Authors need that uninterrupted time to let the imagination roam free.
Most of us don't have an hour or two to sit and do nothing but think. Normally, we're doing something else while we try to cook up plots and characters.
Free Time? I Don't Think So
If you work outside the home, chances are your lunch hour is your only "free" time. During that hour, you're probably wolfing down a sandwich while you run errands or maybe try to write a few hundred words or make story notes.
If you're at home, there are always clothes to wash and fold, meals to cook, dishes to wash, etc. The list of things you can do while you think is lengthy so part of your brain is thinking about the task at hand while the other part is trying to dream up plot elements.
Waiting, Waiting, Waiting
Every week I drive my daughter to the hospital for PT and/or to doctor appointments. I've never thought of these many hours away from the office as "wasted" time because I always bring work with me to do while I wait in the various reception rooms. Plus, it gives us both a chance to be together.
When I'm waiting, the only problem is the people who always want to know what I'm doing when I have notes laid out, and I'm typing on my Alpha Smart keyboard. I want to shush them, but I always answer. Unfortunately, they think that gives them permission to start a long conversation with me!
I'm always surprised by the number of people in hospital waiting rooms who bring nothing with them to occupy their attention while they wait.
I'm a good southern girl so I can't ignore them or answer impatiently because it's rude. So I end of wasting that precious time block and feel frustrated and anxious by the time I escape from them.
When January rolled around, I thought about all those hours spent in waiting rooms since 2016 when we began this long medical road. I kept trying to write, get words down, but that left me frazzled. I realized the times I'd done nothing but think and make notes had been far more productive.
Think time is precious. That's when your imagination comes up with fabulous ideas, plot twists, bits of dialogue, and other gems. It boosts your creative energy.
Now I look forward to those waiting room times. I take a notepad to jot down the brilliant results of a brainstorming session. Instead of feeling frustrated because I didn't write a thousand words while waiting, I feel refreshed and fired up.
Takeaway Truth
If you feel frazzled rather than focused, try a think session. Set aside a block of time each day or evening--even a 10 to 15 minutes session of doing nothing but closing your eyes and thinking about the book you're writing can work wonders for your creative energy. Try it. Let me know if it helps.
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