From: jerryn@glnserv.UUCP (Jerry Norris)
Newsgroups: misc.writing
Subject: Re: finding time to write
Date: Tue, 13 Oct 92 17:22:35 CDT
Organization: Vermi-net, Houston, Tx. 77098

rmr@sgi.com (Robert M. Reimann) writes:

> sascmc@pecos.unx.sas.com (Christopher Mark Conn) writes:
>
> >How much time do you spend writing per week?
> >How do you find the time? I'm trying to approach
> >it the way I would an exercise program, finding a
> >time and committing to it. I'd be interested in
> >your ideas.
>
> If you're going to approach it that way, try starting
> out by writing a hundred words a day (and more, if the
> mood strikes you).  Once you're able to do that on a
> regular basis, expand from there.  A friend of mine
> ensures that she will write every day by promising
> to write a $100 check (to her favorite charity) every
> time she misses a day.  She maintains that this
> method works very well for her.
>
>

I use the "treat it as a second job" method.  I have to log in at least
two hours per day of writing, a total of ten hours per week, in order to
meet the goal I've set for my production schedule.  Since it _is_ my
second job (one that is infinitely less profitable but much more
satisfying than what I _really_ get paid for), I try to handle such things
as production schedules and such in moments when I just can't think of
anything to write about.

Since I usually have several projects in progress, I usually don't have to
worry too much about writer's block (something I have only had to deal
with _very_ infrequently), since I can skip from one project to another,
and in fact can load up to seven projects at a time on my worderator (I
_like_ MS Word 5.0.  I keep one window open for various and sundry notes)
and just flip from one to the other until I get an idea.

I've also got a micro-recorder that I keep
around all the time that I'm not in front of either of my terminals (we've
got two computers in the house; one sits in a heavy traffic area in the
house and is used by the entire family, the other sits in the bedroom and
is a cobbled together monstrosity fondly known as Frankenstein (the other
is Boopsie)).  I update my files on both systems so that I'm always working
on the newest versions, and when traffic gets too heavy around Boopsie, I
retire to the bedroom and finish working in there.  Combine this with a
program I put together that keeps track of when I start and finish a job
(much of this automated through batch files), and I've got an acurate
accounting of how much time I spend writing as well as a reasonable
assurance that my time writing will be productive vs. sitting in front of
the screen, banging my head against the desk as I try to figure out where
to take the story from a certain point.

On a normal week I can get pretty close to my goal.  This week I'm on
vacation and I've already exceeded the ten hour work week for my second
job.  Does this mean I'm going to take a rest?  Are you kidding?  It's
nice being able to work the amount of hours I'd _like_ to work on my
second job and getting paid from my primary job to do it!

later,
jerry.

email address:  xcluud!glnserv!jerryn

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Newsgroups: misc.writing