by Alycia W. Morales     @AlyciaMorales

We’ve all heard tips and read posts about how to schedule time to write. And then, no matter how hard we try to create and stick to that schedule, life seems to take our time hostage.

I’m a wife, mother of four human children and two fur babies. I serve with our youth group and on our prayer team. I work as a freelance editor as my day job, and I dream of being a full-time author. Since my kids have returned to school, I’ve been working steadily on maintaining my newest editing and writing schedule. However, Wednesday night, my youngest son broke three bones in his right foot. Which threw that schedule out the window for a couple of days while we deal with doctor appointments and getting him back to school on crutches.

One of my best friends, who has encouraged me through the process of writing my latest novel, texted me the following:

Life is always going to come between you and your manuscript. Sometimes you just have to give life a kick in the pants and proceed.

I chuckled and nodded my head.

I get it. I’ve come to realize there’s no way I could hold a regular office job. My kids need me too often for me to keep it. I’d be calling in all the time. We could hold stock with Equipped for Life based on how many medical supplies I have in my garage. In the past three years we’ve had broken wrists, arms, feet, and toes. The stomach bug cycles through every fall and winter. And then there’s the occasional “I forgot…” and I’m running to the school. Add a child’s tendency for migraines, and I’m at the school at least once every other week.

So how does one kick life in the pants and proceed when issues pop up all the time?

Schedule your writing time, as recommended. Whether you set a word count or an allotted amount of time, block it off. That way you can schedule other things around those parameters.

When something comes up, give your best yes by saying “Sorry, no.” Schedule it for another time or don’t do it at all. Guard your writing time.

Remember that you want to do this as a full-time job. Treat it as such. Like I said, if I worked in an office, I’d probably be fired by now. Since I work at home, I can figure when my kids will most likely need my assistance or have appointments and whatnot, and I can schedule my writing and editing into my day when I know I won’t be called upon. Time management is a priority.

When life does interrupt, work around it. I take my laptop nearly everywhere I go. Except church on Sunday mornings. If I’m waiting at a doctor’s office, I can be writing. If I’m standing in line at the grocery store, I can be researching or updating social media. If I’m waiting in car line, I can be editing or writing some more. If my husband is relaxing after work, I can be reworking that chapter. There are moments throughout the day where I can squeeze in five of fifteen minutes of work. By the end of the day, that adds up to a lot of writing.

Get away from the distractions. My fur babies love going outside for fifteen-minute intervals. Then my GSP wants to come in, make a lap around the house, and go back out. The terrier follows. So I sit by the sliding door, opening and closing it throughout the day. OR I go to the second office, where fur babies don’t need to go in and out all day and I can spend those mounting seconds with my fingers on the keyboard. And I don’t have to look at the laundry or pile of dishes. What are your distractions? I know some writers have to disconnect from the internet or turn off their phones. Whatever it is, move away from it.

Allow writing to be the joy in the midst of your sorrow and grief. Sometimes it’s the losses in life that interfere with our writing time. Rather than let them stall that time, use the emotions you’re experiencing to pour your soul onto the page. Let the joy of writing help you through the time of loss.

Find an accountability partner. The friend who texted me  the quote above does so at least once every other day to ask if I’ve gotten any work done. Which makes me work on my writing every day, because I don’t like telling her no. That makes me feel guilty. Especially because she’s done such an excellent job of supporting and encouraging me along the way.

These are seven ways I’ve learned to keep writing when life interrupts. What are some that you’ve found helpful? We’d love it if you would share them in the comments below, so that others could learn from your experiences.

Alycia W. Morales is an award-winning freelance editor and author. Her clients have won the Selah Award, BRMCWC Director’s Choice Award, and many others. Her writing has been published in Thriving Family magazine, Splickety Love, and several compilation books. She is a member of ACFW, the president of Cross n’ Pens critique group, and a BRMCWC Conference Assistant.

Alycia blogs at The Write Editing and Life. Inspired.

When she isn’t busy writing, editing, and reading, Alycia enjoys spending time with her husband and four children taking hikes in Upstate SC and NC, creating various crafts, coloring in adult coloring books, and watching TV.