Having a Writing Schedule

      When I started writing Ascension almost nine years ago, I literally wrote whenever I had a free moment. Sometimes even when I didn't have a free moment. I wrote after homework, in boring classes, occasionally during church (sorry, pastors, you and Jesus were just inspiring). I wrote in the car, on planes, literally all the time. Sometimes, I'd go awhile without writing because I was editing or giving myself Christmas break.
       College life has kind of changed me just a tad. It seems like there is always something to do, even if that is giving myself a mental break (because, y'all, college kids need mental breaks). This has become extremely obvious to me this past semester. At the beginning of the semester, as I was trying to settle into my routine while trying to find time to write, it was basically impossible.
       So I've been making myself wake up an hour earlier than I would normally wake up for class. I make coffee (essential) and breakfast then sit down to write. It's not nearly enough time. I hate getting up and going to class when I'm smack-dab in the middle of a good scene. But I have to do it. Now, as a young adult, I need this set time to sit down, close my door, listen to music, and write.
       That's not to say I don't write any other time of day. Last week, I was super pumped up about getting to the end of Ascension 2.0 (though I didn't), so I wrote for maybe 3 hours one evening because I had an odd lack of homework.
       I'm also not saying that you have to write every single day. Sometimes that's not possible. If Tuesday and Thursdays are the best days for you, make those your writing days. Or just write a heck of a lot during the weekend.
      For all of you young writers and older writers and middle writers, just carve out a little bit of time, consider it like going to the gym for your mind. You need to exercise your skill, practice, hone it. This is just one of many ways to do that.
      Conveniently, a good way to do that started today! NaNoWriMo is an annual event that challenges writers to get the skeleton of a novel onto the page. In 30 days time, you will have written a 50,000 word novel. If you're interested, click here. I wish you all the best of luck in your NaNoWriMo goals!

Get Writing,
     HER