I think most libraries carry that book, too, so it doesn't have to be an every year purchase. I found it was a useful investment, though.

Kelly

Kelly, I would be interested in knowing if you like to write fiction, or non-fiction better? Just curious.

Hi JJ,

It depends on what I'm working on at the time. When I am focused on writing nonfiction, that's what I prefer, and when I'm focused on writing fiction, that's what I enjoy. I think this is because it's the act of writing, not necessarily the content, that creates the good feeling and satisfies what I call in TIME TO WRITE the Burning Desire to Write.

When I get into that zone where the writing is flowing, it doesn't matter what I'm writing, it only matters that I'm writing. I suspect a lot of authors are like that. That's why one of the pieces of advice I give in TIME TO WRITE is to not get distracted by email, blogging, and so forth, because it 'feels' like writing when it's really not and that can take away from your writing time.

I thought it might be useful to have a discussion about distractions and what the major distractions to writing are that the people on this list deal with...here's a poll to get us going:

Kelly

I wanted to comment on your 24 hour time budget that you mentioned in your book (page 32&33). Do you want to tell everyone about that. I think it's most helpful in finding time to write, or do just about anything you've been putting off.

Hi Dotsie,

The 24 hour time budget is a great exercise that I created to figure out where you can squeeze writing into your day, even if it's just 15 minutes (and a lot of bestselling authors got their start that way, by writing in 10, 15, 20 minute increments.)

Here's what you do: keep a time journal of how you spend every minute of your day for 7 days-- just a typical week and weekend. At the end of the 7 days, look at how you spent your time and scrutinize it for any place you can compress, eliminate, or delegate an activity in order to write instead. For example, if you're spending 2 hours in the morning getting ready for work, can you compress that into an 1.5 hours and write for the other 30 minutes. Can your kids set the dinner table at night so you can write while the casserole is cooking? Can your spouse take over the laundry on Saturday afternoons so you can write instead?

Or, are there things you can get rid of totally? I read a statistic recently that said that between TV, reading newspapers/magazines, and surfing the Internet, most adults spend an average of 4 hours per day immersed in media.

Can you give up your weekly pedicure and write during that time, or write while you're getting your pedicure.

This is the purpose of the 24 hour time budget. It's similar to writing down every penny you spend so you can see where your money really goes. It's a useful exercise for people who feel super busy, and it's how I nailed the hours of 4-6 AM as my own writing time.

On the poll above, I see where email is the biggest distraction so far. Not surprising. Email is a huge time zapper for me too. What are some ways people manage this distraction?

Best wishes,
Kelly

The only way I can find to get around the glut of email traffic is to avoid opening that site on my computer at all costs before I go into word to do my writing. Then before shutting down for the day, if I even remember is to go back and check my email. Actually the biggest deterent from my writing time is coming here, this place is a real time stealer for me... Will I avoid coming here? FAT CHANCE!!! LOL....
BWS should be on your poll above.

Hi Chatty, thanks for your comments. Isn't that weird how if you open email first thing, it sucks you right in, but if you delay it and open it after you do your important tasks for the day, it has less hold over you? I have had that experience too. Email is my downfall in terms of time wasting. I have to really watch the clock and I usually give myself a deadline to get off line and into the writing. I also have been working to limit the number of times I check email throughout the day.

Kelly

Email is also my time killer, but since I have a virtual business, all my connections and contacts come via email.

I loved that idea of the 24 hour time budget. I think I'll get my daughter to do it. HA! She just got home from college last night. That's not fair. I'll give her a couple weeks before I slap that one on her. She is so releived finals are over. She deserves a break for now.

Kelly, you also talk about writing goals, an action plan and holding yourself accountable. Want to share a little about that?

I really enjoyed hearing how other writers make it work which is a good protion of the book. I always learn by example, or at least try to.

All of the 104 writers I interviewed for TIME TO WRITE set writing goals. I recommend people use the SMART format, which means goals are Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, and Time Limited (i.e., give yourself a deadline.) Have overarching goals, such as "I will write my novel within 12 months" then work backwards and break down the goal into smaller goals that will move you along steadily toward the overarching goal-- for instance, "I will write three pages of my novel five days a week for the next year." You can break this down as far as you need to to get the work done-- you can include mini-action steps, such as "go to the library and do research after work every day this week," "finish my synopsis on Saturday", and so forth. This is your Writing Action Plan. In TIME TO WRITE, I include very detailed templates that you can use to create your own goals and your own writing action plan. It's important to set goals if you want to succeed as a writer.

To hold yourself accountable to your goals and writing action plan, reward yourself each and every time you follow through on those goals. So when you get your three pages done for the day, use one of those distractions that is always pulling you away from writing to pat yourself on the back-- take a nap, check your email, surf the internet, watch TV, etc. Whatever motivates you to get the job done, use it as a reward for writing.

This is how you establish positive feelings toward writing and generate positive reinforcement, which strengthens the chances that you will do it again tomorrow, and the next day, and the next day, and so on. It helps the momentum build and pretty soon, 12 months have passed and your novel is written!

Kelly

Kelly, this sounds like the perfect plan. Now all I have to do is institute it.