Dana’s recent blog entry made me think about how hard it is to find time to write with life “things” happening around you. I’ve been there, done that and I’m still dealing with it…LOL! Life happens and I’m always amazed by some writer friends who can write with chaos (read: kids and spouses) all around them. Not ME! I have to get away. I’m not even one of those authors who can write with music plugged in my ears. Why? Because I get too darned wrapped up in the song’s “story” and the lyrics and then I’m off on some other tangent thinking about the song and NOT writing. 
I’ve learned to give myself the “time” to write because I need at least a couple of hours to sit down and really get cranking on a story. Thirty minutes won’t cut it for me. Ha, my muse is just then kicking in at that point…or is it the coffee…but, I digress. The point is, it took me a while to figure out that my “best” working environment wasn’t at home, but somewhere else. Sure, I can edit at home, but I need time away to be creative and write my story. So I find places to go and amazingly I somehow manage to tune out complete strangers talking all around me. Then the only interruptions I get are from people walking past me and asking, “Is that a laptop?” LOL! For the record, it’s a Dana by Alphasmart…the best invention for those of us who have no self-control when it comes to email/internet/blogs, etc…ie it let’s me completely unplug and just write.
For any authors reading this…what do you do when you find you’re working toward a deadline (either personally or professionally imposed) and life’s going nuts around you? How do you get it all done?
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Ok, so you write with a Dana? hehehe Thanks for your advice. I plan on going AWAY next Monday. I plan to be gone forever… I may not come back.
j/k
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LOL Dana! I had to laugh when I typed that I wrote on a Dana. Thought it’d make you smile. hehe
Good for you on working out a time to write. Make the most of it and see how much you get done. 
by Patrice
on June 19th, 2006 at 4:49 pm
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I ignore everything else and write. I also listen to soundtracks that have no lyrics or the classic radio channel.
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Hey Jordan! I do love listening to soundtracks. Used to listen to my Last of the Mohican’s “tape”…argh, that’s so ancient sounding now. LOL! Need to get the CD. I also love my Secret of Roan Inish soundtrack and my Master and Commander soundtrack as well. Hmmm, maybe I should pull the two of those out.
by Patrice
on June 21st, 2006 at 7:50 pm
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Sometimes I have to unplug myself from the realworld and just write - I usually try to give fair warning to my family - and buy a stock of frozen dinners, lol.
by Sam
on June 22nd, 2006 at 6:53 am
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I have the same problem with music, Patrice. I studied it in college, and now I’m at the point that even lyric-less orchestrations distract me. I also have found that I am not at my most productive when I’m at home. This could be because I don’t have an official workspace other than the kitchen table (a point I’m still working on), but I think “life stuff” just gets in the way. I take my laptop to a nearby cafe, plug it in, and write away. :-)
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Hi Sam! Unplug is the operative word for me, too…oh and the fact my house looks like a disaster while I finish up a project.
by Patrice
on June 22nd, 2006 at 7:38 pm
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Hi Amanda Jean Kelly! The music drives me nuts when I write, not because I don’t like it but because I like it too much…music moves me. I’ve found lots of inspiration from music while NOT writing hence the reason when I am writing…no tunes. Yep, that’s me at a cafe writing away.
by Patrice
on June 22nd, 2006 at 7:41 pm
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I’m so glad to know I’m not the only one who can’t write with music on. I have quite a few friends who hook up the Ipod and write away. I.Can’t.Do.It.
Makes me insane. I end up singing instead *g*.
On deadline I just manage to tune out the world and write. Once I’m blowing full stream on a story, I can successfully tune everything and everyone out. It’s probably the sheer and utter panic that helps ..lol
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Hey Jaci! The sheer and utter panic, eh? Sounds like you work great under pressure!
by Patrice
on June 28th, 2006 at 8:49 pm
