Friday Writing Question

/ Joan Hall

Hi SE Readers! We’ve almost made it through another week and since this is the third Friday of the month, it’s time for another writing question. (You can check out P.H.’s question from last month by clicking here.)

Whether you’re an indie author or traditionally published, there is more to this writing thing than just writing. Promoting our work is a huge part of the process. These days, being active on social media is a must. And there are so many places to choose: Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and Instagram to name a few.

Reading is another area. I enjoy reading and my TBR list is growing. Add to the fact that to be a good writer, we need to read stories in the same or similar genres.

Did I mention finding time to sleep? And eat? And the thousand other chores that keep cropping up?

Many of us also work full-time outside of the home.  And speaking of home, we have families and social obligations. Is there any wonder we often feel we don’t have time to write?

Which brings me to my question:

How to you manage to find the balance between writing, a home life, social media, and (if applicable) holding a full-time or part-time job?

I admit that I often don’t do well in managing my time.  However, I recently decided to take one day off a week from writing. For one thing, giving myself a break helps to refresh my mind. Resting enables me to come up with new creative ideas. More importantly, I want to spend some quality time with my husband.

As you can see, we can easily become overwhelmed. But by sharing our experiences we can help one another ensure we can fit all of these activities into our lives. I look forward to hearing your answers.

43 thoughts on “Friday Writing Question”

  2. Good post, Joan! Good questions!
    Here in ‘Twilight’ I get a lot of napping in between the beautiful lines of my writing! There are so many things I could manage better! ‘Soooz’ is so right about that ‘invisible web’ and passion. Also like Soooz, I seldom leave the house, writing my fifteenth book, my blog posts, and, know something? Even with the ‘age and energy’ thing I mentioned over on PH’s post, I feel my writing is always improving. The time passes so fast, between writing and napping, the day’s over. If all my good friends out there can help me with my launching and marketing efforts, I’m forever grateful! I do plan on being around for a long time and have more books to write, more scintillating posts to offer at http://brchitwood.com. I’ve just got to remember I’m an anachronism and need to structure shorter novellas, flash fiction, short stories, for this ‘Tech Crazy’ world we live in… Tired cliches and Tomes’ don’t work for this generation!
    Sorry, Joan, gotta get back to my nap! 🙂 Then, I can have my ‘Makers Mark’ sundae while John Howell is drinking his ‘home brew stuff he calls, Willit’! Poor Bailey and Lucy! John trained them to pour and serve… Can you believe that? That’s just plain ‘dog cruelty’! – Ah, well, the nap will help!
    Tee Hee! 🙂 ♥

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  3. A great question and some marvelous responses. We writers are all connected by an invisible web of mutual understanding. It does me good to remember that I am one of the luckier ones in terms of my available writing time. Because of my health glitches I only sleep around three-to-four hours at night. I rarely leave the house, so I have all those hours to dedicate to my writing/marketing/ and nervous breakdowns … lol😊 I can’t even contemplate what my life would be like without this passion that drives me … we are all certifiable … and that’s not a bad thing.

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  4. Good question, Joan. I’ve started spending more time with hubby and reading, getting my non-writing work done first thing each day. After reading comments, I’m planning to streamline some of what I do–perhaps by using a checklist and interacting with social media on a scheduled plan rather than willy-nilly. Lastly, I’ll try to take at least one day a week off of social media. Will see how it goes… 🙂

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  5. I have a set writing schedule for 5-6 hours one day a week. When I’m on a deadline I may squeeze a few evenings in as well. I also read most every night before going to bed which helps me relax. Social media is probably where I lack the most. I disappear offline every weekend, usually starting with Friday nights. I keep telling myself when I can finally retire (years from now) my writing life will get easier. At least I hope it will, but I think the reality for most writers is that we always have several things hanging over our head and–sadly–it goes with the territory. It’s a good thing all of us love what we do so much. If most people realized what we juggle they’d think we were insane!

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  6. Time is my biggest challenge in life, especially since I’ve returned to work. Now my days for social media and writing are shorter and I feel like I’m always hurrying to cram in as much as I can. I have no solution. Just keep putting one foot in front of the other! 🙂

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  7. Don’t know what happened to WP’s reblog button the last few days but got this Pressed.
    I mostly feel like I don’t have balance, I just weave around like a drunken sailor or scurry from thing to thing plugging leaks. This week it was literally plugging leaks! Often I just feel like I’m behind on everything.

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  8. Pingback: Pressed: Friday Writing Question | Archer's Aim

  9. It’s difficult to find the balance, for sure. In terms of my writing, I really try to get some done before I head to social media (a balance I’m breaking right now 😄). But I find when I write first and then get caught up on social media, I feel so much better about the use of my time.

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  10. If you figure it out I’d love to know! I’m a stay at home mom to three children, I homeschool the older two, write fiction and non fiction as well as creating content for a blog on writing and I’m the head of marketing at Amphibian Press. I feel like if I’m doing well in one area things are slipping in the other two so I kind of rotate my focus regularly. I’d much rather find a balance!

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    • I need to take my own advice here but they key is discipline. I know an author who home schools and also ran a day care. She got up early to write. She’s now a full time author. Still home schools but is able to make a living with writing.

      Sounds like you have your plate full.

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  11. My whole life has been helter-skelter for years. Work involves grabbing the most pressing issue and forging ahead before the others become disasters too. My home life is similar. Writing time fills in the cracks. I tend to set an alarm and write before everyone else gets up.

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    • Interesting. Reminds me of what my mom said about retirement. She said she had more time to do her household chores when she worked. I think it was because she had only a set amount of time to do them. After retirement she had all the time in the world and therefore procrastinated.

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  13. Pingback: Author Inspiration and This Week’s Writing Links | Staci Troilo

  14. Funny you should ask this question when I just posted on my site today my inability to find balance in my life. (This week was particularly bad.) I try to end my workday by dinner and I try to take weekends off, but this year, I’m busier than ever. I expect the extra work to be good for my career, but it’s also cutting into my dedicated non-work time. Wish I had a good answer, but I don’t. Maybe the answer isn’t to work longer, but to work more efficiently in the allotted time.

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  15. My life is rather streamlined and decluttered. Everything, including my wardrobe, menu planning, faith practices, exercise routine, volunteer work, social life, hours at work, and cleaning routine, is simplified, a minimalist lifestyle if you will. Fortunately, I married a simple man who’d rather snuggle and read together than spend a few hours on the town, so even my married life is streamlined! Streamlining: that’s how I find balance. I have to confess, though, there are THOSE KIND OF DAYS (and everybody knows what I mean) that go wonky and take over. Eh, but the chaos usually calms down in a day or two, and I can get back to my simple life.

    Re Harmony Kent’s comment, wow, 25,500 words in 7 days? That’s impressive!

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    • Priscilla, I think the minimalist approach is good. I live a rather simple life, but I could do better. And yes, we all have THOSE DAYS. They just seem to creep in whether we want them or not. Thanks for stopping by and commenting.

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    • Thanks, Priscilla! I too go for the streamlined life as much as possible. Last year I simplified even further, and that can only be a good thing. Oh yes, THOSE KIND OF DAYS!!! I know all about those! Sometimes it felt like 2017 was nothing but those sorts of days, lols. All the best 🙂

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  17. What a great question, Joan! I know I’m not disciplined enough … not since I fell in love, lols! It was certainly easier to find the time when I was single because I wrote every evening. Now, of course, I want to spend time with my fiance! (I have to put that incase he reads this! he he he) Just lately it seems like an all or nothing situation for me. This month, I have some unexpected extra time (some work fell through), and I’m making the most of it. I’ve managed about 25,500 words in 7 days of writing, which actually covers a bit under 2 weeks as I’ve had hospital days etc taking up time. I’m not sure how long I can keep up this pace, though. I’m trying to cram before I have to work full time again. Last year, I hardly got any new writing done at all. So, somewhere, I HAVE to find that balance. A good practice I am trying during my busier times is to try for at least 500 words on a writing day. Those 500 little beasties usually sneak out more quickly than I think they will. Wishing you and everyone happy writing! 🙂

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    • Well, of course, you want to spend time with your fiance! When I got engaged, I gave up trying to write (took me too many years to get back to it, but that’s another story). After I got married, I even stopped reading as often.

      One good thing for me is that my husband works an evening shift. That’s when I do most of my writing. I think setting small goals, like 500 or 1000 words a day and sticking to meeting that goal is good for someone who has other obligations and/or a job. On the days when we can get in more, that’s just an added bonus.

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