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Joyce Wycoff's avatar

Ahhh, Time! Thank you for this rich list of resources and the reminder about making time. Time is an issue for all of us (I assume) ... without a job, child, husband, dog or even a house to take care of, time shouldn't be a problem for me ... but, it is. I'm in constant negotiation with myself for how to spend the luxurious amount of time I have at my disposal. To the point that I'm looking at one or more writer's retreats for 2024.

I've come to the conclusion that time is something we have to ask for (even if we have to ask ourselves for it.) And, it seems particularly tricky when we aren't at the point where writing time equals money.

I love this season when we reflect on the old year and set intentions for the new one. What if we thought about writing time with the same sense of priority and necessity we do for paying the "rent?" It's critical to our well-being. It can't be sloughed off till next month. It can't be frittered away on social media. Life rent. Life-health rent.

Maslow didn't put writing time on the first level of his hierarchy with physiological needs ... but maybe, as writers, we should think seriously about the importance of writing time for us and do everything we can to meet that need.

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Leanne Elliott's avatar

I could cry reading this, because it’s so true! Time away for creativity is the most precious gift. I work from home as a freelance writer and interruption is a constant challenge. My heart is always aching to be set free for long periods of quiet to work and create - there’s that book still in the wings. I’m doing better now that the kids are older, but it’s always been something worth negotiating.

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