Tag Archive for: Rebecca Tsaros Dickson

How to write when you don’t have time

He says: “I have no time to myself. I’m too tired to write after working all day and spending time with my family. But I’ve been writing this book for almost two years and I really want to get it done. How can I find time to write when there just isn’t any?”

She says: “I’m a single mom. I have two amazing kids, a full-time job and no family nearby to help. The last thing I have energy for at the end of the day is my book. But it’s been sitting in that damn desk drawer for six years. Six years. I want to finish it. I need to finish it. I keep thinking I’ll have time later. But later never comes.”

At some point, most writers find themselves with half of a story in their head, their drawer, their computer – with no time to finish. It sits there, languishing, beckoning the author for months or even years. We can’t seem to break free of day to day responsibilities to get it done.

We may feel guilty taking time away from our kids and spouses. We may be too tired after working all day. We may have other responsibilities and chores that take precedence.

This is the point where a writer learns who she is and how good.

If you truly want to write, then you don’t make time. You take it. Here are three easy strategies to just write.

Read more

Why writing is like Duck Dynasty

Sort of…

I want my novel in the top 100 Amazon.

I want to be a famous author.

I want everyone to love me and my book.

Things we hear and see every day from writers all over the world.

What we don’t see is the follow-up. We don’t hear about the work they are putting in to make their book the best it can be.

What do they plan to do to make their stuff stand out?

*

Last night, I had the rare luxury of watching part of a Duck Dynasty marathon. I don’t like TV. I don’t have time for TV. But I made an exception after the hell that was last week. I was about halfway through the episode where Jas and Willie take their wives hunting when my husband came in and started talking over it. Not just a few words. Not a quick reminder about something. An actual conversation he insisted on continuing even when I asked him to wait for a commercial.

“What? Like you don’t know how it will end? Their taking their wives hunting. There are no surprises here,” he said.

Which is true.

“But it’s not about the end,” I said. “It’s about the telling of the story.”

Read more