How often should I write?

I think this is a tricky one.  Also, I feel as though this is a DRY topic.  Stephen King in his book ‘On Writing’ had a set time and wrote everyday.  I wish I could be like that!  But here’s the thing - you can only be you.  I think it was Snoop Dogg who said if you’re just being you no-one can compete with you.  Initially, I thought, that’s probably true…if you’re Snoop Dogg.  Alas I’m nowhere even close to being that cool.  But there’s definitely something to Snoop Dogg’s wisdom.  I have so many things about myself which I look at and go - why do I act like that?  You idiot - why do you do that?  There were things about myself that I used to want to completely eliminate, including getting rid of my love of stories and romance.  That part of me didn’t really fit with the awesome, logical, intelligent person I was going for.  It seemed too emotional and silly.

So what happened?  Well I didn’t slay it and I’m grateful I didn’t.  Here are my thoughts on that.  Human traits are like a coin.  They have two sides.  Every annoying, irritating, dumb trait has a flip side, where those things are in fact strengths.  If you’re too emotional, it means that you feel things around you - you have perception and you can connect with others.  If you’re too stubborn and pigheaded, you are also determined and resilient.  If you’re hyperactive and bouncing off the walls, then you’re energetic and enthusiastic.  Whatever thing about yourself that irritates the crap out of you or others has a flip side which is a strength.  I’m going to go even further and tell you this - whatever flip side strength you have, when you use it, you’re going to leave others in your dust.  You can recognise it, because people usually say something along the lines of ’you’re too…(fill in the gap)’ and they’re sighing or yelling at you.  That’s your sign.  It means that if you channel that into something (hopefully something constructive) no one will be able to keep up with you or reach you.  After all, according to them you are already ‘too much’ that way.

Now, back to the original question.  When you sit down to write or organise a time to write, you may encounter annoying things about yourself that are difficult to shake and that quite frankly you friggin hate.  I’m suggesting that you don’t shake them.  Find the flip side strength.  Whatever that is, don’t fight it, go with it.  Use it to your advantage.  Use it to find a time to write.  The only thing I will insist on though is that you write regularly.

For me, I was working part time and a mum of small kids.  And yet, I was going to try and write a novel?  I’m just going to say what the task felt like at that time - it sucked.  I had so little time.  Needless to say there were a lot of irritating things about myself that kept coming up that I wished I could change.  Like I wished I could be more dedicated.  In the end, I wrote to and from work on the train 3 days a week.  It worked out to be about 40 minutes (if that) for each day I worked.  That doesn’t sound a lot.  I was slow, sometimes only writing 4 pages a week.  But, when you think about it, it starts making sense.  Based on that, after 2 weeks, there are 8 pages.  After 4 weeks, 16 pages.  At two months, 32 pages.  4 months, 64 pages.  Have you looked at 64 A4 pages?  It’s a lot!  

Never underestimate the cumulative results of writing 20 minutes here, 15 there, 30 here.  It adds up and suddenly, you have the makings of a novel.

I hope this makes sense!  Have fun.

Luv KR Fox.