5 Helpful tips to squeeze in writing time.

Seriously, how hard is it supposed to be to get some writing time in? I've found that I am the type of writer that has to have a block of time without interruptions to successfully squeeze out a few chapters. Most of the time, I'm limited to after my girls go to bed for the night but recently have found some other opportunities that may just work.

After plopping myself on the couch in my PJ's and with something handy to snack on, I pull out my netbook and off I go into lala land. If my hubby happens to be home, then I can write a little earlier in the day with my earphones blasting mindless music so I don't get distracted by my constantly hungry little elves asking me to feed them a snack.  Pre-slicing strawberries and grapes is a lifesaver! I point to the fridge and off they go.

Here are some other places and times I've tried writing...

1.  Waiting in the carpool pick-up lane at my daughter's school. 
Parents usually arrive anywhere from 45 min to an hour early to beat the other 300 cars. If I go this early, my preschooler naps in her seat and I can take my netbook and click away or my notebook and do some outlines.

2.  My daughter's swim lessons. 
This is another great 45 min stretch to work on outlines or character building between snapping those handy photos of your kid doing a belly smacker instead of that beautiful swan dive they've been practicing so hard on all season.

3.  Limit my time online.
Yes, even though I've created this new blog, I still try and limit myself online from twitter, facebook, online newspapers, etc. Unless it's doing research for my book, it makes a HUGE difference in how much time I actually spend writing.

4.  Get most of the house chores done early.
I don't know about you, but if I have dishes waiting to be washed or laundry to be put away and I'm trying to write, it feels like it's just sitting there staring at me. Yes I believe my dishes are possessed and have to be put away! Now laundry is a whole 'notha story for a whole 'notha day. (I can stuff the baskets in the laundry room and pretend ignorance in a heartbeat)

5.  Send the kids to the neighbors.
Thankfully I'm lucky enough that a friend lives next door and my girls are best friends with her girls. We take turns having play dates and when mine are gone for an hour or two, I write (ok, sometimes I nap, but only because I was up writing all night!) If you're not lucky enough to have someone close by at the drop of a hat, go to the park or McDonalds and grab a cup of coffee while the kids play on the playland for an hour and then treat them to ice cream afterwards for behaving so well.