Young Writers Society

Right so I've been writing this book and I really like the idea but I'm so confused about this and that and right now I'm just about ready to tear out someone's wind pipe and lasso the nearest cow...!

Okay, let's start from the beginning before I turn into a crazed maniac. I am writing a book. Yep, I know, writing! How shocking? And I came up with this idea once I finished another book I had been working on. To tell you the truth it doesn't take me more then a few weeks to write up a 100,000 word book. My last was well over that word limit and it took me three weeks to finish it and then another week to do its sequel which is only a 3/4 of the way finished.

But this isn't my problem, my problem is that I've come up with this idea (I know, I've said it like a million times), but I can't work on it on school days (this includes weekends) because that's all that controls my mind. I neglect school work, my job and well everything else, and Mum decided the best thing to do was lock it away from me. Although now that she's done that, I'm starting to get bored with that idea and I don't want to lose it!

Then I come onto YWS and see everyone managing to juggle this and that and still stay on top of things! How the hell do you do it? I have a job, I have school and I like to write, that's three things that make up my life. (Social life, other then school, is out of the question because I'm not allowed out of the house unless I have a leesh around my neck) And yet from the blogs that I read and the conversations in chat, people have so many things happening I can't believe they can still manage to keep school work chugging behind with them.

I have to get good grades; that's final in my house, so what I am asking really is how do you manage to juggle your time and manage to do school work, as having a job, social life, sports or school or what ever and still type? I really don't want this story to die and I'm sick of waiting for school break to be able to type because that's the only time when I have no school work! Please, if you have any advice then spill your beans because I'm just about rip out somebody's windpipe and...! You get the point.

Thank you.

ZOMG, YOU LIKE TO WRITE?!

Nah, just kidding!

As far as what I do? I write when it's fun for me and when I know it won't stress me out. So, for instance, if I have a huge paper, but I want to write, I'll feel really guilty about writing for fun when I have a paper due, so I'll focus on the paper. Sometimes, I'll just put aside my projects for weeks at a time, just so I can concentrate more on what is important. It's all a balancing act.

Of course, I like juggling lots of different projects, lol. That's my personality! Some people like to be completely focused, like what it sounds like for you. But, it's good to learn how to set priorities and such so that you know how to balance things, especially since everything gets more complicated as you get older... there are so many things to take care of, it's ridiculous! So, might as well prepare now, when you still have time...

Good luck! And it will take practice to learn how to juggle, especially for you, but don't worry too much about it. Just don't try to juggle too much! It really doesn't work out too well.

Thank you so much Snoik for the advice! And yes, a writer on YWS; who would've thought. Anyway, I'll take your advice and learn to juggle slowly and maybe one day I'll be as good as you! That's my life goal now!

The thing with me is that I try my best to set my priorities.

1. School

2. Work.

3. Helping around the house.

4. Writing

5. Tennis

6. Social life.

7. Sleep.

So, I don't get much sleep in or have much of a social life but I get goodish grades and I get paid at the end of the month. Writing is important to me, more important than sleeping, but I figure that I can always finish the story or poem or whatever it is I'm working on during the summer.

All you have to do is set your priorities and think: math homework or one more chapter of my novel.

Homework > Novel Writing because at this age school is the most important thing in our lives.

(I'm not sure this makes any sense but I hope I helped!)

~jas

Thanks Jas, I'll try that also.

Setting aside certain times in the day to do certain things is also a good idea. For instance, work is work, so you need to set aside the time for work and to get to/from it. What time is left over, you can divide into slots for other things like homework, eating, writing, sleeping, etc. that you spend doing only those things (ideally).

I usually write during my breaks in between classes and just before I go to sleep. All the other time I spend juggling classes, studying, work, and eating, though eating is kinda sorta neglected more often than not in favor of YWS time. XD

Basically, write in your free time, and if you don't have free time, make some. ;P

I have that problem too! - Though mine is easily blamed on my muse (he's a total spaz). What I find helps is to write little notes to myself. Say inspiration hits you or you just figured out how to fix a storyline, but you're in the middle of something. Whip out a note pad, or a cell phone (draft texts are great for this) or my personal favorite - a sharpie and a forearm, and jot it down. You might get to it later that day or it may be months. Don't fret, because when you find that little note in sloppy, chicken scratch handwriting... well its like finding a little treasure and it'll pull you right back into your story. Plomise.

(Note: when writing sloppy notes to yourself, be sure to be specific. Weeks from now you might not remember what "whatsisface + HG = dunlap" means.