BellaOnline Forums Career Nonfiction Writing When do you write?

Do you have a set time each day that you set aside for writing? Or do you just let the muse grab you when she will?

<img src="/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" /> I write whenever I can snatch in a few minutes let it flow! I'm a woman with a husband, four kids, a house to take care of, 2 part time jobs, 2 businesses, President of the PTO and three columns to write.

Somehow it all comes together and works. <img src="/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> The hubby is really at me to start sitting down an hour each day to work on writing a book. I've got tons of ideas but so little time.

I can't even *imagine* having four kids to watch over. My sister has triplets that are 15 and a 9 year old, and it boggles my mind that she does that all and work too. I have enough trouble working when I don't have any kids at home!!

Hey Lisa,

It's different everyday for me. Some days I wake at 5:00 am when it's dark and quiet, and write like crazy. Other times I write the whole day away, and get a lot of work done.

When there's a deadline looming, I work whenever and wherever to get it in on time!

Take care,
Christina

PS. Wow - I, too, can't imagine working with 4 kids around! Whew - kudos to you, Cheryl!

I used to write for long stretches early in the morning when I had a regular schedule. Now that I'm in a new house with a new housemate and we're still settling, I write whenever it gets quiet and I manage to sit down. I need at least 20 minutes to settle in and get going but then I can usually focus if I don't get interrupted.

I like when I can set aside a regular timeslot. My brain gets very cooperative when that happens and it's easier to move through longer written pieces for me that way.

- Rae

I used to write alot(unfortunetly, most of the tie during school), but now I just write whenever I feel like it.

I tend to write whenever I feel like it recently, only to find that I am not getting as much done as I had hoped. It is very frustrating and habit-forming. Not good for a champion procrastinator like myself!!

I write when my kids give me two seconds to breathe, and they are not bashing the keyboard or slathering it with cookie-goo!

I can't wait for preschool!

I can write anywhere, anytime. No specific schedule or time frame preferred. <img src="/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> By virtue of my sleep schedule, though, it's usually afternoons, evenings, or late at night.

I pretty much write when I get the chance. If I have an assignment then I take care of that first or I at least start it first. Then I move on to other writing that I do so I can have a break from the assignment.

I usually write in the early morning or evening but sometimes things around here are quiet and I get a chance to work for a few hours during the day.

Ahhh, I'm surprised the housework gets done for all the time I spend writing on various projects. (Luckily, my husband does most of the cooking!)

I used to write on saturdays.

I really do not have set days and times to write.

Angela

Sometimes it just comes to me and I have to put down whatever I am doing at that moment and just write. I get a lot of ideas as I am falling asleep so I keep paper and a pen by the bed - I also put down all those things you think about before bed that keep you from falling asleep!

Lately I haven't had the time to do much of anything except deal with the family, house and pets. My husband is working the night shift so I have to get the kids out of the house in the morning. I've been taking them to the playground almost daily and I take a tablet and pen with me. The older girls play, the baby sits in her stroller or plays in the grass (or eats the grass), and I get a few minutes to force myself to write - or at the very least come up with an article idea or two.

I'm working on a book right now, a collection of cooperative learning experiences for kids - I am WAYYY behind so I have to find time to force myself to do that.

I used to take every Wednesday from 4pm-10pm to write, my hubby would take the older girls out for a date. I can't wait until he is back on the day shift and graduates and he can start doing that again!

Meg

When the children were little, I wrote from 4-6 AM, and any time I could snatch later. Then I took a break from serious professional writing while I homeschooled, and now I write whenever I want, but mostly mornings.

Are you writing now, Terrie?

I'm writing--writing posts is writing. I doubt, somehow, that my publisher would agree though <img src="/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

After trying different times, I find that the hour between 11 and Midnight is the time when I come up with my best writing. I barely ever get to stay up that late, though, because I get concerned over getting eight hours of sleep a day, and I have school. I don't have to work yet, though <img src="/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" />

Hi,

I just recently joined the BellaOnline community. I'm just settling in and learning my way around here. I write whenever I can, but I try to write for a half hour each night, and 3 or 4 hours on a Saturday or a Sunday.

Sometimes I can write during my lunchtime at work, but that's usually just for snippets of ideas, or maybe putting on the finishing touches to something I have just finished.

Take care,
Susan

I envy all of you that sacrificed sleep to write!

While I've been known to stay up later than I intended, I just can't drag myself out of bed early for anything---even writing!

I'm a whole different person asleep-- my family knows "don't wake Mommy!"
~k

When I was writing it would come to me and I would write then.