Wednesday, September 7, 2016

IWSG Post - How do I Find the Time to Write?

It’s time for another IWSG post. IWSG aka Insecure Writers Support Group is a online group of writers, we post on the first Wednesday of every month. IWSG posts give us a chance to discuss all our writing related worries, anxieties, fears and insecurities. Other writers who share similar worries help us out with their advice and tips. Check out the IWSG website for amazing writing tips. To read the other IWSG posts, click here.

We must thank Ninja Captain Alex J Cavanaugh (author of the Amazon Bestsellers: CassaStar, CassaStorm, CassaFire and Dragon of the Stars) for starting this awesome group. With IWSG, Amazing and Adorable Alex has ensured that we writers have a buffer system to let off all our writing stress and worries. So, if you see writers trawling the cyberspace, with a spring in their steps, thank Alex for it.

The IWSG question of this month is ‘How do you find the time to write in your busy day?’

Frankly speaking there are days when I just don’t find the time to write, I need to pull that precious time out of my life. Till last year when I was teaching creative writing in college (though it was only part time), it would take me nearly one and a half hours to commute to and fro, add to that the teaching time, the time I would need to prepare for my classes and the time required to correct those assignments, more than half my day would slip away from me, leaving me no energy to do anything else. Added to this was all the free-lance feature writing and book reviews I did for the newspapers. To this I would also add my blogging. That left me with very little time to actually work on my books. I realized then that I was also compromising on my reading.

That’s when I realized I needed a break from college. And features writing (though I still do book reviews for the newspapers.) A separation from both these activities has freed up my time leaving me with more time to actually write my books. And read a few.

I have realized that we writers need to wage a war with so many activities to get a little time to write. I have also sacrificed TV for writing and reading. I just see half an hour of one show, Monday to Friday. That’s it. I have reduced many activities to find more time to write and research for my books.

17 comments:

  1. I can write with the television on, so I still see a lot of shows. (No sound though. That would disrupt the music I'm also playing.) But sometimes we just have to kick a few activities to the curb and make time.

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  2. So true we have to battle with many activities to get our writing done. That's awesome though that you have paying jobs like teaching and writing for a newspaper from your writing. Glad you're finding your balance.

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  3. Good for you for working out what you need! I read more now that I watch less TV, and I so enjoy it.

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  4. It's okay to take those needed breaks. And don't feel guilty, because life will always get in the way. Good way to keep the balance by cutting something!

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  5. Making time to write means making choices. Sounds like you've found what works for you. Best wishes.

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  6. I used to be a high school English teacher, and it was such a huge time commitment, both in the classroom and out of it. Very little writing happened during that period, and I actually left it because I wanted to focus on writing.

    Now I just need to work on reducing the amount of television I watch...

    It's great that you were able to make those compromises for the benefit of your writing.

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  7. I actually don't watch television at all, so what's worse is that for me, I don't even have an excuse. That's pretty sad, right?

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  8. Trust me not watching TV means you are missing nothing. :-)

    Anna from elements of emaginette

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  9. Making time is important and congrats on achieving that.

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  10. Hi, Rachna,

    I agree with emaginette... you're not missing much. I rarely watch TV and mainly rerun comedies because I need the levity.

    I am so impressed that you write reviews and features for newspapers and magazines. Not to mention your books....

    I finally have free time to write. My loft rehab took me just over a year and ate up all of my time and money. Now maybe I can finish that PB... I'll keep you posted.

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  11. I have trouble finding time to write, too. I think we just have to discipline ourselves to make it the same time every day. Even if it's just fifteen minutes.

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  12. I find promoting a book takes away from writing a lot as well. But it's sooo cool that you've gotten to teach creative writing as well. That's a great gift to pass on to students:)

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  13. Just the brainpower of writing alone... You can do several brainless things and still write, but when you're mentally engaged to that extreme, there's nothing left. Way to carve out time and take control of your schedule!

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  14. Great post! I've had to make sacrifices to find writing time, but it is without regret. (I sacrifice a few hours of my sleep to write because that's the only time I can with 5 kids--eeek!) Sometimes I try to write when the kids are distracted. But my 3 year old finds me as his distraction. Aaach! x(

    I didn't know you taught a creative writing class? That explains how well versed you are in it. I'm impressed! I've taken one and loved it! <3

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  15. 'I have to pull that precious time out of my life'

    I couldn't have put it better myself. Finding time to write often means sacrificing other activities. I don't watch a lot of TV for that very reason (plus, it can trigger migraines). I'm also learning to say no to various requests that eat up my time. I can't live another person's life and keep mine.

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  16. 'I have to pull that precious time out of my life'

    I couldn't have put it better myself. Finding time to write often means sacrificing other activities. I don't watch a lot of TV for that very reason (plus, it can trigger migraines). I'm also learning to say no to various requests that eat up my time. I can't live another person's life and keep mine.

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