HOW SHALL I COMPARE ME?

I'm always interested in how other writers write. Have they set up their own study, do they sit at the kitchen table amongst the toast crumbs and coffee cups? Do they write in the early hours when no one else is stirring, or do they pound the keys late at night (often after a long day at work). Always very interesting, often inspiring but sometimes...

One of the hardest lessons to learn when writing is to never compare yourself to anyone else. It is hard when you read about an author that says while she worked full time, looked after three small children, was the leader of her local girl guide group, walked the dog twice a day, went to dance lessons and managed to write a 50,000 word novel in just eight weeks. That of course was snatched up by a publisher, became a best seller and is now being made into a movie. Well if often leads me to think 'hmmm so what am I doing with my spare time?'

Some people can sit at the computer screen and have 1000 words within an hour- some will put down a sentence, edit it, add another sentence, edit both sentences, add a third sentence, change the structure of the paragraph, delete all that is written, write a sentence.  You get the idea. I'm somewhere in the middle. It takes me a while to put my words down and I do edit (but try so hard not to on the first draft- learning to sit and write, even if badly is a harsh lesson- but getting it down is vital).

Finding the right way for you is the key. I am NOT a night owl. Never have been, never will be. My mind turns to mush pretty much as soon as I get home from work and the body is flaggin by ten at night. (I can hear my husband say 9pm).  I'm also NOT an early bird- yawn- so my ideal time to write is from about 9am to about 5 pm. Great. Except for three days a week, I'm not able to be at home in front of the computer- I'm at work.  I've settled to write on Wednesdays...but...life intrudes. Today I have an early appointment and this afternoon I'm off to a meeting at work I'm chairing (on day off)- so what is achieved today will not be as much as most writing days. But I've given myself permission to be OK with this...honestly I have.

As for working to a word limit or perhaps how many hours working on a piece - once again- find your own way. At the moment I'm finding a word limit is working great for me - at the moment- It could change, it probably will. 

But the most important thing is to just write. Don't compare yourself to the other part-time working wife and mother down the street who is putting down 4000 words a week, has had her third picture book published, another accepted and has had her memoir commissioned  - because she is not you.