Keeping your life balanced when you're a writer

I always dreamed of the day I'd be able to write full-time like Stephen King or Dean Koontz. I knew it would be a dream come true, having "the life," or it would feel like it. Until then, I always told people I write full-time and work part-time, which, in a way, is true because I write longer hours than I physically work (I clean rooms).

King and Koontz have one thing that a lot of writers desire—their books sell themselves because their fan base is large enough to sustain itself. It takes work and patience to get there. Meanwhile, I'm going to keep writing and dreaming. And I hope you do too! But that's not what today's blog is about. I want to share some ideas, maybe even tips, for keeping your life balanced between writing, working, life itself, and everything else that happens. It's not as easy as people think.

If you're a writer, you already know this. There's no button that you can turn on or shut off between books, or even while you're writing one. So when you walk away from the table, desk, counter, or wherever you write, you're still the same writer that sat down to write. Well, it is possible the story changed you a little. In that case, you may be a different writer than the one who sat down. Either way, you're still a writer. That part never changes! If you ask me, I'm glad there's no button! I like the fact that I'm a writer 24/7.

But how do we keep our personal life and writing life balanced? We can't exactly make 24 hours turn into something larger and make a bigger day. What we can do is stay up a little longer or get up a little early (or both). What I like to do is pull all-nighters, which helps me get a lot done while everyone is sleeping. Fewer distractions that way. And I do get a LOT done that way. I'm used to it because I've done it so much, but I am getting older, so I don't expect that to last too long. On a healthier note, I suggest getting up earlier or staying up longer as a solution.

I've heard so many people say they don't have time to write. The solution I just shared is one way to resolve that problem. There are other ways to help, too. All day, there are opportunities that a writer can steal away time to write...

• If you take the bus, you can write on your phone. When you get home, use the software to transfer it to your computer. Microsoft Word is a good choice because Hotmail has it right there already.

• Cellphones also have recording software installed so you can always recite the story, or ideas for something in the story, while driving (be safe though) or riding in a taxi, bus, or train. Obviously, you do want to be respectful toward other riders. When you have that time to sit at the computer, you can play back the recording and begin typing.

• You can keep a pen and paper handy for those breaks at work, while waiting for the train to pass, etc.

• You have to keep your eyes and mind open to find that time. Substituting that time you watch TV could be a great time. Be creative.

Balance itself can be that simple. I like using one planner where everything goes into it. I even write down my word count for the day in it. Any appointments are included, so I can plan my month, week, or day because I know what I'm doing and when. Using that input, I know when I can't write and figure out when I can. When I stay up all night, I use that time to schedule posts, catch up on extra writing, work on marketing, etc. That frees up the rest of the week for everything else. For a while, I was using that time to write, but lately I've been getting a few extra hours each day to plug away while my hubby watches TV or visits with our friends and neighbors.

You do have to expect things to happen. When you have children, sometimes you just have to drop everything. The most important thing to remember is you can't panic. Life is hard enough as it is. Deadlines can be pushed back. If you have a deadline with a publisher, it's not as easy as when you're the publisher, but it can be done. Call them or email them what the situation is, and they should understand. If the deadline is far enough away, you can pull extra time here and there to make up for it. But don't push yourself beyond what you're capable of doing. You know where your limits are.

Here's the thing. You can't seperate the writer from the person. Be who you are. Take it in and enjoy it. There probably isn't going to be a "support" group per se, but if you get overwhelmed, you can always find another writer within the community online or at the library. Talk to them about whatever problem you're facing. Someone will always have a solution because we've all been there, some more than others.

So, here's the big question of the day. How do you find balance? Share in the comments below. Be sure to come over to Instagram and Facebook and share your wisdom there too! We can all help each other. That's what makes the community so great!