Finding Time To Write
I didn’t have time to last time around when I posted a link to the op-ed piece in the Daily Princetonian, but I wanted to expand upon the idea that it’s difficult to find time for writing when in school, or even while working.
First of all, it’s not really about finding the time to write as it is about finding the enthusiasm to write. At the moment, I just finished up with an eight page legal memo which effectively destroyed my will to live this past weekend. After dissecting each and every word, and going through the editing process (revise, edit, proofread) at least thrice a day, I have absolutely no enthusiasm to write. Indeed, I’m only writing this post as a way to procrastinate on doing written exercises for another class.
Unfortunately, there isn’t much out there on how one can get enthusiastic over writing, although I’m sure many of you could convey some great tips. I believe that what it comes down to, in the case of school/work getting in the way, is the need to just take a break everyone once in a while. In reality, continuing to write your story after writing an essay is probably not even a good idea. Your mind is like any other part of your body, and sometimes it needs a long rest. Once you return to your story, you’ll be relaxed and more creative.
Of course, the problem of time does arise in that you may go months where it seems one essay is due right after the other. In cases like that, you may never feel like writing. This has happened to me quite a few times, and to cope I’ve adopted a strategy of one of my former English teachers. That is, I just write down my ideas until I am enthusiastic enough to write the story. For the time being, I may not be able to write anything creatively until Christmas rolls around. However, I have so many scattered notes on ideas that it hardly matters. When I return, I’ll have a slew of material.
So the question I’m posing to everyone is how do you cope with lack of enthusiasm? Do you just suffer through it (as I do) or take action to combat it?
September 26th, 2007 at 3:05 pm
I do the same thing you do: I have little notes everywhere for when I feel like writing again. Post-it notes work well; I stick them to the inside of my notebook so that they’re all in one place.
September 26th, 2007 at 4:36 pm
Hmph *head/desk* I suffer through it.
College can kill the enthusiasm with little effort.
September 26th, 2007 at 5:00 pm
I usually write in Spanish and Chemistry. Mostly because those are my easiest classes and I need to pay attention about once every two weeks. xD
Usually when I’m unenthusiastic I sleep. Effective, I know.