Making time to write - aim for an hour a day as a minimum

I have been reading lots of blogs about how to write in a busy world. In particular, how to finish that elusive first book - you know, the one you have been wanting to publish but haven't managed to tick all the boxes.

One of the tricks is to keep on writing every day - no matter what interruptions get in the way. One blogger suggests trying to find a minimum of an hour a day (in my case an hour every two days is more realistic) just to do a little bit of writing. To keep things flowing.

Check out this blog from Joanna Penn (one of the best author blogs around)http://www.thecreativepenn.com/2013/02/11/how-to-write-more-daily-writing-habit/

Joanna also talks about aiming for at least 1,000 words a day. But how can you manage that if you also have a day job, kids, etc?

My take is - an hour a day is better than nothing, but it is not enough... It is so much more satisfying to have a whole day to write. Those of us working full time, it may only be a day a week or a day a month, but a day is wonderful!

In desperation I took an annual leave day today to write - and it has been a relief to get back into it. I am getting so close to finishing the draft of the third book in my three-book series, and I have this strange idea that I want to finish all three drafts before I publish the first one. Make sure all the story links are finalised...

So back to today : Research in the morning and then 3,000 words this afternoon. It's a good start and I hope I'll be able to do it more often. In the meantime, I will try to stick to writing something every day - or re-writing and working on promotions. Surely I can squeeze in an hour after the kids are in bed? A bit at a time and we'll get there in the end!

Time flies when you're - well, just living

It has been far too long since I had a chance to really write. I miss those days spent finishing chapters and perfecting my latest book... Days when the characters just jump onto the stage taking me on their adventures without having to do anything more than record them. Being let into their lives and  thoughts - what a privelege!
Where have those days gone? I don't know - I have been too busy living to search for them.
But the dream has not died. I still want to finish something - to share it. So today I have a day off. Just one I know - but it's a start... See you later...