Writing in the cracks of life

Writing, drafting, editing, beta reading…

I’m doing it all in the cracks.

Up until this year, I’d never understood how other writers snatch ten minutes here and twenty minutes there to write. How their novel is written on the train on the way to work or in the car at ‘if applicable, insert child’s extra-curricular activity’.

My brain has never worked like that.

I’ve spent years beating myself up for wasting this valuable time. I argued (with myself) – if I was a ‘real’ writer I’d be writing in these cracks of life. I argued more – this deficiency was the reason I wasn’t finished this manuscript and onto my next one. Hell, I should have written zillions of manuscripts by now.

I had to face facts. It wasn’t going to happen. I wasn’t the ‘writing in the cracks kinda gal.’

And then…

In January this year I signed up for the Australian Writers’ Centre course ‘Making Time to Write’. It came with a bonus course, a ‘30 Day Bootcamp’ and it was so much fun! A set task everyday made me plan ahead and work out the when, where and how I was going to get the task done.

These two courses totally changed my writing practice.

I’m writing in the cracks.

It’s become my new normal.

A habit.

• I can write without my laptop

• I love writing with pen and paper

• I can write in the ‘notes’ on my phone and email it to myself (how technically sophisticated am I!)

• Also, if my diary tells me to do something – I will. ‘To do’ writing-related items go into my diary with deadlines now.

For example:

With this blog deadline looming, I drafted it in a notebook during a half hour wait, to the background chatter of parents and the splash of kids swimming up and down a 25m swimming pool.

Writing looks different for everyone. It will evolve over time, and we need to go easy on ourselves. Forcing it, takes the enjoyment away.

Small wins are big wins.

Celebrate them.

I am.