I've heard all about this mystical "writing schedule." In fact, I hear all the time about writers who have one-- they wake up every day at 5 am and write until 7. Or they sit down and don't get up until they've written 1,000 words. Or they go to writers colonies and hammer out entire books in the span of a month.
I envy those writers. I really do. I wish I could have such discipline. But I don't. Because the thing is, the thing that no one ever wants to hear, is that I don't have a writing schedule. What I do is write whenever I can and as much as I can. Simple as that.
My life is filled with little kids running underfoot, and carpools, and figuring out what to put on the table for dinner. (Wow, I sound really glamorous, don't I!?) I try to make the most of those times in between. The few hours I have between dropping my son off and nursery school and pick up. Whatever precious time I get if and when the kids nap. A quiet evening here or there when the kids are in bed and my husband's stuck at work.
I wrote my entire first novel in the space in between. When I got home from work early, when I had time on weekends, on lunch breaks. I'd edit while riding the subway downtown, on the bus crosstown, on the Long Island Rail Road on trips to see my family. And it worked. Sure, it took longer than if I'd been writing every day until I hit the 1,000 word mark, but that wasn't my life. So I fit the writing into the life I had then. And I still do the same-- I fit the writing into the life I've got now.
EB White said "A writer who waits for ideal conditions under which to work will die without putting a word on paper."
Words to live by.
I’m the author of SCOT ON THE ROCKS and JACK WITH A TWIST. My third novel, RECIPE FOR A HAPPY LIFE, will be published by St. Martin's on July 2, 2013. My work’s also appeared in the New York Post and Publisher’s Weekly. You can find me at brendajanowitz.com or on Twitter at @BrendaJanowitz.
Oh, what sweet relief to know I'm not alone in being unscheduled! Now that I"m retired, though, I noticed the albatross of a "system" waiting to hang itself from my neck. But first I have to finish this book...
ReplyDeleteThanks, Christa!! And, ha! Yes, the "system" is always there, just threatening us!!!
DeleteActually, Brenda, I'm envious and impressed with your ability to write sans schedule! I couldn't even attempt a book until public education took over childcare, never mind a full time job! Wonderful post!!
ReplyDeleteHa!! Thank you, Laura!!
DeleteMy schedule is to simply write something every day. Life does get in the way and I prefer not to set myself up for failure by being too rigid.
ReplyDeleteHey Doreen!! Yes, I love the simplicity of just: write every day. Writing is truly a muscle and the more you exercise it, the better you get.
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ReplyDeleteLike you, I wrote whenever and wherever time permitted when my kids were little and you are totally right. A regimen is a nice concept if you can get it. And yet somehow if you persist, a book is born. And here's a secret. Some writers who keep their ass in the chair all day every day can write crap. It's the ones who are out and about interacting with others that tend to have much more to say. Great post!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Saralee!! You speak the truth-- the time doesn't matter, it's the quality.
DeleteWe have a lot in common, Brenda! It's a great post and I love the quote; I hadn't heard it before. My children are listening to EB White's Stuart Little on tape right now to help them fall asleep so I can write a blog post! It's amazing that we can write novels in the spaces in between--but very cool. I'm impressed!
ReplyDeleteYes, Samantha, we do!! And yes, we are amazing. :)
DeleteLove this. I am currently in the same boat as you and mostly unscheduled. If I have a deadline, I can be disciplined, but I am nothing without a deadline (even if it self-imposed). I also have an erratic freelance schedule, so you just never know...
ReplyDeleteI love EB too!
Nice post!
Ah, yes-- I love self-imposing deadlines, too. Can be very helpful when we need motivation!!
DeleteWonderful post, Brenda!
ReplyDeleteI've never managed to have a regular writing schedule -- I just work as hard as I can for as long as I can, in between all of the chaos...and then I crash into bed, LOL.
The crash into bed thing-- yes!!
DeleteYou're so inspiring!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Karin!! Coming from you, that really means A LOT!! YOU inspire me!!
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