Monday, July 8, 2013

Writers Write. Do You?

When people find out I'm a writer, I get a wide range of reactions.

"That's really cool!"
"I've never met a writer before."
These kind of responses usually led to a neat discussion about my books and books in general.

"How much have you made from your books?"
"I have an idea for a book you can write."
These are the questions that I have to plaster a smile on my face. I was taught that you don't ask ask people how much money they make, so it's something I don't discuss. If you have an idea for a book, I'm excited for you, but I want you to write it, not me. I have lots of ideas and even several outlines waiting for me to work on, so thank you for the offer, but I have to politely decline.

"When do you find time to write?" 
Finding time to write is not always that easy. There are a few writers who make enough off of their writing to quit their day jobs and write full time. Unfortunately, I'm not one of them, though one day I would like to be.

I have a full time day job. I teach in a public school. My day job helps to pay the household bills. The lucky part of teaching is that I do get holidays and summer off with the exception of the workshops I have to attend during summer.

During the school year, I do a lot of my writing on weekends and in the evenings, often after the rest of the house is asleep because there are few distractions that way. My writing goal is to write a minimum of 1000 words a day, but there are days I can barely get in a few 100 words. I've learned I have to be flexible. Life happens.

Writing during the summer often presents a whole new list of challenges. Typically, I spend most of the day writing and working on household chores or running errands when I take breaks from writing. The main challenge to my writing time comes from friends and family. It's the "you're off and at home doing nothing, so you can do this for me" attitude. I have no problem helping family and friends, but sometimes it comes to a point that I have to save no.

So where do I find writing time?
I find writing time anywhere and everywhere I can.
I even take a pen and notebook with me everywhere I go.

Writers write because, not only do we love writing, we have to do it. Writing is as much a part of us as breathing and eating is. Being writers are who we are even if we never take the step to publish our stories.

Are you a writer?