Time to Write

Writer's love to write. Sometimes life interferes with the process and we have looming deadlines with thousands of words left to write. Time management can be more challenging for authors who work in a home office than for the employee who travels to a job site each day. Why? Distractions! 

Authors, does this sound familiar? You get a call from the church asking you to volunteer one morning a week at the office since you "don't work." Or your spouse leaves for work with a list of errands you can do since you'll be home. Or your neighbor drops by unannounced with a coffee cake to share over a cup of your favorite brew since you're home alone. The perception is if you're at home during the day, you must be idle and lonely.

When I worked in an office in downtown Atlanta, family and friends respected my time because, after all, I worked. A neighbor couldn't interrupt me if I wasn't home. I didn't worry about cleaning the bathrooms or vacuuming the carpet. That was building management's job. I focused on my work (and my lunch plans). I faced my own "building management" after I got home and left (in most cases) my job at the office.

So how do authors carve out writing time? Four years ago, I met Kelly L. Stone at a conference and bought her book, Time To WRITE. What an eye-opener! I keep it handy and often reread passages for inspiration. So writers, if you've had time to read this blog post, you've time to write.

If you don't believe it, read her book for yourself. Visit her site, too. 

Now, back to my own writing schedule...