During the week, my main writing times are on my lunch break at work and after my son goes to bed. (On weekends, I can't even count on a lunch break, so I have to scrounge writing time when I can. Sometimes I write in the car while my husband drives.) It's not much time when you consider I may also have to use this time to blog, answer e-mails, or take care of other personal chores. Sometimes I have to prioritize other things, like listening to my son when he's upset about something. Sometimes I'm so drained it's all I can do to eke out a couple hundred words. And sometimes I let myself be distracted by Facebook or something else I find online. The important thing is not to let a temporary issue become a permanent one. Even if one writing session isn't very productive, it's important to keep going.
What interrupts your writing time, and how do you cope with it?
9 comments:
Hi,
Interruptions appear. They are there and we all have to deal with them. I believe our attitude toward whatever interrupts us determine how we deal with it. There are some interruptions that I don't handle too well, like a ringing telephone. So, I've learned not to answer it when I am writing. Because most people know that I write certain times of the day and they don't call but there are always those who refuse to respect my writing time and like I said, when my phone rings, and I am writing I don't answer it.
As for FB and twitter and my emails, I do them in the evening. I usually scan through to see what has come in though, just in case, there is something urgent.
Shalom,
Pat Garcia
The last year it's mostly laziness that interrupted me
Ultimately, the only thing that interrupts my writing is me and my procrastination. Still, somehow I manage to get things done!
Bish, your co-host #128 on the Alex Scale
Online games, Jigsaw puzzles, the phone, hubby, grandchildren, drop-ins, summer, food... The list is long, Sometimes I have hours to write, sometimes fifteen minutes. I wonder if Miss Rowling has this problem? Happy IWSG Sandra! I'm #55 on the list.
I agree with Bish - I tend to be my own interruption.
My family interrupts, my health interrupts, my sudden and uncanny desire to watch 500 Youtube videos before editing...
Good thing reading is an important part of a writer's "job" or I'd have to list that as a distraction. Thousands of smooth, glorious weekly pages!
My husband is my biggest interruption, but I don't mind, not anymore. I want to enjoy his company for as long as I can.
My kids interrupt my writing time, as do other responsibilities I have. I was incredibly productive on a weekend away, but if I lived that life all the time, I'm sure something else would come along to suck up my time. I think you're doing the best you can, and that's what we all have to do. Good luck with your writing time!
Pat G., that's a good idea to limit social media to a single time of the day.
Pat D., I thought you had some pretty productive times last year.
Bish, I'll think about your comment tomorrow. ;)
Joylene, it's important to make the most of whatever writing time you can find!
Alex, I often feel the same way.
Jennifer, family is at least as important as writing, if not more so. The trick is to balance the two.
Maria, it's important to cherish your family.
Shannon, sometimes I feel like my weekends are less productive than my weekdays. It all depends on what we're doing.
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