Fiona Lowe Outback Romance; small communities, big hearts

©Swiss Cheesing and the art of Creating Time©

This article appeared in the April 2007 edition of HeartsTalk, the monthly magazine of the

Romance Writers' of Australia

Like most women I know, my life is one long list in prioritized order. I have an exercise book that lives on the corner of the island bench in the kitchen - the manifest of the household. Each Sunday I review the list and take pleasure in the items that have a big blue line through them. I sigh as I carry over the yet to be attended items. Some of those items have been there for over a year…like new handles for the hall cupboards.

Writing used to be one of those 'carry-over' things. Everything came ahead of it from important things like family and community volunteering down to unimportant things like tax returns.

Sure, I wrote and I finished books, but I had big gaps between books. My output was one book a year. Then the year my youngest son started school I decided to push writing up the list a bit more. When I sold my first book in 2005 I had increased my writing time to some extent but I had never written three books in one year, which is what I am doing now.

Did I suddenly get more time to write? Sadly no.

Realistically, I couldn't quit my five-day a week part-time job. I couldn't walk away from being on the school council. I did drop some things but I didn't gain a shirt load of time. So what changed?

My attitude and how I handle the limited time I have.

I used to want to have all domestic things finished before I sat down at my desk. I'm not talking a clean or tidy house but I would clear outstanding things, run errands, make phone calls etc. Only then could I be in the right frame of mind to write. I had to BE at my desk to write surrounded by all things inspirational. The house had to be quiet for only then could I truly create….roll eyes here J

Yeah, well, I realized that if I waited for all the Planets to align so I could write then I'd never get anything written.

So I started to Swiss cheese time. What's that? It's when you have a big task i.e. writing a book, and you whittle away at it, making holes in the task just like the holes in Swiss cheese.

So where to start?

Ø Carving out time. Ask yourself, 'Can I do this domestic task when the kids are home? Can the kids be doing this domestic task? When children are napping or out of the house at daycare, kinder, school or at a friend's house then maximize the time and write.

Ø Writing isn't just physically writing. I think about my book at other times, not just when I am at the desk. When I am doing the 'must do' things like buying food, I ponder dilemmas in my story. I nut out problems, snip out scenarios of interest from the paper/magazines that spark my creativity and I have even been known to practice dialogue in the supermarket :-) I'm sure most people thought I was 'blue-toothing'!

Ø Writing Away from the Computer. I bought an Alphasmart. I write while I sit waiting for my son to do his piano and swimming lessons. I tap away and get about 300 words in that half hour. At least 250 I end up keeping. Can't afford an Alphie? No problem. Spend ten dollars on a stable table and fifty cents on an exercise book and buy a pen. Later when you type your jottings into your computer you will layer them and bingo, first draft is already second or perhaps even final draft:-)

Ø The Alphasmart has an added benefit of only displaying four lines. This means I cannot edit. I also use the Alphie if I am stuck. It is great for free-falling words and can really free up your writing.

Ø Editing in all sorts of places. I print out my draft chapter on used paper and I edit it on hardcopy while I am a passenger on car trips...or at the pool or piano or… As I now write a book now in about ten weeks I edit as I go. When I have written three chapters I print them out and read them in one go. When I have written chapters 4-7 I do the same thing but reading from chapter one through to seven. This keeps me connected to the story, reinforces themes and makes me realise where I have to strengthen the story. I can read just about anywhere. By doing this by the time I write THE END on a manuscript the book is pretty much polished and only needing one more read through.

Ø If you Value your Writing others will too. If I have to write on the weekends, and usually I have to for a couple of hours because of commitments during the week, I limit it to a block of time. I say the words, 'I am going to work now. Please make me a cup of tea at X time.' This gives the family an end time when they know I am back on deck and available to them. THIS really cuts down interruptions.

Ø I use earplugs when the family is at home, blocking out all extraneous noise and disappear into my writing world.

Ø Train the family. I explained to the boys there were two parents in the household and not every question had to be directed to me especially if I was upstairs, in the office at the computer and with earplugs in and working J

Ø Analyse your current use of time. Recognize inefficient time drains. Too much of my time goes up on email and the Internet. I have started a 12-step program as I wean myself from email loops.J Marion Lennox once said make sure your writing computer isn't attached to the Internet and have the Internet computer at the opposite end of the house. I am thinking she might have a point.

Ø Use a Timer. Although I haven't tried this yet I am planning to use it. Anne Gracie, Marion Lennox advocates the use of an oven timer for three to four 45-minute bursts. Nicola Marsh talks about 'power writing.' Nicola writes for two hours each night and for that timeframe she only writes and lets nothing or no one interrupt her.

Ø Work with a critique partner who views your work with fresh eyes. This can help you over roadblocks and hurdles.

Someone asked me the other day, 'How's the writing going? I suppose you have to wait until inspiration strikes?'

Nuh-uh. You have to write to be inspired rather than waiting to be inspired to write. When you're writing the dross that is when you'll discover the nugget of gold.

I don't pretend to have all the answers, far from it. I chase my tail a lot of the time. But by using small windows of time in your week you will free up time you didn't think you had and this time belongs to your writing.

Good luck, and if you can help me with my email addiction you can let me know

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