In my last post, I detailed the challenges of finding time for writing when I spend a decent amount of the little free time I have on updating this blog. However, it got me to thinking about how I spend my time writing when I actually write.
I have a so-so amount of free time during the day, but it is in chunks of five to ten minutes. It's not like I have an hour her or there. And that's the problem, because novel writing is not something that can be accomplished in five to ten minute intervals.
Allow me to explain - I can write about 1000 words in half an hour once I'm going strong. However, it takes me at least five minutes to find my groove, so those first five or so minutes is stumbling around not producing much worth reading. If I'm lucky, I'll produce 100 words worth a shit in those first five minutes, mostly because I'm trying to re-immerse myself back into the story. Think about your favorite movie - do you watch it in five minute increments? How much can you get into enjoying it if you know you have to go to another chore only five minutes in?
I think 20 minutes is the minimum amount of time I require to do anything useful on my stories. Maybe there are some out there who can do it in less, but not I. I'm going to have to re-work my schedule so I can find 20 minutes or more during the day to write, and I'll have to find the discipline to actually follow through. I guess my beta-readers will know if that works soon enough.
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