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<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\nSummer is my favorite time of year. I love being in the garden, playing with my kids, hiking and cooking out. I really love not having to get the kids up and out for school in the morning. The down side of Summer is trying to make sure that I meet my writing goals. In addition to everyday distractions, out of town guests, vacations, and kids at home make it difficult to keep a regular writing schedule. There are so many more shiny objects to deal with in Summer!<\/p>\n
These are my seven tips to keep you writing over the Summer.<\/p>\n
1. Change your schedule, get up before the kids, or stay up after they go to bed.<\/p>\n
2. Barter with them: leave me alone to write for one hour, or set a timer for younger kids, and then we can play a game\/ go to the pool\/ etc. <\/p>\n
3. Use family trips for research, take notes for current or future works.<\/p>\n
4. Save Summer for edits. I find it easier to fix things than write new words when I have short bits of time.<\/p>\n
5. Treat your writing like a job, because it is. Explain to your family that you have to write for a certain time each day.<\/p>\n
6. Establish a quiet time each day, use it as your writing time. Having a set time each day for reading, drawing, painting, or other quiet creative activity is good for everyone. If your kids have summer reading for school, or as part of a library summer reading program this is great way to help them meet their goals<\/p>\n
7. Don’t give up! Something is better than nothing, use the time you have to get words written.<\/p>\n
\nFinally, don’t stress. Give yourself permission to have smaller writing goals, and have fun. Summer only happens once a year, and if you have kids, they are only kids once. <\/p>\n
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