When do you write?

[Junebug123]

I work part time and have 2 young DC. They are up very early in the morning. I am absolutely shattered in the evening by the time all the housework/ organising is done. Is anyone in a similar position. When do you carve out time to write? Do I just need more motivation when I think I'm too tired. I can't really justify any more childcare and they need my constany attention on my days off.

I can sympathise. Two dc, one 13mo who doesn't sleep. I'm finding it hard to write at all at the moment, I suspect mostly due to exhaustion! When I was doing more writing the only time I could do it was in the evening once the dc were asleep. Literally the minute they were asleep (normally 7.30) I'd sit at my laptop and start. Well, I'd make a cup of tea first and grab a couple of biscuits! If I sat down on the sofa or did chores I'd find it impossible to start writing. I could only do 1-2 hours before my brain turned to mush but I think most people can only write in short bursts anyway. I'd do essential chores afterwards (but I'm very lax about housework!). During the day I'd be thinking about the story, and I'd email myself with any ideas I had otherwise I'd forget.

It's really hard. I feel constantly frustrated that I can't get more time. Pre-dc I'd write on my commute (long train journey), in my lunch break, and for hours every evening and most weekends. I miss it!

I once read that you can't make time, only reallocate it from elsewhere.

Sympathies Junebug. Not sure what age your dc are but I know having little ones makes writing a lot more difficult.
I am slightly different to you in that I am a sahm and have one (baby) dc at home (other two dc are at school). All I can do is grab time when baby is asleep (I bank on her having two naps before I have to do the afternoon school run and whatever time the naps are, I seize). This is probably more difficult for you because your dc's probably don't sync. their sleep. My baby doesn't sleep through the night and wakes frequently, so I do have to battle with the tiredness issue but I am motivated in what I am writing, so work through it. Housework has to slot in around dc and writing and fortunately, although my house is never ever neat, most things get done. I rarely get any writing done at weekends when dc are at home but have resigned myself to this and only occasionally do a bit of editing in the evenings when I am not too tired.

So, I am 'forced' to write in the allotted time periods around dc but although this isn't ideal, it probably makes me more focused. I am hoping to get my book written (but probably not edited) by the time baby is walking because I will have even less time then. Writing keeps me sane; it is mental stimulation, so I usually aim to do a bit everyday -short bursts, that's the way I work best.

I didn't write much when the children were very small. But writing often for me is after they've gone to bed (after 9pm now) or occasionally if I woke up early.

Even now if I'm writing I'm liable to be interrupted "mum, can I make a hot chocolate"; "Mum can you explain the integration by parts", or even just wanting to tell me in detail about something that happened in school.
Although they now often want to read it which helps the interruptions.

Thanks for replying. I think I just need to motivate myself to sit down in the evenings instead of just flopping down in front of the the TV even if it's just a few nights a week.

Hi Junebug, it is easy to slump down in front of the TV after a busy day. Fortunately, there are only a few things that I really like to watch on TV these days and anything that is just background noise just doesn't get a look in, so that probably makes it easier for me to write and I am fairly disciplined BUT I am really motivated about the subject on which I write which again helps.
I think it is the same with socialising these days, I'd happily sacrifice having mediocre company i.e friends who are acquittances for writing; I am a lot more focused now about how I want to spend my free time because there isn't much of it!