Why I'm Struggling to Write

The short and simple answer: Life.

Life gets in the way of writing. Packing, moving, unpacking, decorating, working. Cleaning, organizing, grocery shopping, new apartment shopping, working. Reading, blogging, tweeting. Working. Spending time with my (live-in!) boyfriend. Living.

Technically, it all gets in the way of writing. (But some things must.)

I chose to focus on unpacking before writing, thinking the sooner I got the former done then the sooner I would get back to the latter. Now all that’s left to do is to hang a few pictures, but I have yet to seriously get back to writing. I’ve thought about my WIP. I’ve opened Scrivener. Jotted down some ideas. Talked about it with my boyfriend (who read a partial draft last month). I recorded some plot changes on my phone.

But actual editing? Actual writing? Not so much.

It’s all about time. No, that’s not true. I’ve had time.

It’s about decisions. Making a decision to write instead of doing the dishes (though they need to be done eventually). Making a decision to write instead of watching the next episode of Buffy on Netflix. (It’s my first time watching the series and I’m engrossed in season three). Making a decision to write instead of reading another chapter. I wish I could say making a decision to write instead of work… but I kind of need the money. (And I like my job.)

Basically, making the decision to write instead of doing unimportant things.

I recently saw a quote from a writer about this on Tumblr. (Specific, I know.) I think it was Stephen King and he said something like: he writes first because writing is important. He decides to do it before all the unimportant things. Of course now I can’t find this quote… But that’s not important; the message is important. Write first, before all the other things.

This morning I have an hour before my boyfriend wakes (I really need a codename for him, something nicer than Yeti and more original than Lover), then I leave for work shortly after. In an hour, I’ll reacquaint myself with my WIP.

And tomorrow I’ll get back to writing. I have ALL MORNING both Monday and Tuesday.

So, I will write/edit for two hours on Monday and three hours on Tuesday.

Five hours of writing to start the week off strong.

Hold me to it, internets.