This post really hits home with me. I am a full time student with numerous self-imposed extracurriculars and an internship at a local newspaper, but even they don’t take up the majority of my time. My coursework dominates my free time, and while part of it is creative writing, the other classes require so much time that I still don’t have time to write as much as I’d like to. It’s pretty easy for me to stay off of Facebook when I’m working, but I have yet to discover a way to keep myself away from ESPN. Lately, however, Outlook is my best friend. However much I hate to admit it, I have to schedule each day out by the hour, or I’ll never get anything done. It might be a little obsessive-compulsive, but it’s what works. Now my only goal is to schedule in some free time and some intense writing time somewhere. The worst part is that my best writing comes out late at night, and putting in the hours to write at two in the morning just doesn’t work when you have class at 8:30.

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My agent secured me a three-book deal last month, which means I’m now beginning the strange new task of writing a book that’s already sold. It’s also the first book I’ll be tackling since I started blogging and tweeting, which means that in addition to the pressure of producing words I’ve already been paid for, I’ll have distractions I’ve never had before. I like your method of setting word count goals for yourself before you’re allowed to dive into the social media swamp. I’ll have to try that.

Thanks for sharing this with us!

Tawna
.-= Tawna Fenske´s last blog ..Brainstorming makes my butt sore =-.

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Spring is coming though. I like to take my laptop to the park where there is no WiFi and dive in. For me, that’s key, writing without internet access. It’s amazing how much work I can actually get done then.

Does anybody write with pen and paper anymore? I could never.
.-= Bryon Cahill´s last blog ..Brain Storm =-.

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Of course as my WB (Writing Bully, aka my husband) constantly reminds me, I have longer than I think. It’s just it starts out as 15 minutes and then the baby sleeps longer, I’ve ended up wasting an hour to facebooking or blog reading that I could have used writing.

I can’t claim to have the answer yet. However… I have heard about this neat new computer program for Mac users that can be set up to lock you off the internet until you have achieved a pre-set target. I am looking into it.

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My mental time block is this idea I have (and have had for YEARS) that I need to set out A LOT of time to do something. For example, I will be going bowling in three hours and in my messed up time block mind, three hours just isn’t enough time to spend editing my WIP. However, my time block affects me differently at different times of the day. If I had had these 3 hours this morning, I would be right into my WIP.

I had fixated on things I like. About 6 months ago it would be rare to see me without yarn and knitting needles or a crochet hook. I made scarves, dishcloths, mittens, hats and doilies – I’d spend hours upon hours crafting.

I had managed to develop a schedule – I’d do facebook, twitter and email and then write from 10-2 or 3 (4k words a day) and then have the afternoon off to indulge in my fixation of the month. I’d go through the blogs I follow in the evenings and also use that time to update my own blog and send emails and messages. My perfect schedule was overthrown! My b/f has his own construction company has needed me to come and help for the past few weeks and after a day working for him I am pooped and just want to lay on the couch all evening.

So I guess I need to get over my new schedule and mental time block and just start editing in the evenings or maybe early morning.

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One thing I am truly trying to do is set a timer. I review what I need to…respond to what I have to, etc and when the timer goes off, I bookmark the rest and get on with trying to put something at least relatively coherent into print.

Sometimes when a truly hard rain wipes out the internet for an afternoon, I feel doubly blessed. Writing is a lot like shopping. You want to do it but you want to come home rewarded with good finds that make the day worth it too. SO…I look at the “necessary social media writing” as the trunk show before the main event. I like what I see, but I still have to find my size.

http://www.onemoreserving.blogspot.com

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It’s because we write that we suffer from an overactive brain—call it whatever you want…A.D.D.? Well, yeah! No kidding! I try to keep my father’s voice stuck somewhere inside my head when I’ve gone over the limit…”there’s a time and a place for everything,” he used to say.

So…morning is my time to write. Night time is my time to play on the internet, blog, respond and read all the great stuff about writing out there. Haven’t gotten to the online scrabble YET…please don’t tell me more!
.-= Gael Lynch´s last blog ..Wading through the Blarney =-.

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I adore you and part of the reason why is your ability to state what so many of us are thinking and feeling so perfectly. Thanks for reminding us we’re not alone.

Now, about that on-line Scrabble game…
.-= Debra Schubert´s last blog ..SUBLIMINAL MONDAY: Bring on the Spring! =-.

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