Wednesday, April 17, 2013

Setting a Goal for Time

Being a teacher, I find writing easier to do in the summer and winter months due to the "off hours." However, as a novelist, I know it is important to continue to write throughout the year. Last year, I finished my newest novel in the matter of a few months by setting aside about 15 minutes every morning to write. Some mornings I would write more, but I would never write less. I found the results slow, but steady. I also finished the novel at a quicker pace than otherwise allowed.

I am currently working on my 3rd in the Atlantis book series. I have dutifully set my alarm 15 minutes earlier to rise before the sun and write/plan/edit. The results have been two chapters completed in a couple weeks. It is still slower than I would like, but if I didn't do it then the book would still be in the prologue. I highly recommend setting aside time to write, or do whatever your passion is. If we don't make time, then it will not get done. Life will always get in the way. I have encountered that truth time and time again.

I view that 15 minutes as my own time. Especially this week, when the world is filled with tragic news that tears at the gut, I find that 15 minutes before the break of day the most refreshing time. It is my own time, trapped in my own bubble. I don't worry about bills, or news, or jobs, or family. Nothing. It's just me and a keyboard hanging out with my characters. Setting aside the time is no longer a chore. It is a luxury I will not pass up.

Happy Wednesday to everyone.

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