Saturday, April 16, 2011

N is for Nightwalker

N is for Nightwalker.
This is what those of us who work at night at my job call ourselves. When many people are getting finished with work I am heading to work.
For a long time I wanted to be a Daywalker. I actually thought I couldn't write unless I had a day job. I pictured myself going to day job, working 8 hours, coming home, working on writing.
Um that would never happen. I realize now that if I worked at a day job I would come home and be too exhausted to write.
Instead I have my days to write, take writing classes, meet with my writers group. I go to work in the evenings. I work in theater so I am surrounded by storytelling and amazing people.

What I learned from this experience is not to make excuses in writing. I believed I couldn't write unless my life was a certain way but really I had a great job that allowed me to work on my writing. I just had to see it that way.

People sometimes wait for the perfect time to write. Maybe it is when kids go back to school or when the perfect job comes along or the perfect idea hits. My advice is Stop Waiting and Start Writing.

Does anything hold you back from writing? What is your advice for getting past excuses to start writing?

9 comments:

NiaRaie said...

The morning is my optimal time for writing. But I'm not sure I could work at night. I'd probably fall asleep standing up by 10 or 11. And I think I'm always trying to find a way to banish excuses. Let me know if you find it first!

Mary Aalgaard said...

Excellent post on embracing your day/night work. We do tend to make excuses not to do our art/writing. It's best when I plan to do it, pack up my laptop and go some place like a coffee shop.

Kiernan said...

Wow, what a great post. I actually have a day job, but this encourages me to realize how much time I really do have to still write. :-)

triles said...

It's tough to find time for writing. If I spend too much time writing, I feel guilty that I'm not spending enough time with my girls. The best time for me to write is after the kids go to bed, but by then it's the end of the day, I'm tired, it's hard to motivate. It's a constant battle to find time.

M Pax said...

Whether it's 20 minutes 4x a week, set aside time to write. There's always time to feed one's soul. :) Nice bumping into you.

Cruella Collett said...

Absolutely, this is so true. I'm definitely one of the people that keep making excuses for not writing. Right now I have all the time in the world, but no privacy. So I can't write. Bogus! Go to the library, or a coffee shop, or lock your door! This I tell myself. But do I do it? Nooooo...

Julie Flanders said...

I can totally relate to waiting until the "perfect time" for writing. I'm trying to get over that, but still find myself doing it.
Great post for N!

Lynda R Young as Elle Cardy said...

I could have sworn I wrote a comment for this already... Think I'm losing my mind hahahaa.

I like your point about not making excuses for writing.

RosieC said...

Ugh! Right now, everything's holding me back, but I'm not making excuses. I have school and work deadlines, and I have to prioritize. I get a little writing done here and there, and after finals are over (in three weeks), I'll be done with school. My job will settle down a little, and I'll be able to reorganize things.

I was thinking recently about getting a different job, something where I could work at night, for just the reasons you mentioned. I'm glad it works for you.

Rosie
East for Green Eyes