| How often do you sit down at your keyboard, | | | | Here’s what I think. Other than the fact that |
| stare at the screen, and think, “I’m just | | | | we’re postponing our own writing goals and |
| not in the mood to write today?” Or maybe | | | | dreams, which should be important enough in |
| you don’t admit that to yourself, but instead | | | | itself, there are really no immediate consequences |
| use the time you’ve set aside to check your | | | | to putting off our stints at the keyboard. If we |
| e-mail, read about the latest Lindsey Lohan, O. J. | | | | simply stopped showing up at our day jobs just |
| Simpson or Britney Spears folly, or play | | | | because we weren’t in the mood, we’d |
| solitaire...until you realize your writing time has | | | | lose it. If we stopped preparing meals for our |
| elapsed and you need to be somewhere else. | | | | children because we just didn’t feel like |
| If you’re either smiling or grimacing in | | | | cooking, they would go hungry. But if we go a |
| recognition of this scenario, you’re not alone. | | | | day, a week, heck, even a year without writing, |
| Sometimes it is joyously easy for us writers to | | | | who besides ourselves would care? |
| write. But at other times, maybe even most of | | | | We need to start looking at our writing goals |
| the time, it’s—well, it’s work. | | | | much the same way we do any other obligation |
| And if you’re freelancing, there’s no boss | | | | in our lives, as something that must, not should, |
| (other than you) to give you goals and deadlines, | | | | be done. Like arriving to work on time or doing |
| no one giving you annual performance appraisals, | | | | the laundry regularly, we need to schedule our |
| no one disciplining you when you fail to measure | | | | writing time and just do it, regardless of the |
| up. You might get the occasional question from a | | | | mood we’re in. Why? Because, unlike doing |
| friend or relative (“Have you written anything | | | | laundry or showing up at your day job, sticking |
| new lately?” or “Are you still | | | | with your writing and getting published brings the |
| writing?”), but that’s hardly life-threatening. | | | | most extraordinary sense of accomplishment and |
| You might experience a twinge of guilt or | | | | fulfillment—something we can point at and say, |
| remorse. Maybe you even lie and say, “Yeah, | | | | “Look, I did that!” And it’s a feeling |
| of course I’m still writing.” But the truth | | | | we can recreate many times over, the more we |
| is, you haven’t been in the mood, and you | | | | devote ourselves to our writing. |
| and your conscience know it. | | | | So if, like me, you really, really, really want to be |
| What is it about writing, especially for us part-time | | | | a writer, this is what I want you to do—join |
| or aspiring freelancers, that leads us to believe we | | | | me, and commit to writing for a minimum of 15 |
| can let ourselves off the hook so easily? On the | | | | minutes a day, or one hour and forty five |
| one hand, we claim that’s what we want to | | | | minutes a week. Minimum. It doesn’t matter |
| do and be more than anything in the world—to | | | | what you write, or how many words, at least not |
| write, to be a writer. Yet, is that really true? If | | | | at first. Just make it a part of your daily routine, |
| so, why aren’t we making time to write | | | | like taking a shower or brushing your teeth. I think |
| every single day? Even when—especially | | | | you’ll find the time spent writing even more |
| when—we’re not in the mood? | | | | invigorating and refreshing. |