There are a million and one things that just have to get done day in and day out. Then there are the things we want to do. For those particular things, we just have to make time.
A doctor I was seeing about ten or so years ago noticed I was acting a bit off kilter and a tad more squirely than normal. He asked if I had been writing recently. I told him that no, I had not written anything creatively for about two months. He pulled out his prescription pad and wrote out a couple of prescriptions for medications I was wanted to have refilled, then he wrote: “Minimum three hours of creative writing per week” on a separate piece of paper from his prescription pad. I noticed that when I follow that particular prescription, I’m not a weird as I might otherwise be without the creative time.
I always try to make time to have fun, and creative writing is usually fun for me. I have noticed that to glean the best from my writing time, I should listen to music that inspires me such as Johnny Cash or Iron Maiden. Certain places can inspire quality writing output as well. The top of Caddo Peak near Cross Plains, Texas and the ruins of an ancient Roman fort in the Irish countryside are places a couple of my favorite authors have found sufficient inspiration for their craft. Surprisingly, I found London, England quite inspirational for certain aspects of my writing; the Tube especially. (The Tube is London’s subway.) I guess it’s the historical city streets mixed with the Tube’s dark and gritty underworld that I liked so much. Whatever the reason, it was a place I was able to tap into for some quality work. Since I don’t know if I’ll ever get the chance to revisit England, I need to find someplace Stateside for inspiration. The Stockyards in Fort Worth, Texas would likely work. I could soak it all in, come home and pour it out onto paper (my computer) later. The area that was once known as Hell’s Half-Acre would probably work nicely.
I just need to make time and make the best use of said time.
Part-Time Warlord 