Planning Life Around Writing or Writing Around Life???? Which are you?

[Lesley Bonney]

Just a curiosity thing really ....you know, how everyone manages their writing time; how much time is dedicated; how difficult it is when there is a home to run, children, work; when do writer's write there best; support from loved ones. And anything anyone else can think of?

For me :

I am a morning writer. Any other time it's checking work as my mind isn't good at functioning!!
I use to write for an hour and a half before work Mon to Friday but now we have moved it's ten minutes as I travel for 40 minutes to work.
Sat / Sun mornings I write but at times there might be things going on.
If I stay at Mum's etc, my laptop goes too.
No kids but as we've just moved so we have been decorating - now it's the garden.
I work full time and am tired when I get home after a 40 min journey - sometimes I visit my Nan so am home about 730pm.
Lunchtimes at work I usually check harcopies print of my manuscript.
Partner doesn't mention much about it but I know he is happy if I am happy - I hope he is proud of me.
Mum is ecstatic I write. She paints. Her father painted. My sis use to do pottery but does house designs now.
Joey (my cat) eats my hardcopy; Tabitha (my girlie cat) helps by walking across the keyboard, and PJ (our stray) is more than happy to sit on anything I need to use when writing.... love 'em!!!

What about anyone else?

Lesley xx

[Lesley Bonney]

My mind feels fresher of a morning ,... think the earliest I've written is 630am!! Do you do anything exciting work wise or in an office like me... I feel like throwing it in and getting something working with animals. Love animals and hate sitting down all day - too much energy!!

[Lesley Bonney]

I'd like to change jobs but daren't at the mo. Infact, Ray and I were going to work it that I went part time somewhere but think it's safer to stay where I am at the mo. Think of those mornings I could write! Maybe one day.

[Jem Farmer (Ceridwen of Annfwn)]

Good question.

During term time it depends on my assignment work load, so most of my writing time is taking up with essays and project work. Some days its just my 5 minute free write and a couple of outlines for a poem or two. Most of my non-academic writing seems to get done on a Virgin train somewhere between Cardiff and Swindon. So during term time its writing fits in with life. My laptop and pencils go everywhere with me in case.

During vacation I tend to write in the mornings then in the afternoons head off to my studio or out on location to draw and paint.

My at-home son is an artist too, so we get on fine and so don't interfere with each others work.

Hubby is a tattooist so in the same mind set.

Mum thinks its about time I got a proper job, she has the artistic bent of a gnat. My gamma was an artist and writer so thinks I am the biz.

Jem

[Marit Meredith]

These days my writing takes place in the evenings and into the night, every night, except for the weekends when I often get the luxury of almost entire days by the laptop, writing. My (our) house is the meeting place of our large family, including the grandchildren - and most days I have a houseful. I find that I'm jealous of time taken up by other things/people in the evenings (time to leave folks, lol!). That's my writing time - and I need it.

[Paul Downs]

Lesley, since I am a poet I'll write when my muse is good and ready and that usually does not follow a schedule. I will say that some of my most prolific moments have been in the mornings, the prime inspiration being just in that twilight moment as I am waking up - the head is so relaxed at that moment and the usual conscious static is not there to cloud creativity.

When I let life's problems get to me I will not come up with anything of worth usually but all I really have to do is concentrate on what I'm doing and I'm eventually fine. My day work will almost always involve physical labor and ironically when the muscles are fired up the brain seems to be also.
Paul

[Lesley Bonney]

Hi Paul,
You'll have to add some of your poetry on here. Am sure there'll be plenty who will want to read it.
I wrote a small piece for a comp this weekend, plus finished an article (to re-read though!)

[Paul Downs]

Hello my new friend,
I'm excited to learn that my poems are going to be published in an anthology that will be ready in November in time for Christmas. It's being compiled over at AllPoetry. Marie Marshal will be in it also.
I have a "Neruda-style" poem, posted on my page here at Accent, that just today won a silver trophy on AP.
I write in nearly all styles of poetry.
Here is one rather whimsical poem:

Kitten Wings

There’s a point between kitten and cat,
where felines gain extra feelings;
a frenzied, witching-hour, nipp’d cat,
that bounces off floors, walls, and ceilings.

She appears possessed of a demon.
An upper case “M”, hair standing on end,
all Edvard Munch and silently scream’n -
then off to the races - warp ten; again!

Which room is she in? Where do I begin?
The drapes are climb’d, claw’d and pilled,
It’s the room where the lamp is left swing’n,
the pong is pinging, the candies are spilled.

So, what to do with this whirling dervish,
this banshee of all fluff and bluster?
Capture; but how? Well, don’t look now,
this Tasmanian now decides to purr!

;)

[Lesley Bonney]

That is so lovely - I adore cats (animals in general). And wonderful news about the anthology ...