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I'm feeling anxious about my lack of time recently. I've been putting a lot into networking. I did all the research and set up new accounts on Facebook and Twitter. I've been doing a lot of blog posts and reviews. I'm keeping up with emails too.
But have I been writing? Not very much. It's not because I don't want to. It's because I keep put everything else first. When it's finally done and I'm ready to write, my son wakes up from his nap or it's time for me to go to bed.
I keep telling myself I need to balance it all. Balance is the key. I haven't managed to find it yet. I feel like a horrible person if I don't give every commenter a return comment. I feel guilty if I don't do everything else, but what is everything else for if I don't have anything written? I already feel bad that I don't get around to as many blogs as I would like.
How do you find balance between your writing and other activities?
Finding that balance is very difficult. I am fairly new to blogging and already I see that I blog and tweet and so on and that that can take up writing time. But those connections with other writers are important, or we would never have set up blogs in the first place. I think the key thing is to let go of the guilt. If you take a week and don't comment on everybody's post, we'll get it. We'll still be here two weeks later when you comment on new posts you know? Perhaps time bound limits might help? (I will blog while my son naps then tonight, I won't look at my blogs and I'll write?)
ReplyDeleteWhat works for me, is giving myself a daily writing target, and publishing it on my blog. it's not a big thing, I'm sure no one else has noticed it. For a long time, I did word count, now I'm doing time spent writing. It really works for me. I'm not sure why.
ReplyDeleteI've heard people say networking is a full time job, and I agree, it's very time consuming. I like to look at networking, blogging and writing as all part of being a writer, so even if I haven't worked on my MS that say I still feel like I've done some "work".
ReplyDeleteI agree, finding a balance is the key. What helps me is a schedule, so I know 9-10 is networking, 10-11 is editing etc. That way I stay focus, and I don't drift off doing random things.
This is becoming a common theme among writers. There are so many avenues of networking now that it saps all our time. The problem is that it's also fun!!
ReplyDeleteSome days I don't balance it as well. But right now, when my evening writing time comes up, I ignore the Internet and focus on the writing.
ReplyDeleteWith writing professionally, the biggest balance issue for me is between my writing and writing for other people. That's a hard one. Though I should probably also find time for more networking and promotion at some point.
ReplyDeleteI'm not sure there is a balance. Writing should come first. How can you be an artist or musician if you don't leave time to paint or play? It's probably going to be more like a 60/40 or 70/30 relationship. Let writing win! Just my opinion. HMG
ReplyDeleteGood luck finding that balance. :) I'm still working on that, too. I will say that when I started blogging I was worried it would end up taking up too much of my writing time. Now I find I do write more, because I'm more inspired.
ReplyDeleteThank you all for commenting. Glad to know I'm not the only one struggling with balancing networking and writing.
ReplyDeleteI'm in exactly the same boat and haven't yet figured out how to get the balance right. Gah.
ReplyDeleteSome Dark Romantic
Balance is very difficult to find as a writer, I think. This week I've been putting writing/editing first, but my social networking is sliding. I'm so behind and it stresses me out to get behind on emails and stuff, which puts a halt to my writing/editing. It's a vicious cycle, but I'm determined to eventually find the right balance for it.
ReplyDeleteI don't have children, so my experience is different. I have been looking for work, so that was a priority, however, I allotted a certain amount of time for writing. Kind of like I was meeting a friend, I meet myself at a certain time without distractions and wrote a page. I found that when I had a set time aside I was more productive. I hope this is an interesting bit of information. :)
ReplyDeleteI often don't make time for writing, but it's not that I don't have time, it's that I don't make it! I'm trying to make it more of a priority, even getting a few paragraphs down a day.
ReplyDeleteAllison (Geek Banter)
it goes in spurts. you'll get your writing groove back soon! i feel that time crunch too. i know i dont visit other blogs like i should...another reason i dont twitter...
ReplyDeleteThanks for commenting, everyone! I know it will get easier when my son gets older, but it doesn't make the now any less frustrating.
ReplyDelete