Struggling to Set a New Writing Schedule

This week, I am still trying to get a regular writing schedule nailed down.  I knew that the mornings were precious, but holy cow, that one morning hour made a huge difference.  Now, the mornings are spent making the kids breakfast and getting them ready for school because the drive to my son's school from the South Side takes about an hour. 

Evenings are out because I focus on cooking dinner and spending time with family.

I think I will have to do my writing from 8:30p.m. (if the baby goes to bed) to 10p.m.  Often, I can’t go to sleep anyway, or the upstairs neighbors are making late house repairs.  Why the late night hammering?  Who the fuck knows.  I stay up filling my entertainment addiction until it quiets down.

That becomes a vicious circle because when I get hooked on shows, forget it.  I would rather stay up late working on my novel and thriving off that creative energy the next day.  Plus, I haven't gotten that writing high in a while, so we need to get the flow of ideas going again. 

In any case, the schedule will continue to be a work in progress, as I am trying to have a more humane schedule.  I got some great advice by a Franciscan Friar yesterday about setting realistic expectations, and I have been outlining this morning.  This year, I have a goal to return papers right away, and that will also require a lot of focus when I'm at the office, but I am up to the challenge because that is one area that I am tired of struggling with and that causes unnecessary teacher guilt.   

This week, I am doing a lot of reading in preparation for my creative writing class.  That should help the writing cause.  In fact, when money allows, I am going to read more Octavia Butler and imitate her style.  She has a great balance of flashbacks with narrative in the work I have read.  Plus, I have never read a novel by her, but need to.

Well, that’s all I got. 

New writers are waiting to be introduced.