes my writing for the morning. Nights rarely work out for creative writing because I'm either too tired or I'm working the phones until 9:00. I can do about anything non-fiction after 9 and I do visit some blogs but, creative just doesn't do well.

I'm leaning toward maybe making M,W, F an hour of morning writing and two hours on each Tuesday and Thursday. That would give me time to blog and then go to work. All I know is that so far I'm not doing well on juggling writing time and blogging time and that bothers me and is discouraging. Nothing is worse than having a story I want to write and not being able to do it justice with quality writing time. 



Don't know what the answer is yet but I'm still working on it. 

Anyone got some cheese to go with my whine?