When life gets in the way of writing…

2014_January_writing_timeJust two weeks ago, I was a good girl, getting out my writing resolutions for the new year.

But here’s the thing – writing takes time. Lots of it. Yes, we all know that, and those of us who love to write make every effort to squeeze in writing time into our busy schedules.

And sometimes, despite all our good intentions, life just gets in the way.

Today, when this post goes out, I’ll be overseeing the move into our new house. The move was supposed to happen during the holidays, when I would have had breathing room more time to unpack and get settled. Now, moving will coincide with busy periods at work, hectic school schedules, weekend sports events for the kids, and a gazillion details for settling in to the house.

Where on earth will I find time to write?

It will be hard, but it’s one of the reasons I set the goals in the first place – a little incentive to keep myself on track. Eventually, I’ll make the time in my schedule again. It may not be as much as I’d like at first, but I’ll get there.

After all, life sometimes gets in the way. And sometimes, we just have to take a deep breath and deal with it. Maybe it makes those quiet moments at our keyboards even that much more treasured.

And you, writers? How do you cope when writing time is overshadowed by all the rest?

5 Comments

  1. Catherine on January 17, 2014 at 7:55 am

    I’ve also had my writing time cut short (I haven’t had any at all!) as I’ve had family in town since Christmas. It’s been a great visit and it’s always important to reconnect when you are living abroad, but I’ll admit I’m missing sitting at my desk weaving stories. Good luck with the house move and I’m sure all will go smoothly again once you’ve settled.

  2. Claire 'Word by Word' on January 17, 2014 at 7:58 am

    Burning the midnight oil and setting the alarm earlier, knowing it’s not always going to be like this! 🙂 Good luck with the move.

  3. wordfoolery on January 17, 2014 at 1:56 pm

    Good luck with the move. I hope there’s a space in the new house for you to write? Sometimes the solution to this issue is to squeeze in writing time around the edges of the day. Sometimes it is wiser to give yourself an official “writing holidays” for a week or two – deal with Real Life – and come back ready to write again.

  4. kimberlysullivan on January 22, 2014 at 9:14 am

    Thank you, ladies, for all your words of encouragement! Even though we’re still buried in boxes, at least we’re starting to see a few weak rays of light. All great strategies for carving out time… grazie!!

  5. evelyneholingue on January 31, 2014 at 7:23 am

    I found very helpful to carry a notebook in each of my purses (I’m French and i love purses!) so wherever I am (waiting for my kids at school or at the red light) I can write. So it could be good for you if you aren’t settled yet. Writing on a piece of paper is also very liberating. Best to you.

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