Writing is a wonderful, joyful and sometimes spiritual endeavour.  For me, it takes me to a place I yearn to be – wrapped up in my story along with my characters experiencing the world I’ve created.  I mean, who doesn’t love day dreaming of worlds unknown, how things could be, imagining the “what if’s”?  For most writers, their stories contain a little bit of themselves, or better yet, a lot of themselves.  Their lives, their memories, their experiences or their “what if’s”.

Just one problem with all that – devoting the time to do what we love.

Juggling life, kids, work, spouses, family, schedules and the everyday routine is hard enough.  Try and fit in some quality writing time into that equation?  Man, good luck.  Life is chaotic enough and for myself, finding time to use the bathroom is a feat in itself.

But fear not, because it is possible, but it IS difficult.

I guess what I’m saying here is that many authors DO find the time to devote to their craft.  Yes, being an acclaimed author who writes for a living bringing home six figures with each book makes it way easier to do, but there are many up and coming authors who do this as well.

The balance is there for all of us.  Finding it is somewhat of a chore, but if you’re serious about writing, then be serious about your time devoted to it.  For me, it was late at night when the kids were small.  Tuck my monsters into bed and pull up the desk chair in one fell swoop was my nightly routine.  That changed to early mornings, until I learned quickly I wasn’t a morning person.  I switched to afternoons, but my stupid job I need to live put a stop to that.  Now, I choose my time wisely (I’m lying like a rug) but value each and every 1/2 hour I get.  I’ve had poetry published, short stories and for a while, ran several writing groups on line as well as spending time to write what I wanted to write.  Were there distractions?  Hell yes.  Deal with them and move on, or write on.  Do I still struggle with time allotment to my writing?  Hell yes.  Will it get better?  Maybe when my New York Times best seller gets published and Stephen King invites me over for tea.  Until then, I struggle, find balance, lose it, reclaim it, fight for my time and finally make it to the bathroom in peace.  But I DO feel better having written all this because now I can get back to writing.

Write on!