What are your writing opportunities?

[Liar]

I'm one of the more un-prolific authors here in the AH. I've been around for something like two years, and with six stories (And one wirthdrawn, unil I have finshed it. Someday. Maybe.) under my belt I'm not exactly in the league I want to be.

I'm trying to find out if I'm just lazy, if I have a procrastionary disorder, or if it's possible that it is my life that is stopping me from writing all the stories in my head that I want to put to paper...or file, I mean. I figue that if I can blame it on external circumstances, I can feel like less of a doofus about it.

So, you good folks who seems to pop out a new story every other day, or week or month: What does your timeslots for creativilty look like?

Do you have whole days uninterrupted with nothing to do but write? Or is an hour here and tweny minutes there long enough to get you into the flow before you have to abort and do other stuff? (That's what I get, which is why all I write is poems) Or are you maybew just kickass multitaskers, and can write porn while grading papers, changing diapers, hauling bricks, saving the world, or whatever it is you do for a living?

 

[Guest]

Hey Liar...writing is the only thing that keeps me sane right now. I'm waiting for surgery on my back, walking can be agony, sitting too long sucks and even doing dishes can be stressful. So to keep myself from eating into the next dress size, I write...

 

[domjoe]

I'm one of the more un-prolific authors here in the AH. I've been around for something like two years, and with six stories (And one wirthdrawn, unil I have finshed it. Someday. Maybe.) under my belt I'm not exactly in the league I want to be.

I'm trying to find out if I'm just lazy, if I have a procrastionary disorder, or if it's possible that it is my life that is stopping me from writing all the stories in my head that I want to put to paper...or file, I mean. I figue that if I can blame it on external circumstances, I can feel like less of a doofus about it.

So, you good folks who seems to pop out a new story every other day, or week or month: What does your timeslots for creativilty look like?

Do you have whole days uninterrupted with nothing to do but write? Or is an hour here and tweny minutes there long enough to get you into the flow before you have to abort and do other stuff? (That's what I get, which is why all I write is poems) Or are you maybew just kickass multitaskers, and can write porn while grading papers, changing diapers, hauling bricks, saving the world, or whatever it is you do for a living?

Time is usually the problem for me too. Time to get into the swing, time to stay in it. I end up with very late nights.

When I worked long hours in an office I would write literally on every coffee and lunch break, on the bus and train on my commute. I bought a pocket PC with a portable keyboard so I could do it. I couldn't wait for everybody in my house to go to bed so I could start writing.

 

[TheEarl]

I write when I can and when the mood takes me, which usually isn't often enough. I am Mr UnfinishedStory. It's easier to faff on Lit or play a game, or watch television and my irregular sleeping patterns and dodgy mood swings mean that far too often I'm too tired/depressed to write.

Atm, I'm trying to improve my creativity by artifical deadlines. I want to get something up on my (non-Lit) website every month. I have to complete a piece of my running series (20 pages script-style for each episode) every month and try and get a short story up if I can as well. It's a hell of a help to actually be aiming for something, rather than just writing for the sake of.

The Earl

 

[Liar]

Hey Liar...writing is the only thing that keeps me sane right now. I'm waiting for surgery on my back, walking can be agony, sitting too long sucks and even doing dishes can be stressful. So to keep myself from eating into the next dress size, I write...

Hmm, yes. There can definitely be such a thing as too much opportunity. All I can say is that it works. You seem pretty sane to me. And you've given Lit some really good stories.

I hope you'll get the opportunity to do other stuff in the future, then.

 

[Colleen Thomas]

I'm one of the more un-prolific authors here in the AH. I've been around for something like two years, and with six stories (And one wirthdrawn, unil I have finshed it. Someday. Maybe.) under my belt I'm not exactly in the league I want to be.

I'm trying to find out if I'm just lazy, if I have a procrastionary disorder, or if it's possible that it is my life that is stopping me from writing all the stories in my head that I want to put to paper...or file, I mean. I figue that if I can blame it on external circumstances, I can feel like less of a doofus about it.

So, you good folks who seems to pop out a new story every other day, or week or month: What does your timeslots for creativilty look like?

Do you have whole days uninterrupted with nothing to do but write? Or is an hour here and tweny minutes there long enough to get you into the flow before you have to abort and do other stuff? (That's what I get, which is why all I write is poems) Or are you maybew just kickass multitaskers, and can write porn while grading papers, changing diapers, hauling bricks, saving the world, or whatever it is you do for a living?

I have time to write because of circumstances that leave me with precious little to do otherwise. In my case at least, a high story count is a function of time, when the mood sezies me, I can write. I think I may be closer to you than the really prolific lit authors, because with all that time i stilldon't put out a terrific volume.

 

[TheEarl]

I have time to write because of circumstances that leave me with precious little to do otherwise. In my case at least, a high story count is a function of time, when the mood sezies me, I can write. I think I may be closer to you than the really prolific lit authors, because with all that time i stilldon't put out a terrific volume.

Says the lady whose first day of NaNo beat my entire output by over 3,000 words.

The Earl

 

[CharleyH]

I'm one of the more un-prolific authors here in the AH. I've been around for something like two years, and with six stories (And one wirthdrawn, unil I have finshed it. Someday. Maybe.) under my belt I'm not exactly in the league I want to be.

I'm trying to find out if I'm just lazy, if I have a procrastionary disorder, or if it's possible that it is my life that is stopping me from writing all the stories in my head that I want to put to paper...or file, I mean. I figue that if I can blame it on external circumstances, I can feel like less of a doofus about it.

So, you good folks who seems to pop out a new story every other day, or week or month: What does your timeslots for creativilty look like?

Do you have whole days uninterrupted with nothing to do but write? Or is an hour here and tweny minutes there long enough to get you into the flow before you have to abort and do other stuff? (That's what I get, which is why all I write is poems) Or are you maybew just kickass multitaskers, and can write porn while grading papers, changing diapers, hauling bricks, saving the world, or whatever it is you do for a living?

Well, I am in part with Sub Joe time - what a conundrum, I am also of the theory that a story, the great one - comes from you, when you are ready. Neither is lazy. For example ... it may be easy to write a play for some, but it will take more time to actually describe the play for others. Alternately, a narrative writer will take time to write a drama because they can't figure out how to articulate it in those dramatic terms - it is foreign territory. You will find your way, it's just a different frame of mind, Liar.

 

[kendo1]

I've not felt the need over the last 6 months to submit, too busy at Abs and Last!

Lots of half finished stuff.

But recently I decided to get on with it and actually do some writing - historically accurate novella ( God, the research required !). Going well
at 30000 words in two weeks - mostly at work! ( I have a lot of free time ).

 

[Belegon]

I'm a servant to my muse...while not the most prolific of authors, I may be one of the streakiest...especially in poetry. nothing for months, then 7 in two weeks at times...

if I had the time, I am sure I would obey my muse enough to change that from servant to slave...

 

[rgraham666]

Like Colleen, I have far too much time on my hands for much the same reasons.

My biggest problem is myself. I'm not lazy, but I've gotten out of the habit of work over the last decade. I beat it for a while.

Now I'm coming up against the next problem. I'm trying to put my writing into the world at large. And that scares the living shit out of me.

I'm a pretty good writer, I believe that now. I was a pretty good computer programmer as well. Didn't matter much. I was judged on qualities I don't have an abundance of unrelated to my skill in that field.

I'm afraid my writing is going to end up the same way.

 

[CharleyH]

Sorry - writing ops - THERE ARE TONS. It depends on how confident you are to do it.

 

[Wildcard Ky]

I write quite often, though not a lot for LIT. I write a story for LIT when the urge hits me. I do column and commentary type stuff for a few small internet sites.

 

[curious2c]

I write when the mood strikes...and that can be quite often, or rarely. Lately I've not been able to write as I've been working far too much at my J*O*B and that leaves me no time to write. Maybe I'll get back into the swing soon though...hopefully. I have about seven stories started, one near completion, and a bunch of ideas to start some more stories on.


Active imagination...What can I say?

 

[kendo1]

I'm afraid my writing is going to end up the same way.

Somehow, I doubt it Rob.

Keep plugging away.

 

[zeb1094]

My output has slowed to a dribble as the mood or my muse has not struck me for quite sometime. I have four stories in the works and just don't feel like doing anything with them for now. Hopefully, my muse will kick me in the butt and I'll finish one or more of them in the near future.

But when I was writing I did so at every opportunity during the day. Up early write, check in with work do what I needed to do there. Then back to writing. That was back when my muse had me by the ear and was dragging me all over the place.

 

[matriarch]

I'm indulging in classic Avoidance Syndrome....and have been for the last year.

I'm hoping a cure is just around the corner.

 

[Belegon]

I'm indulging in classic Avoidance Syndrome....and have been for the last year.

I'm hoping a cure is just around the corner.

whereas I'm gonna use perceived commitments to you and Honey to get me back on track in two stories that were started and never finished...

 

[Guest]

When the kids are at school and I'm not doing housework or when they are asleep... and sometimes, if there is a story just hopping to get out, I'll bang away a bit while they are playing.

 

[domjoe]

When the kids are at school and I'm not doing housework or when they are asleep... and sometimes, if there is a story just hopping to get out, I'll bang away a bit while they are playing.

And after that, you start writing, I suppose.

 

[Guest]

And after that, you start writing, I suppose.

Unfortunately, writing is about the only kind of banging away I get to do.

 

[CharleyH]

I'm indulging in classic Avoidance Syndrome....and have been for the last year.

I'm hoping a cure is just around the corner.

As in reference to the shiny New Year of misfit toys and Rudolf - the claymation is on as I write here it is HARDLY A CURE for you as it is a state of mindy - mind

 

[carsonshepherd]

Several years ago I entered a different career with an 8-5 schedule and a shorter work week so I would have more time to write. I arrange my life around writing and not the other way around. I can do that because I deliberately don't have a lot of outside commitments.

At my productive points I was writing at least 2 hours a day. I'm working on a rough draft of a novel and I like to have a consistent daily output, but lately I've been terribly stuck and have been spinning my wheels for weeks. So, it's not a time problem for me. Lately, it's been an inspiration thing.

But I got past that scene - some AHers know of what I speak - and hopefully I'm home free....

at least till the next roadblock.

 

[drksideofthemoon]

In Response to the original question...

I have been here about a year, and have managed to put out 24 stories. I am jealous of several of my writer friends who seem to be able to crank out high quality material at an amazing rate.

Me, I try to sit at the keyboard and write for an hour or two a day, usually late at night when it is quiet, and there are no distractions. During the day I find myself continually writing in my head, going over dialog, making subtle changes here and there with the plot...sometimes I jot notes down in a note pad that I carry in the truck with me.

I wish I could write faster...I should be writing now...but here I am...wasting valuable time...

 

[Boxlicker101]

I am one of the more prolific writers on Lit. but most of my stuff was done at least a year ago. This month I have finished just my Winter Holiday entry and I had to submit that half finished. I am still writing the other half and I hope to get it done before Christmas.

I am retired and I should have a lot of time but I don't. I sit at home with my wife all day and, when I start to write, she tends to come up with something else for me to do, and I really have to spend time with her generally. We used to have other people living with us and I had pretty much all the time I needed to write, because my wife took up little of my time. That may sound like a complaint but it really isn't. She is much more important than writing smutty stories.