Guest Post: Finding the time to write by Keeley Smith

Written By: Kellie - Nov• 30•12

 

Firstly I want to thank Kellie for giving me space on her blog for my book, Returned, and also doing a review. I really appreciate it.

 

“There aren’t enough hours in the day.”

This is one of my favourite sayings. Well, I wouldn’t say it was a favourite; perhaps the right word would be, overused? But seriously, we need to add a few more hours to a day, or our bodies shouldn’t need sleep.

I work a full time job in a school so I find that when I get home my evenings are taken up with writing, plotting and editing. I still can’t believe people think that being a writer is easy. It’s not.

Far from it.

It’s important to find a balance, so whilst I write I need to live my life. So when do I find the time for friends and family? I have to designate time. Knowing when they are coming helps me to sort out my writing schedule. It still doesn’t stop my head from churning ideas whilst I’m with them. The switch has no off button.

 

To give people an idea of my limited time I thought I would break down my evening schedule:

4.30pm – I get in from work, change; start up the laptop whilst I’m sorting the mail etc.

4.45- 5.30pm – I usually designate this time for twitter but I’m sneaky and whilst I should be doing book stuff I do go on twitter. It’s also connected to my phone so I do spend a lot more time than I should on twitter.

5.30-6.30pm – Food. This is usually the time I talk to my husband whilst inhaling much needed energy.

6.30-7.30pm– I would usually spend an hour looking through my Facebook author page, my website or thinking about new blog updates.

7.30-….- I usually spend the rest of the evening writing, I will stop once I start sleeping and typing at the same time.

 

It’s difficult to regiment the timings. It’s especially hard because I’m easily distracted. My laptop is my saviour, without it I couldn’t write my books. It’s also my pitfall. Easy access to the internet is not good. It only takes one slip and my brain decides it wants to go on holiday. I often find myself searching the craziest of things, especially when I’ve got the dreaded block.

I wish I could tell you that I’m one of those really organised authors. I’m not. I often have one of the mad panic dashes where something needed to be done yesterday. But to be honest, I’m doing something I love so I don’t mind the heart palpitations. I don’t mind the sleepless nights, the deadline panic (I set myself deadlines, yep, I’m crazy.) I suppose the moral of my post is that you can never find the time to do what you need to do. Just spend what time you do have, loving what you do.

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One Comment

  1. Keeley Smith says:

    Thank you Kellie for allowing me room to post my thoughts :-)

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