WHEN LINES IN THE SAND GET BLOWN AWAY
How to find the time to write, in spite of yourself
By Christine Kole MacLean

When it comes to writing fiction, I’ve drawn a lot of lines in the sand over the years. When I finish college, I’ll write, I promised myself. But when I finish college soon gave way to once I’ve proven myself at work, which segued seamlessly into when things calm down at work.

And once the babies started coming, well, I ask you, who in the world can write once they have children? (The answer is, many people. Jean Kerr, author of Please Don’t Eat the Daisies, said she did most of her writing while waiting in the car for her six children. “There is nothing to do but write after I get the glove compartment tidied up,” she said.)

It took me 20 years to realize that all this—work and family and friends—was life, and instead of waiting for it to go away, I needed to figure out a way to make writing a part of it. Janet Burroway, author of the textbook “Writing Fiction,” tells her students that the most important question they should ask themselves is not “Am I good enough to be published?” but “How can I fit writing into my everyday life?”

Writing has to be a priority. While I struggle mightily and continually with this, there are some things that have worked for me for a while, sometimes, if I’m lucky and the moon and sun and stars align just so and the temperature is 72 degrees and there’s a light wind from the south. I offer them here, for what they are worth.

Choose the time carefully. Find the day and time least likely to compete with other obligations or the demands of family. For me, that’s Saturday mornings. I get up two hours before the kids and, by pre-arrangement, my husband deals with them for three hours after they get up. That gives me five hours a week. Once you’ve found the time, protect it. This means you’re going to have to learn to. . .

. . .Say no. If you do it nicely, people won’t even realize you’re saying no. Here are some ideas. “Given my other commitments, I couldn’t possibly give this the time and effort it deserves right now.” Or suggest another resource: “I can’t do it, but have you thought of asking Sue?” Or suggest another way: “How about we order pizzas instead of holding a potluck?” If you still have trouble saying no, consider this: Would you rather spend your life realizing your own dreams or helping others realize theirs?

Control technology, or it will control you.
Over the course of a lifetime, the average adult spends about nine years watching television, according to Nielsen Media Research. So just turn it off already! You can wean yourself by, when your favorite shows go off the air, not replacing them with new ones. I’ve never been an avid T.V. watcher; the Internet is my own Achilles Heel. I manage it by either not launching my browser (e-mail is too tempting) or taking my work to the library where I won’t have Internet access. Finally, to prevent the phone from sapping your writing time, let your machine pick up and return all calls later.

Write first, even on busy days.
My official job is writing materials for corporate clients. Somehow, I always manage to get that work done. So I learned a neat trick: I write for me for an hour every day before tackling my corporate work. That’s because I know I will stay up as late as necessary in order to meet their deadline, but I poop out if it’s my writing I’m doing. (Disclaimer: This strategy is not for the faint of heart.)

Shell out some cash.
For many years, the only time I wrote was during the week that I attended the Iowa Summer Writing Festival, but it was enough to keep the dream alive. At various times, I’ve also taken an online course, hired a writing coach, and signed up for paid critiques at SCBWI conferences. Paying to attend a class or seminar does two things: it moves writing up on your priority list because you want to get your money’s worth, and it sends the message to others and yourself that you are serious about mastering the craft.

The last line in the sand I drew was that I’d go to graduate school for a masters in creative writing if I wasn’t writing regularly by the time both kids were in school full time. That, I knew, would force me to write. I may still go back for my masters. But if I do, it will be because I want to hone my craft—not because I need a high-priced pair of handcuffs to keep me in my chair.

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