Balancing Act

It can get hard to find the time to write when you're working on other things, most especially a job or school. It requires a lot of discipline and willingness to schedule things out. Full disclosure, I worked really hard and set aside a bunch of money so that I could focus my time almost exclusively on writing, but before I was here, I was in that situation myself.

I worked 40+ hours a week while finishing up the first draft of The Paladin. I hated coming home to my screen because I was so freakin' tired. I didn't want to write during my free time because that was the only time I had to de-stress, to play games and have a social life. Well, I had to sacrifice some of that. There wasn't another option. It was either give up some video game / TV time or I didn't finish my novel. There wasn't another option. It sucks, don't get me wrong, but it is doable.

I'm very fortunate to have saved up money as I did so that now I only really give up one day a week for some extra cash. Still, even with that, I occasionally need to rework things. Tonight, for instance, I had plans to do my writing (and my blogging) earlier in the day, but I was needed to help out with something.

So how do you do it, you ask the rambling would-be author. Schedule. Get a dollar store dry erase board, write out your day, and make sure you set aside a specific time for writing. Give yourself a little time to cool-off from work, but make sure you don't drift away in your relaxing. If you get off at 6pm, get home by 6:30, then give yourself an hour to relax, no more, then make sure you're writing by 7:30. 

If you're fortunate enough to free up entire days, treat it like a job. You are writing from 9-5 with a nice lunch break. This is your priority. 

'Til tomorrow, don't forget to be awesome!