Amy Sue Nathan

In my own little corner, in my own little chair

My efforts to write “fulltime” are strewn with self-imposed distractions. The TV, the Internet, the Dogs. All things, not strangely, that require capitalization.

I read a post today at The Debutante Ball where the author describes her ritual for writing. I love the fact that she’s honest. The first thing she does is check email and go through her litany of internet obsessions. But then, not only does she run and pretty much meditate, but she goes to a little office space where there is no Internet and no TV and only her cell phone (she is a mom, after all).

This makes me think about the four weeks when my distractions were reduced and how I did not use that time to the advantage of my writing. It’s because the lack of distraction was in itself, a distraction. My normal routine includes the corraling of kids and dogs and when one was gone I just didn’t get into gear. At all. Also, I don’t have a dedicated office or a place to go that’s quiet and subdued. I always have the Dogs. I have to make my own quiet – I have to make my own place – so I do what I want to do and be what I want to be.

I did make myself an office space in my bedroom. I’m there now. See? A small table/desk, great chair, ample lighting, nearby bookshelves with calendar, reference books, novels, paper and a museum-quality collection of half-empty coffee cups that are required for any successful writer.

I know that under the dire conditions of laundry and cooking and Dogs and Kids I have managed to write quite a bit in the past couple of years. I just want to get back to business and finish the manuscript I’m working on. That’s a daunting task no matter the circumstances.

I’m wondering how other writers do it. Do you have self-imposed deadlines if you don’t have one from an editor? Do you quarrantine yourselves? Have a ritual? Does your phone ring during the day because you’re not “at work?” Do you answer it?

My kids go back to school on August 20th, and that’s my go-to day. I want a schedule, a routine, a regimen that I can stick to so that everything I need to do gets done every day.

That’s not asking too much, is it?

* Post Script with Karma: Today at Allison Winn Scotch’s blog she answers the question of juggling writing with real life, based on a question from one of her readers. Um, me.