Has your burden fallen to the foot of the Cross yet? Not only did Christian's fall off, it rolled down the hill and disappeared.As aspiring writers I doubt our guilt will totally disappear. Maybe someday when we've made it to the Celestial City of Publication and we're multi-published, we'll finally feel less guilty about devoting so much of our waking time to writing or thinking about it.
In the meantime, what can we do to find more writing time without feeling guilt?
Here are my last few suggestions:
- Guard Writing Time: Set aside certain blocks of time and don't let anything interfere with that time. I faithfully set aside Saturday afternoons as extended, uninterrupted writing time. I've had to miss fun activities in order to keep my committment. My husband makes dinner on Saturday night so I don't have to stop for that. I lock the bedroom door (and put on headphones!) so that I'm completely alone. I'm amazed at how many words I can write during this extended time.
- Lower Expectations: Stop expecting so much from yourself and those around you. I've had to be satisfied with only cleaning half my house one week, and the other half the next. The house is never totally clean (and only my Grandma would care). I can't finish my scrapbook, or exercise the way I want to, or bake as much as I'd like. I've had to lower my expectations about what I can do at this point in my life.
- Keep God First: No matter what the time constraints, find time to spend with the Giver of all good gifts. My ways of meeting with God have changed over the years. What worked years ago, doesn't work now. Currently I have to satisfy myself with shorter online daily devotions and an extended time of prayer on the weekend. The important thing is to find the time and make it a priority.
I've come to the end of my list. I'll move on to something else tomorrow, I promise!
But for today, one last question: have you found ways to carve out more writing time or do you simply have to be productive with the time you have?
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I admire that you have a sort of system for getting things done and making sure you set aside time to write. I write and usually get something done each week, but I am still challenged to find a system that works for me and my family. Thanks for the post!
ReplyDeleteThanks Cindy! My Saturday system is fairly stable. But my weekdays are all about grabbing a few minutes here and there for writing!
ReplyDeleteI'm trying to get my kids excited about my daily word count goals (a family gift/celebration when I complete my WIP). So now they've started asking me, "Mom did you meet your word count yet today?"
It's difficult keeping my family from interfering with my alone time. No wait make that almost impossible. It is good for me to wait until the majority has fallen asleep or hasn't woken up yet depending on my own sleep pattern.
ReplyDeleteI have completely lowered my expectation's. lol, God help me there as low as they should probably go.
God first; Amen and Amen! Jesus is all I need. All. That means nothing above him. I have to remind myself nothing else matters because it feels like it does. Isn't the Lord great, he want's us to have our hearts desire, he want's our anxiety, he want's to heal us in every way.
Another great post Jody!
So true T. Anne! Thanks for the reminder that we should put nothing above Him. It's such a struggle to keep my writing from becoming an idol. Today's Upper Room Devotional online talks about all the things we make into idols. Writing is definitely one I struggle to keep at the feet of the Lord!
ReplyDeleteWhat a nice hubby you have! :-) I think, like you're saying, it's the priorities that help ease the guilt. When we have all the right pieces in the right place, then all is better. If I'm feeling guilty about the kiddos, then chances are I didn't spend enough time with them or are ignoring them, and I know it.
ReplyDeleteGreat posts!
So, did you actually read this book? I bought it, but never read it. (too intimidated, lol)
Hi Jessica,
ReplyDeleteGood point about spending more time with our kids when we're feeling the guilt load getting heavy!
I have Pilgrim's Progress on CD and DVD! Also books, biographies, and everything in between. My secret is that my finished novel is centered around John Bunyan. So you could say I'm infatuated!