How can Writers satisfy their insatiable need to write when the 9 to 5 J.O.B. gets in the way?

[Sun]

[cortez]

hy how are you can you tell me how to get started i love to write but dont know where to start can you help

[Sun]

Hey Cortez! Well let's start here...

What type of writing are you most interested in?:

Poetry
Essay Writing
NonFiction (true life stuff)
Fiction (creative writing)
Business Writing (business plans, resume, letters etc.)

[DesMonae]

In order for a writer to satisfy their insatiable need to write, despite demands of a 9 to 5, that writer would have to set aside some down time.

Downtime: time to yourself; doing what you love to do; seeking inspiration from the unknown.

You can't hear your inner voice when there are 5,000 distractions pulling you in every way.

It's also important to stay educated and current with world events. Involve yourself in something more than just yourself. . .I still have so much to learn, but the aforementioned has seriously helped me. I find that the more I go outside of myself, the better my written reports are. Like India Arie said.....SMILE! It's works wonders!

In addition to that, it helps to stick to a schedule. I know you're probably thinking part of a writer's charm is their tendency to be spontaneous, but that can't always be the case. Not only do you have to organize your writing, but organize your routine. That way, you have time to do what you want to do, after you've done what you have to do. What I do is make a weekly list with 3 columns: "Must Do," "Should Do," & "Wanna Do." "Must Do" are things I know I absolutely have to take care of for that week. "Should Do" are things I know I need to do, but if I don't get around to doing it, I won't freak out about. "Wanna Do" are all things I wanna do for myself that week. Whether it's going shopping, taking a hot bubble bath, yoga, or just some down time. I also try to keep it balanced. For every "Must Do" item, have a "Wanna Do" item. That way you don't become so overwhelmed by all the things you need to do that you forget to take care of yourself. Healthy diet, multivitamins, balanced iron, exercise, and a good sleeping routine is key. Also.....HAVE FUN! Do something you love to do OTHER than writing. Once you make it as a big time writer, then you can set your schedule as you'd like. No biggie!

[Sun]

"You can't hear your inner voice when there are 5,000 distractions pulling you in every way."

Well said, Desmonae...you are so right.

We all need our personal space so we can get the words on the page just right. It is so amazing the greatness that can result from thinking, writing and publishing your thoughts. Welcome! I am so glad you decided to bless CWA with your presence. Keep writing. You're awesome.

Sun

[mr.shadeed]

I think that the answer lies in each person asking themselves the question "Do I live to work or do I work to live?"
For myself personally, I have learned to make time for the project I feel that I "need" to accomplish.
This may mean taking a quick nap when I get home and waking up and working for a few hours, or it may mean when I don't have time to write, carrying around a voice recorder to make a vocal list of ideas that I can work on later.