It’s called juggling, and I don’t always do it that well. My husband would agree with that statement.
Besides learning the technical skill, there’s an art to juggling. You have to know which ball happens to be the most important at the moment so you don’t drop it. Then you’ve got to keep your eyes on all the other balls in the air. It’s not easy.
My “day job” keeps the bills paid and the children fed but it often gets in the way of my author job. My kids are involved in sports and they have active social lives that includes me driving them all over the place, which takes me away from writing. There’s my husband too, who I also want to spend time with. Then there’s the “running our home” thing that includes making sure there is food in the refrigerator and preparing the food to be eaten. I also try to take care of myself by practicing yoga. With all of that, there is very little time to write.
I could easily say, “I just don’t have time!” But I don’t. Here is what I do:
Make Time
I don’t always write at the same time every day. Sometimes the work I do for my corporate clients takes precedence but I do write, even a little, every day. Getting 200 words down is better than getting none down. I think of it like brushing my teeth: I gotta do it every day or else I’m going to get decay.
Make Sacrifices
When I’m trying to get a novel done, I don’t do anything else until it’s done. That means I often have to say “no” to social engagements, my favorite TV shows, and even…reading. I choose to finish my writing rather than do these others things because I’m willing to make those sacrifices.
Set Deadlines…and Stick to Them
I have a long list of deadlines on the white board next to my writing desk. I live and die by those deadlines. As a self-published author, I am not under contract with a publishing company or an agent so no one is going to hit me with a fine if I don’t meet the deadlines I’ve set. But I know if I’ve missed them. To me, a missed deadline is like a puppy with no home.
Rely on My Support System
My husband deserve a medal of honor. He gives me the support and time I need to get my writing done. My children also know how important it is to me and they know when I’m writing, I’m invisible to them. Without the loving support of my family, I wouldn’t be able to do what I do.
No matter how crazy you think you life is, if you REALLY want to write you can do it. You just have to ask yourself: how bad do I want this?
