Since starting to seriously sit down and write I've tried to set times with having a busy family/work life but I've found this the hardest I'm normally always trying to get things down if I can i literally am scribbling notes when ever I can most become useless but everything is leading to the end product I suppose/hope. I've found that I'm writing when ever I can grab some free time at the minute that much is going around my head I can't get enough time to get it all down. This is the most fustrating thing I am finding.
I've always been a slow starter. If I'm pantsing my way through a draft, I do what @Tenderiser said and leave the last sentence unfinished at the end of each day (Except the last day; I don't go 'THE E—' and fill in the last two letters the next day.) If I'm working from an outline (like now) or rewriting, I don't do that. But as for getting rolling, it takes me upwards of two hours some days to find the head space, get my butt in the chair, get off this damned forum and get to work. And if I'm interrupted for more than a few minutes, it's anyone guess whether I'll get back to it that day or not.
This makes me curious about whether or not getting back to it easily after fairly lengthy interruptions isn't a male/female thing. I find it almost impossible after an interruption of more than—say—ten minutes. But being male, is that just part of my physiognomy or is it something else? Is there a time limit after which it becomes harder to get back to it, no matter your sex? Or is it tied into the basic nature of it?
LOL! I thought it was just me. I can't remember how many times my wife has sent me to the showers over the years.
LOL! I used to have a "Shoe" wherein he explains to Buffy what writing is. It involves sharpening pencils, making sure you have plenty of paper, rolling a sheet into the typewriter... and staring at it until beads of blood appear on your forehead.
I have an answering machine, too, but I still can't ignore the phone. It rings so seldom, I get all excited and then it's just another telemarketing robot, I hang up and toss the phone across the room... and then run to it next time it rings.
I have a ritual: To loosen me up and prime myself, I read the previous day's writing and edit. Once done, I do a six minute free-writing session where I just pour out all of my thoughts even if they're ridiculous or incoherent. After that, I write. I give myself twenty-five minute chunks of full on writing and then five minutes of rest. I do this until my two hour allotted time is finished.
