How do you find time to write?

[Dave White]

I'm sitting here, because I finally have some down time. I work. I write. I have a social life. And sometimes, if I have a minute or two I pop on crimespace and check out what people are talking about. And it seems some of you are on here a lot.

And you have blogs.

And books to write.

In the past week I finished the first draft of my second novel, read through the first pass pages of my first novel, read someone's manuscript to help them out, worked a job, and went out on a few dates with my girlfriend. I've barely had a chance to blog, nevermind hang out on here to check out the discussion.

But I'd like to. (In fact, until today when I promised myself some down time, the only reason I'd been on here is to accept a few friends and because Jim Winter asked me to see one of his posts.)

So my question is, for those of you who do all the things that I've just listed and yet, still come on here all the time. How do you find time to write?

Yikes. I think my brain would melt from all the stress.

[Karen E. Olson]

I don't come here all the time. But I don't always write, either. My life has always been busy (I've got a day job, a 10 year old daughter, a husband and a house to deal with), but I'm pretty organized and since I've got a newspaper background, I don't need to wait for my muse to come to start writing. I can write five pages in an hour if I'm so inclined. I take it one page at a time. It's the only way or my head would explode.

[David Terrenoire]

It's been a struggle but I think I have the answer: I'm stealing time from death.

Instead of going at age 75 I'm not going until 85 but I'm taking that decade now, while I can.

The details are a little hazy but Satan promised this would work.

[Bill Peschel]

David, can you wrangle an introduction to him? I've got a soul on offer, slightly used.

I have to find the time during the day. My copyediting job's in the afternoons and evenings, so I have the mornings to work. Out of that, some time must be spent with the wife, and some devoted to book reviews and keeping the blog going, so I have about nine hours a week available.

[Cyndy Salzmann]

I have to "get away" each day -- which means a daily visit to a local coffeeshop with a commitment not to turn on my email. I work until I hit my daily word count. I take off weekends to play. : )

[Steven Torres]

I do what my students do when they have to write something - I get it online and just change around a few of the words...

[Steve Allan]

I basically ignore my family up to the point when divorce lawyers and/or child services has to step in.