The Write Life: Procrastination
On more than one occasion, I have heard a best-selling author tell an interviewer that he or she begins work at home by 9:00 or 10:00 AM and writes up to 8 hours a day.Whenever, I hear of such professional discipline, I question whether or not I am a “serious” writer because my writing schedule is not so regular. There are days when I do not put fingers to keyboard.Writer’s block, however, is seldom the culprit.Oftentimes, I arrive home from my part-time job as an adult education instructor (at a community college) mentally drained; correcting papers or planning lessons (for the next day or week) adds to my fatigue.In addition, most days, financial issues occupy my thoughts. I worry constantly about how to stretch my income to cover my bills. Creativity does not flourish under these circumstances.The antidotes: sleeping, watching TV, or reading.This is ironic because during my days as a full-time magazine editor, I worked 10 to 12 hours a day writing and editing.I love writing, so why am I not more consistent about doing it?Despite this, I write two blogs--on criminal justice issues and on writing and host a weekly Spreaker podcast. Likewise, my 200+ page memoir is completed and awaits a final, professional edit.Perhaps, it is unfair to compare myself to writers who no longer work at other jobs to earn a living; they can afford to spend whole days creating memorable prose.I have not achieved such status, so the demands of my life and work dictate when and how often I write.Could it be that I am not a procrastinator, but someone whose writing schedule suits my current lifestyle?What do you think?