Writing time...

[lostinabook]

I am terrible at finding the time to write and can't really have the laptop permanently set up for practical reasons does anyone on here write v. Early morning or late at night?!

Give me your writing schedules...!

What's your family/work situation like? Are you busy in the evenings with a partner/kids? If you have a partner does he/she spend a lot of time on a hobby or anything in the evenings?

I'm terrible, I never make enough time for writing and I know you always should try, even if it's only to make sure you sit down once a day.

I found Nanowrimo was great for motivating me, it was such a heavy schedule I had to take every opportunity to write. So during nursery instead of housework, after bedtime instead of watching TV, dh taking the kids out at the weekend and I would stay in and write.

I have definitely lost my motivation though, roll on November!

I like to do first drafts with pen and paper. I have notepads and pens or pencils everywhere in the house and in my bag so I can grab them and scribble a few paragraphs any time I feel inspired, wherever I am. I think about the story when I'm walking, showering, ironing, etc, so I have something in my head ready to write when I have the time. I sit and type it all up when I have time to sit at the laptop for an extended period, and edit as I go.

I do like to write late at night and into the early hours, but don't do it too often because I find I don't sleep well afterwards as my brain is too active.

Hi thanks for replies...sorry Imperial some detail would help
Married with 1 dd aged 3.5
Work 3 days in office with long commute then do bath bed and stories and cook dinner
Work half day (we'd) from home with dd in preschool then pick her up and look after her
Friday dd at preschool in mornings then straight to swim lesson then looking after her after that

Currently trying to exercise (swim) so do that 3-4 early mornings

DH wants time together in evenings though he does a sport 2-3 evenings.. .

I think what I struggle with is prioritising the writing above say the next loads of laundry, the tesco order or longterm decluttering knowing that the only person missing the writing is me if that makes sense

I suppose what I was thinking /hoping was someone to say 'i get up at 5am twice a week and knock out 1000 words before the school run' and that would kick me up the bum!

It's different for me now as writing is my job ergo my priority.

However, when I wrote my first book I had a job and twin toddlers so I get it OP.

Basically, I wrote whenever they napped in the day. Always took paper with me and scribbled in soft play, park etc . I also wrote after they went to bed and before my DH came home from work ( if there was a gap) and whenever he worked late, went out, travelled etc.

I still have the habit if writing in the cracks of my days; train journey, waiting for a friend etc

Also, my DC are now teens so during school holidays there is a lovely quiet period before they get up.

Basically you have to prioritise writing. And you have to able to do it on tap when you have moment.

Thanks Moves. I need to get into the notebook habit again don't I?!

When I started back at 19 my tutor said every writer should have a pad and pen on them at all times

I use the Notes app on my phone when I'm in bed.

On the days you're not working, could you get up an hour earlier (I know it's hard!) and write for that hour? Or could you get up then and do housework so that you can spend any free time in the day writing?

I wrote a novel by writing 9-11 pm every day but then I had a husband I didn't like sitting in the next room! It took 3 months to write the first draft.

I think you need to factor an hour somewhere in the day. Could you edit it on your commute?

Yeah I feel like I need to find/make a daily time to get the habit established.

Currently I get up early (5.45) to swim so I am back in time to get my dd up but that is not everyday so one thought I had was set the alarm for 5.45 every day and get up and it is either swim or write till the house wakes

I think as well I have been lazy as I type even first drafts so maybe part of the commute os detailed planning for the next writing session

Thank you all

Swimming could be thinking time where you work out the story and plan the next bit you're going to write.

Do you commute by public transport? That could be writing time.

What about when dh is out doing his sport? If dd is in bed by then, can you use that as writing time?

I can to an extent squeeze it in around my academic research (I'm not fulltime), and one day a week (when I have childcare but don't need to be on campus) I keep free of academic work/admin to write. I do absolutely nothing else during that time, even if I'm at home - no laundry, cooking, exercise, cups of tea, email - to the extent that I frequently find I've been dying to go to the loo for hours. I bring a notebook everywhere or in an emergency take notes or voice memos on my phone.

I do also sometimes get up early to write, I am the one with the laptop at soft play, and when DH comes home and does bath time and bedtime with our three year old, I fit in an hour or so. If he's away I'll work again after DS's bedtime, and some nights we both work then. Housework doesn't figure in my list of priorities, tbh.

Something has to give, obviously. In my case currently, it's social life and exercise.

Update: just actually did some writing... An annoying 400 words but it took me over 25k and allowed Wales to win the rugby!!!!!

Well, if you can keep up 400 words a day you could have your first draft finished early in the New Year! (Am English But pleased for Wales )

Some writing tutors say that writers often run into a wall about 30,000 words. Maybe you could make getting past 30,000 your next target?

I currently need about 500 words a day to finish the first draft of my current work by the end of the year.

Yep 30k is next goal... Am hoping for that by November if I can establish the habit!!!

FYI worked my bum off doing the boring household stuff today so have minimum to do tomorrow

I ended up doing a lot of Stuff today instead of the writing I meant to do - but it 's Stuff I won't now have to do next week, so hoping to be able to get on with writing then.

Hope you manage to keep up the progress.

Yep do let me know Harriet!

I have a sticky note on my laptop with my daily word count. At the moment it's at 28500 and I'm keen to get it up to 30,000. I aim for 500 a day and I can do that as long as I don't procrastinate on Facebook, Twitter and Mumsnet. I found giving up tv watching altogether made a big difference. I work full time as a teacher and do school and then (minimal) house work first when I come home. I start writing usually about 9ish and stop at 10. An hour a day, 500 words a day starts to build into a novel eventually! When I was writing my first children's novel I did over 1000 words a night but my partner and daughter got a bit fed up being ignored.

If I think in terms of daily word count, I'm more likely to wax verbose about something irrelevant (because in my mind at some level it's easier to spend 500 words on the Bois de Boulogne in winter than move 500 words into a difficult scene where, say, complicated feelings among several characters need to be tracked...)

These days I try to think in terms of tasks. I'll go back and fix something first, usually, and then say that I'll write scenes x and y, or finish a chapter and have concluded a certain bit of plot by the finish.

I just have to force myself sometimes, especially after a hard day at work and keeping to a minimum word count is the simplest way to go! Writing is much more enjoyable during the holidays when I've got more time and better focus.

I've added some words today. Have deleted some, too. Changed some sections around. Got distracted doing some research, but found what I wanted.

Currently 3 glasses of wine into Bake Off...