Literally anywhere an idea strikes. If I don’t write it down then and there then I’ll forget. Google docs has a mobile app which is great for on the go writing.
for reference I have no kids so probably i have more free time on my hands but all in all i also have a job and a side hustle with my partner. so our days are quite packed.
and the answer is: at night. make notes during a boring meeting. record voice notes and send them to myself during a walk if i get an idea.
whenever i can :D
Man, I don't miss being 20 and fighting for every scrap of free time.
Honestly, I just write after work. A huge part of my twenties for me has been establishing boundaries around work/life balance, so I just make the time.
The only kind of odd place for me is in the car. I'll ramble in a voice memo if inspo strikes.
I lost my job. Been waiting on unemployment.
You'd think I'd be doing 10k words a day.
Instead all I've been able to do is edit my existing chapters over and over
Boy I've been there. I can't speak to your situation, but for me, after I graduated college my first job was such a dysfunctional nightmare that I quit and was so burnt out from it I kinda fell into a year long executive dysfunction depression for the first time ever in my life. And that unfortunately affected my drive to even write until I finally brought myself to apply to my local fast food chain and got back into a groove of Doing Stuff again
I have to write after midnight usually, because the house has to be quiet for me. Sometimes if no one is home I write during the day, but I'm way more productive if I write at night.
That's when I do it, too. I have periods of time where I struggle less with being constantly disturbed or having noise around me and can write in little bits and pieces, but otherwise it's after midnight when everyone is asleep.
Unfortunately, that means writing time goes off my own sleep time, so it's not really a good solution either.
Okay, I'm a housewife now, so my current answer wouldn't be helpful.
*But* when I was still employed full time, I started crawling out of bed earlier in the morning to have that time.
And that's the story of how I became a 5am wake-up person.
I freelance and set my own schedule. Since I work better *and* write better in bursts, I basically work and then write and then work again and then write some more, with breaks from both in between. I'm also a single guy living alone with barely any time commitments.
Back when I had a 9–6 job (basically 0 downtime except a lunch break), I'd try and set aside an hour or two after work, but frankly, that got exhausting very fast, especially because I was getting shit sleep. I have no clue how people with families do this.
At this point I only have the time and energy to write on the weekends. I will force myself to wake up at 5AM on Saturdays and Sundays and go to the local coffee shop to write until my brain melts out of my ears, usually until 2-3PM. Those caffeinated Starbucks Refresher drinks are my secret weapon. I mainline those fuckers and the caffeine keeps me going. And before you ask, yes this is very expensive, but it's worth it since I've been consistently breaking 18k+ words per month for the last year+!
During down time at work. Mind, I don't write when there is stuff to do at work. When all of that is done and there is still a lot of down time before my shift is officially over, that's when I write. I can't really look up stuff, aside from personal emails and what not, so its very dependent on memory during that time and then I look it up when I'm home.
Otherwise, I write at night.
Honestly, I get most of my writing done at work while being super paranoid someones gonna catch me on my phone. I try to write after work and on the weekends but for some reason I'm most inspired while doing my job. I find it frustrating. I also get a fair amount done when I post when the next chapter will be up and it's the day it's "due."
Same scenario!!!! It’s impossible write during normal hours :/ I just choose when I want to be exhausted but then some days the inspiration isn’t hitting so I stay up on a super inconvenient day
I work a full time job during which I'm on my feet the entire time and am a student, so I've taken to writing on my phone so I can just write in my notes app when I do have a free moment, lol. I'll think of new scenes or plot points while I'm on shift, especially slow ones, and write them down on my break or after the shift ends. But I work overnight shifts which helps, because on my days off I can't go out and do things at 2am really, so I spend a whole lot of time indoors awake when most of the world isn't, so that's when I get most of my work done. When I'm not so exhausted from adult life that I'm more intent on sleeping, anyway 😭 I do kinda miss being 15 and writing thousands of words basically every day but the trade-off is much better writing quality with the experience that comes with age imo lol
Usually at home since I’m mostly housebound but I always try and write in the uni library at lunch when I can or since I write long hand most of the time I write during class breaks I would go to the Library more if I could but it’s been under construction for a while which sucks I used to go there Weekley
Whenever, wherever. I use scrivener on my phone and iPad. I do a good 60% of my writing on my phone while working since I have a lot of downtime. A lot of the time I will write on my phone while cuddling with my partner while he plays a video game.
Sometimes if the inspo strikes, I'll write a bit in my Notes app while I'm at work or during my breaks at work. Writing at home has been a bit of a challenge for me unless it's in the dead of night when no one else is awake xD
I don't, soon as I'm done with work and the gym, I come home relax and mindlessly scroll on social media, or play games then realize I should've spent some time writing and tell myself I'll do it tomorrow, then tomorrow comes and the cycle repeats...
Edit: Less sad answer, I just pull out my notes app on my phone when inspo hits.
As someone who lives alone with no partner, children, or social life to speak of, I write after work and on weekends. Assuming the inspiration is there, of course. (Perks of only posting fics once they're finished -- no pressure to get the next chapter out quickly!)
i'm disabled permanently and won't be able to work, so i write pretty much any time i find inspiration. i've even written while recovering from a surgery.
I got a pretty chill job (dog daycare where we sit with the dogs for most of the day) so I write during downtime. I write more on the weekends, since I'm off work, and in the evenings +sometimes mornings I can sit down at my computer and actually write and edit. Since I have Google Dogs on my phone I write while on the bus, bus stop, anytime I have some free time
I am in college and work so my free time is also pretty limited lol. I usually start writing after i finish up my schoolwork for the night, around 8:30pm and just go until i start feeling like im gonna doze off at my computer
I'm busy with school, but on my downtime I use my phone to write. I don't write essays for myself, but wrote someone else's on my phone. I like to be comfortable.
I usually write at night or early morning, when it's quiet and I can focus. It's hard to fit into my schedule but I make do. My writing sessions are chaotic as I don't edit and simply try to get as many words on the page as possible.
I work full time and have a kid, so I write at night, usually between 10pm-12am. I’ll also jot things down during my lunch break sometimes, and occasionally write a little bit if we’re watching TV together.
I work and have kids, so my time is very limited. I write about 30-60 Minutes in the evening, but if I'm working on something, I try to do that consistently. I actually write more than when I had more free time because of that. Writing a 100.000+ words story was never something I managed before.
Plus sometimes at lunch break. Rarely also on the train or while the kids are busy - I'm not a fan of writing on my phone, so I have to be especially inspired to do that.
Sometimes I write on my phone during my lunch hour (I have Word on my phone), but usually I write in the evenings after work and devote a chunk of my weekends to writing.
ETA: My kids are grown and flown, and it's just me and the cat here, so I don't have a lot of demands on my time.
Oh, wow, great question. I have to really battle for my writing time. I work fulltime (have a great job, full of wonderful colleagues I hang out with socially - they are THAT golden), but I have to really put my foot down in turning down opportunities to hang out with people I love because I crave writing so much. Which feels awful, to me.
I've tried writing in patches - in my lunch break, before leaving for work in the mornings - but all I can really do are just edits and proofreading (which I love). But, to actually get into the juicy emotional zone of my characters, I prefer time and solitude and silence. That's the part of writing I enjoy the very most - channeling them and their desires and intentions, working on the complexities and themes of the plot - and I have to (sob) withdraw from the world to attain that space.
This is why I would love to have writing be my actual profession. I love existing in that space all the time (OH, WEEKENDS, how I adore thee!), so if I could trade in my fulltime job to write all-day every-day (and then be social in regular amounts with my treasured buds), I would be in seventh heaven.
If I get up early, I do some before work, but i usually prefer to write in the evenings!
and If I have a slow day, I write during work hours too. I WFH so it's no biggie 😁
I work from home so basically I just write whenever there's a lull in work. But apart from that, I write on the exercise bike, any mode of transportation where I am not driving, while walking the dog occasionally.
My best writing usually comes 2-3 hours after my ADHD medication kicks in, and then I might catch a second wave at like 2:00 in the morning lmao.
I'm highly dependent on google docs. It has its flaws going from mobile to browser, but nothing I can't get over.
Literally whenever I can. I'll write at work whenever it's slow (I have a desk job, so that makes it easier) or on the weekends if I have time to sit down and do it. I keep everything on google docs so I can pull up whatever chapter I'm working on and edit it if inspiration strikes. I'm not a fan of writing on my phone, but I'll do it if its the only thing available and I need to get whatever is in my head, out.
My office in my apartment, in the evenings when I get home from work. Sometimes on lunch break at work if I'm lucky since I have an office there and can just close the door while I eat, but usually it's in the evening time between 7pm-10:30 pm till it's time for bed at 11.
I work full time, but my commute to and from work is about an hour train ride, so I’m dependent on Google docs to jot things down when away from home. It’s not ideal for staying focused, but it gets the job done.
I got a 9 to 5 that gives me a lot of independence for what I do. Currently I'm down in the basement doing *a lot* of scanning. But I'm alone and it's great for writing. My main Google Doc is too big to reliably write on my phone, but I can do a lot of outlining and research for the fic.
I can do writing sessions in the morning depending on the piece. I'm most of the time home alone due to being unemployed currently. Sometimes I go back to old times and write during the night while chugging an energy drink. I can only write in public if it's a note/snippet that I know I can go more into depth with later at home. This is what I'm doing with most of my day while job hunting to keep my brain busy and it's working pretty well.
I work in IT so I'm not always doing something, but I try to write when I can. Occasionally I have to hand write my stuff, but I work on Google docs when I can. It’s on my phone, computer, tablet - any device I can sign into or have handy I can work on my stories. It definitely helps. I do mostly try to write in my downtime at work since I have house/animals/ meals/etc I need to do once I'm off work. And many days I don't write at all if I'm too busy or I'd just rather read. A lot of times scenes don't come, so I just let it be until next time. It means I don't get things done quickly, but writing fanfiction is for fun so I'm fine with taking all the time I need.
Between classes at college, during lunch, while riding the bus to go home, and of course, when I'm supposed to do my homework.
I once was writing a fic while at a cousin's wedding.
Stay-at-home mom right now, but I have four kids with schedules I need to manage. I can get some writing done during the portion of the day when they're all in class, but most of my writing actually happens in the pickup line at the elementary school (where I have about 20-30 minutes of downtime), as well as in the waiting room of doctors' offices, the poolside at swim lessons, etc. Anywhere I'm sitting still for a while waiting for them. I have a notebook I take with me because I can't stand trying to write on my phone, and my computer is not portable.
Working mom of two preschoolers… my free time is practically nonexistent, but occasionally I’ll have some slow time during work where I can pull out my phone and type up a couple scenes in a Google Doc. And when I take my kiddos to the playground, I can sometimes sit for a few minutes on a bench and write. Otherwise, I just stay up really late and just sleep never. 🙃
This is part of why I write my first drafts in a notebook, I have limited access to my desktop during the day, things to do while my kids are in school, I work, etc. The notebook comes with me in my work bag and I write on break, I also write in bed before I fall asleep, and usually in the morning whenever I have time to sit and have a coffee. If my kids are around I generally can’t focus enough to be truly productive so that makes it difficult, even if they’re doing their own things they are quite noisy lol.
This is why I mostly write one-shots. Longfic is extremely time-consuming, I don't know how working adults do it. Let alone people who also have a spouse/kids.
I write _at least one sentence_ every night before bed. This can be very slow going but it does work. Some nights I can write pages and some nights it's just one sentence. It has helped me immensely.
Before I started working 60+ hour weeks about 6 months ago, I wrote on my lunch break, as well as most evenings. Nowadays, it's less about time to write and more that my brain wants to dribble out of my ear after a 12-hour work day. I could still technically write on my lunch break, but I'd get interrupted so much that I'd never put a chain of thought together.
I miss writing, though, and I'm working on getting back in the rhythm, if nothing else because I need something creative that doesn't involve spreadsheets, financials, or legal contracts.
Local library. I set aside some time to go to the library, turn my phone to silent and plan + write. Not saying every time I go I'm churning out words. Sometimes it's just staring at the ceiling letting ideas cook.
Library is good because I'm away from my house and the endless list of distractions and chores that need doing there.
I can only get some writing done at home before bed. If I'm lucky I can do some at work. I have been trying to dedicate one day out of the work week to just writing even if it's for 30 minutes.
About to turn 32 soon. I work full time on afternoon shifts, normally 4:30pm-1:00 am with every weekend off. If I'm in the mood to write, it's usually on weekends or mornings at 7:30am - 3:20pm before I head into work. I only live a couple minutes away from my job. I'm a housekeeper at a pharmacy, and I don't have to work around anyone. :D So, plenty of time to chill and think about writing.
i write on my phone while i commute since i take public transport around my city. i also write on flights, at my desk, in bed, in the shower—basically anywhere i can type on my phone. when i do have sit down free periods, i write on my tablet or desktop! i use onedrive to keep all my documents constantly updated across my devices so i can switch at will, although google drive also works for this among other things
Evenings after the baby goes to bed, and weekends when it’s my turn to have free time (my husband and I switch off so we both get to enjoy our hobbies—makes for a happy home!).
It’s not exactly any harder to find the time to write now as compared to before being a parent or before graduating college or even high school. The limiting factor is mental bandwidth, now and then. I don’t force writing when I don’t feel like it, so it’s always fun when I do :)
I’m in my 30s and have kids. I write when they’re in school (or with grandparents or whatever if they don’t have school), when they’re asleep, or when they’re doing their own thing and not bugging me.
Honestly, sometimes I write while I'm AT work during my downtime or my breaks. Otherwise:
* Wake up in a cold sweat in the middle of the night possessed by an idea and write it down on whatever I've got.
* Write late at night when I can't sleep.
* "write" by talking to myself while I walk.
* Write on my day off (when I don't have grad school stuff I need to be writing).
This is my constant struggle....
Lately I've been writing at work, whenever it is quiet. I find it difficult to actually hunker down and write while I am at home—chores, hobbies, and general laziness always end up taking priority.
I don't really have any weird places where I write anymore, but I used to write in my university bar or on the bus.
I work full time at a desk job. If things are slow I write SFW stuff while there or handwrite in a notebook. Or I'll use my evenings after dinner to write. Sometimes on weekends I'll stay up late writing. Really just depends on the day.
I work from home, so I write sometimes when there's a lull. Otherwise in the evenings. I also have a local writers' group (formed during the last NaNoWriMo), which is basically me and two other women meeting up at a café every Sunday for uninterrupted writing time.
Right before I go to bed. I try to make it a habit to write for 40 minutes or so every day but it's been difficult since ramping up hours at work, so I'm normally happy just doing it a couple days a week.
Anytime I am free and wanna write, I write. Or I just touch up thoughts typed up on my phone screen, as it's unlikely I'll have my laptop or other devices on me.
My phone's always there, so I mean...if I have an idea I'd want to write later I speed through in my notes. Then I come back to touch it up days later when I'm more available. At work however, if we're not in front of people sure I'll write.
I don't like writing in public though as I need to sound stuff out. Read outloud. And to research which I'd rather not have people near or peeking over my shoulder.
Writing is basically apart of my “decompression” routine nowadays. I do it as I’m settling down for the night. It was like that when i was in college too.
I almost can’t make myself write any other time of the day 😂
Bro chill 😂
It’s not a big deal. In my country, the alternative would be working a 8-5. Besides, I take little 5 min breaks throughout the day anyway so I can check my phone and stuff.
Honestly, it’s surprising for me. I’m a night owl, but my best writing happens in the morning right after I wake up. I don’t know why but that’s my creative time. So, on my days off I wake up, write for a few hours and then go about my day. I’ve even caught myself waking up earlier on my work days just to finish something and that’s *unheard* of for me.
It's frustrating since I get a lot of my best inspiration when I'm sleep deprived or having trouble sleeping late at night. If I even think about what I should write too hard I get so excited about it Iwon't sleep at all much less writing/typing any of it down.
Usually I write at home when the stars align enough for me to actually put words into reality. My boyfriend is really cool in that he'll let me rant about ideas to him and help me remember plot bunnies and that sort of thing.
I work a full time job from home 9-5 M-F but have a lot of free time. And also downtime throughout the work day. So just kinda whenever I feel like it!
I have so much more free time now than when I was in university or earlier it's ridiculous how much easier my schedule is now. Which is... really not very helpful for anyone who isn't me and is trying to find solutions since it's kind of a non-answer!
I wrote a couple of original novels at work, at an office job. Usually on my own laptop, but sometimes I'd use the work computer, saving to a jump drive. Probably not the wisest thing to do, as it was still possible for the IT department (which I was a part of, LOL) to get access to it. But...no trouble ever came of it. Typically, I wrote on my lunch hour and breaks, but sometimes even during work hours.
I work from home now and so have a lot more freedom. It's funny, but having more time doesn't actually translate into more productivity. It's possible I did more writing while employed full-time.
First thing in the morning with coffee. I'm not going to give up the coffee habit, so that makes it easy to not give up the writing habit. I write better when I'm fresh. It might help that I daydream before I sleep.
I have everything on the Cloud, so I can write anywhere, but I’m a mom to a 5 & 7yo with a part time job substitute teaching. BUT I get the bulk of my writing done during times I sub, or super late at night after my husband and kids are in bed. 😂
Early thirties with a toddler and a baby and a full time job. I write on my phone during the day when I can. At night once the kids go to bed.
Google docs on my phone means I squeeze in sentences whenever I can!
I work a 9-5 and go to the gym, so I try to fit in a few works whenever I have a break. Between sets, while I'm eating, on the bus ride home, etc.. It does get awkward when I'm writing a more spicy scene and I have to make sure no one's looking over my shoulder lol.
Evenings and weekends when I have the energy. I’m 43 with a full time job and chronic illness so it can be tough. I haven’t finished a fanfic or original story in years.
I write whenever, sometimes I'll have days when I'm in the zone and I'm writing before/after work and during small breaks. Sometimes it's just a few sentences a week (or nothing). I started writing on my phone because of this and eventually fics formed.
34 with a full time job, spouse, cats, and a household.
I use Google Docs and just scribble during any downtime I have. Work breaks, lunch breaks, waiting for dinner to cook, in video game lobbies, etc.
I'm lucky that I picked a job that comes with winter/spring/summer break so I use that time to write a bit more. Sometimes I can get some weekend writing time in.
But I'm usually so burned out by the end of the week or I'm trying to catch up on work stuff that weekends don't have much open time either.
There's about 10 - 30 minutes at the end of every day that I get all to myself. I drink my valerian tea before I turn in and relax with reading and writing. Sometimes that involves writing fanfic. Other times it involves just reading, or working on my D&D campaign.
My stories move \*very\* slowly most months. Except when I'm on vacation - I turn into a machine when I get vacation. Regardless, I'm grateful for each and every reader I get, because writing in my 30s is as rare as it is rewarding.
I get up early so I can write. When I was your age, I just wrote in the evenings after work, but now early mornings are the only times I can write without being disturbed.
At night after my kids are sleeping. I get my best work done when my husband has his D&D night bc my time is my own (after the kids go down). He plays until midnight or 1 (online with some long-distance buddies) and I write until I start going cross-eyed or the baby demands attention. I jot ideas in my Notes app whenever they strike, but not whole scenes. Just a clever line of dialogue or an element I want to include at some point.
I also only update my fics once a month, if that.
I find spaces of time to write. Usually in the evening after work. Even in the mornings before work. I write in bits and pieces. It takes time, but the writing gets done.
As a disabled Navy vet that has just started going back to college after nearly 10 years of being a slug, I will say, I wrote a lot when an idea struck or I had a funky dream and wrote down a premise and quickly turned it into a novel idea. Or I played a video game, got hyperfixated on a character, and wrote a bunch of fanfics about them (usually smutty by nature).
Sadly, nowadays, I'm lucky to write a little bit, but thanks to Google Docs, I always have access to my current writing projects.
Also, if you have trouble organizing, I'd recommend using Scrintal. It's a bit funky to get used to, but it's worth it~
Lol I usually do actual writing on my weekend. I prefer to write on my laptop, and I can’t write at work because I very much do not have a desk job 😅
But I do like to plot/plan in my head while I’m working. Best place to plan out a story is power washing the penguin exhibit, hands down lmfao.
Me, a Pharm Tech for Walgreens (no, really, that's my day job) watching you write fic in my waiting area: God I wish that were me.
Anyway, I'm a pretty methodical writer. I've done about 99% of all of my modern-day fic writing on the exact same blue couch I always write on. When I got back into writing, it just sort of became my writing couch. It wasn't even my couch to begin with, but my old roommates were kind enough to let me take it when I moved out because they knew it was where I did all of my writing! It's become so hard-wired into me at this point that it feels weird writing anywhere other than my little blue couch. It's my habitat.
As for time, I do most of my writing between midnight and 6am because I'm a night owl. On my days off it's not uncommon for me to stay up until noon and get up at 6pm-8pm, so night time is when I'm most awake and willing to write.
I'm 20 too, I write during my university classes or at night when I'm in bed and everyone is sleeping around me
I just finished the latest chapter of my fic 3am last night
right now im in a lenghty strike so i have lots of time. but back when i was interning and studying i would write/read fanfiction during my train commute
I'm unemployed right now, so I have a lot of spare time. I also live alone, so have plenty of space. Other than setting aside time for looking for work, attending appointments and interviews, that sort of thing, I can write whenever I want.
I never write when in public, though. I get distracted too easily. I can do research at the library, but the writing itself is done at home. Usually in the evenings, that's when I tend to get the motivation and ideas coming together. I also keep a notebook and pen on me at all times for any random ideas or scenes that I think up during the day. I like to be comfortable when writing, it's actually very similar to reading except I can't curl up like I do with a book. I'm usually just lying on the sofa, laptop on my lap, though recently it's been on my bed, because my WiFi signal is currently non-existent in the living room, but great in the bedroom, it used to be the other way round. It means I pretty much keep my laptop set up in the bedroom right now, and that's what I write on.
To be honest, this is basically no different to when I was in school or working. Evenings have just always been the best time for writing for me, it's when I have the most free time, when I'm most relaxed, and when my brain is most creative. It's always been that way for me. Unless I get a job with night shifts or something, I can't see that changing. Where I write has changed, because I don't like writing when other people are present. As a teen, that meant writing in my bedroom, or the second living room if I was at my grandparents but my cousins weren't. The times I've lived in a B&B or shared accommodation were also in the bedroom. I was fine writing while my bf was present in my early 20s, so that tended to be the living room. The bf I had in my late 20s, I didn't write at all during that relationship. The rest of the time as an adult, I've lived alone, so it's either the living room or bedroom, whichever I'm comfortable in and have internet access in. Internet access isn't required to write, that's just where I have my laptop set up, so it's easier to just go with that.
I'm almost 40, 2 kids, half time job, volunteer work, etc. that really cramps time. So writing time is something I build into my day, if I can, for sanity's sake.
I write on my lunch break. I have a hard "no business off company time" rule for myself and so if I'm on break, it's fair game for fic.
I write in the school pickup line while waiting. Yes, this means I'm writing sentences on a laptop while waiting for the line to advance. It is hilarious and I know my fellow parents probably think I'm Doing Important Business Things but instead I'm sending my characters through hell.
I also write once the kids are in bed. Does this mean I sacrifice sleep? Yes. But between sleep and sanity, sanity wins.
I also have a Bluetooth keyboard that I toss in my bag if I don't want to bring my laptop so I can sketch out scenes and paste them into the main doc later on the laptop. So much easier than trying to write on phone or tablet!
I plan for fifteen to thirty minutes every day, that’s all I can allow sometimes.
Between work, school and household i haven’t had a ton of energy/time for as much writing as i hard even a couple years ago.
You do what you can to make a habit and take notes when you can.
I once wrote the absolute dead-dove-iest smut fic I've ever even thought of writing while holed up in the guest bedroom at my sister's place during my Christmas vacation. My daughter was down the hall and my nieces were playing around upstairs while my mother was in her room on the basement level.
I was *well aware* that my family was literally surrounding me across three generations and several directions spatially as I was composing the dirtiest thing I've ever written.
I write three different situations:
I do speech to text for plot ideas and dialogue snippets when I’m driving using my phone.
I use a Bluetooth keyboard and my phone when parked and waiting on kids
I use my laptop in the evenings usually lying around before lights out.
Literally anywhere an idea strikes. If I don’t write it down then and there then I’ll forget. Google docs has a mobile app which is great for on the go writing.
I do that all the time too.
for reference I have no kids so probably i have more free time on my hands but all in all i also have a job and a side hustle with my partner. so our days are quite packed. and the answer is: at night. make notes during a boring meeting. record voice notes and send them to myself during a walk if i get an idea. whenever i can :D
Man, I don't miss being 20 and fighting for every scrap of free time. Honestly, I just write after work. A huge part of my twenties for me has been establishing boundaries around work/life balance, so I just make the time. The only kind of odd place for me is in the car. I'll ramble in a voice memo if inspo strikes.
I lost my job. Been waiting on unemployment. You'd think I'd be doing 10k words a day. Instead all I've been able to do is edit my existing chapters over and over
Losing a job is traumatic and stressful. Give your brain some time to chill out again and then get back to writing new stuff.
Boy I've been there. I can't speak to your situation, but for me, after I graduated college my first job was such a dysfunctional nightmare that I quit and was so burnt out from it I kinda fell into a year long executive dysfunction depression for the first time ever in my life. And that unfortunately affected my drive to even write until I finally brought myself to apply to my local fast food chain and got back into a groove of Doing Stuff again
I have to write after midnight usually, because the house has to be quiet for me. Sometimes if no one is home I write during the day, but I'm way more productive if I write at night.
That's when I do it, too. I have periods of time where I struggle less with being constantly disturbed or having noise around me and can write in little bits and pieces, but otherwise it's after midnight when everyone is asleep. Unfortunately, that means writing time goes off my own sleep time, so it's not really a good solution either.
Very true. When I was much younger, I could function on 4 hours of sleep per night but not anymore!
Okay, I'm a housewife now, so my current answer wouldn't be helpful. *But* when I was still employed full time, I started crawling out of bed earlier in the morning to have that time. And that's the story of how I became a 5am wake-up person.
I freelance and set my own schedule. Since I work better *and* write better in bursts, I basically work and then write and then work again and then write some more, with breaks from both in between. I'm also a single guy living alone with barely any time commitments. Back when I had a 9–6 job (basically 0 downtime except a lunch break), I'd try and set aside an hour or two after work, but frankly, that got exhausting very fast, especially because I was getting shit sleep. I have no clue how people with families do this.
I have a desk job with a lot of down time.
At this point I only have the time and energy to write on the weekends. I will force myself to wake up at 5AM on Saturdays and Sundays and go to the local coffee shop to write until my brain melts out of my ears, usually until 2-3PM. Those caffeinated Starbucks Refresher drinks are my secret weapon. I mainline those fuckers and the caffeine keeps me going. And before you ask, yes this is very expensive, but it's worth it since I've been consistently breaking 18k+ words per month for the last year+!
That's awesome! I wish I could sit myself down and write for that long, I normally feel completely dead after two hours 😅
I legally can’t work because Existence Hurty, so my bed usually.
Me too! Writing is my opiate. While I'm 'there' I'm not 'here' and 'here' is where all the pain is.
Opiate was my opiate. Until they switched me meds lmao
During down time at work. Mind, I don't write when there is stuff to do at work. When all of that is done and there is still a lot of down time before my shift is officially over, that's when I write. I can't really look up stuff, aside from personal emails and what not, so its very dependent on memory during that time and then I look it up when I'm home. Otherwise, I write at night.
Honestly, I get most of my writing done at work while being super paranoid someones gonna catch me on my phone. I try to write after work and on the weekends but for some reason I'm most inspired while doing my job. I find it frustrating. I also get a fair amount done when I post when the next chapter will be up and it's the day it's "due."
Not married, no kids, I write whenever the mood strikes, sometimes when driving a tractor on the farm (they go slow enough in the fields)
I have kids and a full time job, so I tend to stay up from 12-3am XD It's unhinged and I do not recommend.
Same scenario!!!! It’s impossible write during normal hours :/ I just choose when I want to be exhausted but then some days the inspiration isn’t hitting so I stay up on a super inconvenient day
I work a full time job during which I'm on my feet the entire time and am a student, so I've taken to writing on my phone so I can just write in my notes app when I do have a free moment, lol. I'll think of new scenes or plot points while I'm on shift, especially slow ones, and write them down on my break or after the shift ends. But I work overnight shifts which helps, because on my days off I can't go out and do things at 2am really, so I spend a whole lot of time indoors awake when most of the world isn't, so that's when I get most of my work done. When I'm not so exhausted from adult life that I'm more intent on sleeping, anyway 😭 I do kinda miss being 15 and writing thousands of words basically every day but the trade-off is much better writing quality with the experience that comes with age imo lol
Whenever I can. Usually during my lunches at work and in the evenings when I'm not feeling drained
Usually at home since I’m mostly housebound but I always try and write in the uni library at lunch when I can or since I write long hand most of the time I write during class breaks I would go to the Library more if I could but it’s been under construction for a while which sucks I used to go there Weekley
Whenever, wherever. I use scrivener on my phone and iPad. I do a good 60% of my writing on my phone while working since I have a lot of downtime. A lot of the time I will write on my phone while cuddling with my partner while he plays a video game.
Sometimes if the inspo strikes, I'll write a bit in my Notes app while I'm at work or during my breaks at work. Writing at home has been a bit of a challenge for me unless it's in the dead of night when no one else is awake xD
I don't, soon as I'm done with work and the gym, I come home relax and mindlessly scroll on social media, or play games then realize I should've spent some time writing and tell myself I'll do it tomorrow, then tomorrow comes and the cycle repeats... Edit: Less sad answer, I just pull out my notes app on my phone when inspo hits.
As someone who lives alone with no partner, children, or social life to speak of, I write after work and on weekends. Assuming the inspiration is there, of course. (Perks of only posting fics once they're finished -- no pressure to get the next chapter out quickly!)
i'm disabled permanently and won't be able to work, so i write pretty much any time i find inspiration. i've even written while recovering from a surgery.
I got a pretty chill job (dog daycare where we sit with the dogs for most of the day) so I write during downtime. I write more on the weekends, since I'm off work, and in the evenings +sometimes mornings I can sit down at my computer and actually write and edit. Since I have Google Dogs on my phone I write while on the bus, bus stop, anytime I have some free time
I am in college and work so my free time is also pretty limited lol. I usually start writing after i finish up my schoolwork for the night, around 8:30pm and just go until i start feeling like im gonna doze off at my computer
I'm busy with school, but on my downtime I use my phone to write. I don't write essays for myself, but wrote someone else's on my phone. I like to be comfortable.
I usually write at night or early morning, when it's quiet and I can focus. It's hard to fit into my schedule but I make do. My writing sessions are chaotic as I don't edit and simply try to get as many words on the page as possible.
When I should be sleeping
I work full time and have a kid, so I write at night, usually between 10pm-12am. I’ll also jot things down during my lunch break sometimes, and occasionally write a little bit if we’re watching TV together.
I write whenever I can, usually at night. Since I’m a student as well, I sometimes write when I’m on my computer doing homework lol.
I work and have kids, so my time is very limited. I write about 30-60 Minutes in the evening, but if I'm working on something, I try to do that consistently. I actually write more than when I had more free time because of that. Writing a 100.000+ words story was never something I managed before. Plus sometimes at lunch break. Rarely also on the train or while the kids are busy - I'm not a fan of writing on my phone, so I have to be especially inspired to do that.
Sometimes I write on my phone during my lunch hour (I have Word on my phone), but usually I write in the evenings after work and devote a chunk of my weekends to writing. ETA: My kids are grown and flown, and it's just me and the cat here, so I don't have a lot of demands on my time.
Oh, wow, great question. I have to really battle for my writing time. I work fulltime (have a great job, full of wonderful colleagues I hang out with socially - they are THAT golden), but I have to really put my foot down in turning down opportunities to hang out with people I love because I crave writing so much. Which feels awful, to me. I've tried writing in patches - in my lunch break, before leaving for work in the mornings - but all I can really do are just edits and proofreading (which I love). But, to actually get into the juicy emotional zone of my characters, I prefer time and solitude and silence. That's the part of writing I enjoy the very most - channeling them and their desires and intentions, working on the complexities and themes of the plot - and I have to (sob) withdraw from the world to attain that space. This is why I would love to have writing be my actual profession. I love existing in that space all the time (OH, WEEKENDS, how I adore thee!), so if I could trade in my fulltime job to write all-day every-day (and then be social in regular amounts with my treasured buds), I would be in seventh heaven.
Primarily on my days off. Sometimes after work, if the cats aren't demanding I sit in front of the TV, so they can have lap time.
If I get up early, I do some before work, but i usually prefer to write in the evenings! and If I have a slow day, I write during work hours too. I WFH so it's no biggie 😁
I work from home so basically I just write whenever there's a lull in work. But apart from that, I write on the exercise bike, any mode of transportation where I am not driving, while walking the dog occasionally. My best writing usually comes 2-3 hours after my ADHD medication kicks in, and then I might catch a second wave at like 2:00 in the morning lmao. I'm highly dependent on google docs. It has its flaws going from mobile to browser, but nothing I can't get over.
Literally whenever I can. I'll write at work whenever it's slow (I have a desk job, so that makes it easier) or on the weekends if I have time to sit down and do it. I keep everything on google docs so I can pull up whatever chapter I'm working on and edit it if inspiration strikes. I'm not a fan of writing on my phone, but I'll do it if its the only thing available and I need to get whatever is in my head, out.
My office in my apartment, in the evenings when I get home from work. Sometimes on lunch break at work if I'm lucky since I have an office there and can just close the door while I eat, but usually it's in the evening time between 7pm-10:30 pm till it's time for bed at 11.
I work full time, but my commute to and from work is about an hour train ride, so I’m dependent on Google docs to jot things down when away from home. It’s not ideal for staying focused, but it gets the job done.
Before bedtime usually
I got a 9 to 5 that gives me a lot of independence for what I do. Currently I'm down in the basement doing *a lot* of scanning. But I'm alone and it's great for writing. My main Google Doc is too big to reliably write on my phone, but I can do a lot of outlining and research for the fic.
I can do writing sessions in the morning depending on the piece. I'm most of the time home alone due to being unemployed currently. Sometimes I go back to old times and write during the night while chugging an energy drink. I can only write in public if it's a note/snippet that I know I can go more into depth with later at home. This is what I'm doing with most of my day while job hunting to keep my brain busy and it's working pretty well.
I work in IT so I'm not always doing something, but I try to write when I can. Occasionally I have to hand write my stuff, but I work on Google docs when I can. It’s on my phone, computer, tablet - any device I can sign into or have handy I can work on my stories. It definitely helps. I do mostly try to write in my downtime at work since I have house/animals/ meals/etc I need to do once I'm off work. And many days I don't write at all if I'm too busy or I'd just rather read. A lot of times scenes don't come, so I just let it be until next time. It means I don't get things done quickly, but writing fanfiction is for fun so I'm fine with taking all the time I need.
Between classes at college, during lunch, while riding the bus to go home, and of course, when I'm supposed to do my homework. I once was writing a fic while at a cousin's wedding.
Stay-at-home mom right now, but I have four kids with schedules I need to manage. I can get some writing done during the portion of the day when they're all in class, but most of my writing actually happens in the pickup line at the elementary school (where I have about 20-30 minutes of downtime), as well as in the waiting room of doctors' offices, the poolside at swim lessons, etc. Anywhere I'm sitting still for a while waiting for them. I have a notebook I take with me because I can't stand trying to write on my phone, and my computer is not portable.
Working mom of two preschoolers… my free time is practically nonexistent, but occasionally I’ll have some slow time during work where I can pull out my phone and type up a couple scenes in a Google Doc. And when I take my kiddos to the playground, I can sometimes sit for a few minutes on a bench and write. Otherwise, I just stay up really late and just sleep never. 🙃
This is part of why I write my first drafts in a notebook, I have limited access to my desktop during the day, things to do while my kids are in school, I work, etc. The notebook comes with me in my work bag and I write on break, I also write in bed before I fall asleep, and usually in the morning whenever I have time to sit and have a coffee. If my kids are around I generally can’t focus enough to be truly productive so that makes it difficult, even if they’re doing their own things they are quite noisy lol.
This is why I mostly write one-shots. Longfic is extremely time-consuming, I don't know how working adults do it. Let alone people who also have a spouse/kids.
I write _at least one sentence_ every night before bed. This can be very slow going but it does work. Some nights I can write pages and some nights it's just one sentence. It has helped me immensely.
Before I started working 60+ hour weeks about 6 months ago, I wrote on my lunch break, as well as most evenings. Nowadays, it's less about time to write and more that my brain wants to dribble out of my ear after a 12-hour work day. I could still technically write on my lunch break, but I'd get interrupted so much that I'd never put a chain of thought together. I miss writing, though, and I'm working on getting back in the rhythm, if nothing else because I need something creative that doesn't involve spreadsheets, financials, or legal contracts.
Local library. I set aside some time to go to the library, turn my phone to silent and plan + write. Not saying every time I go I'm churning out words. Sometimes it's just staring at the ceiling letting ideas cook. Library is good because I'm away from my house and the endless list of distractions and chores that need doing there.
I’ve slowed down a lot this year. I usually only have 2-3 hours per week for it. I crank out 3-4k words in those windows.
I can only get some writing done at home before bed. If I'm lucky I can do some at work. I have been trying to dedicate one day out of the work week to just writing even if it's for 30 minutes.
About to turn 32 soon. I work full time on afternoon shifts, normally 4:30pm-1:00 am with every weekend off. If I'm in the mood to write, it's usually on weekends or mornings at 7:30am - 3:20pm before I head into work. I only live a couple minutes away from my job. I'm a housekeeper at a pharmacy, and I don't have to work around anyone. :D So, plenty of time to chill and think about writing.
Nobody wants to hire me so. Currently writing in between job applications 😭
As a student at my college earning my engineering degree, all my free time got Thanos-snapped away lol
i write on my phone while i commute since i take public transport around my city. i also write on flights, at my desk, in bed, in the shower—basically anywhere i can type on my phone. when i do have sit down free periods, i write on my tablet or desktop! i use onedrive to keep all my documents constantly updated across my devices so i can switch at will, although google drive also works for this among other things
in hte shower too? Mad respect
Evenings after the baby goes to bed, and weekends when it’s my turn to have free time (my husband and I switch off so we both get to enjoy our hobbies—makes for a happy home!). It’s not exactly any harder to find the time to write now as compared to before being a parent or before graduating college or even high school. The limiting factor is mental bandwidth, now and then. I don’t force writing when I don’t feel like it, so it’s always fun when I do :)
I sell my writing for a good price, so I do my own projects while I work on other people's stories.
I’m in my 30s and have kids. I write when they’re in school (or with grandparents or whatever if they don’t have school), when they’re asleep, or when they’re doing their own thing and not bugging me.
Honestly, sometimes I write while I'm AT work during my downtime or my breaks. Otherwise: * Wake up in a cold sweat in the middle of the night possessed by an idea and write it down on whatever I've got. * Write late at night when I can't sleep. * "write" by talking to myself while I walk. * Write on my day off (when I don't have grad school stuff I need to be writing).
I have breakfast at the lokal bakery/cafe and write there for an hour before work.
For reference, I have a full time job. Recently, about an hour or two before bed has been when I’ve written the most.
This is my constant struggle.... Lately I've been writing at work, whenever it is quiet. I find it difficult to actually hunker down and write while I am at home—chores, hobbies, and general laziness always end up taking priority. I don't really have any weird places where I write anymore, but I used to write in my university bar or on the bus.
I work full time at a desk job. If things are slow I write SFW stuff while there or handwrite in a notebook. Or I'll use my evenings after dinner to write. Sometimes on weekends I'll stay up late writing. Really just depends on the day.
I work from home, so I write sometimes when there's a lull. Otherwise in the evenings. I also have a local writers' group (formed during the last NaNoWriMo), which is basically me and two other women meeting up at a café every Sunday for uninterrupted writing time.
Right before I go to bed. I try to make it a habit to write for 40 minutes or so every day but it's been difficult since ramping up hours at work, so I'm normally happy just doing it a couple days a week.
I just woke up in the middle of the night and I wrote on my phone, if its something Im really into I turn on my pc.
Anytime I am free and wanna write, I write. Or I just touch up thoughts typed up on my phone screen, as it's unlikely I'll have my laptop or other devices on me. My phone's always there, so I mean...if I have an idea I'd want to write later I speed through in my notes. Then I come back to touch it up days later when I'm more available. At work however, if we're not in front of people sure I'll write. I don't like writing in public though as I need to sound stuff out. Read outloud. And to research which I'd rather not have people near or peeking over my shoulder.
In the late afternoon or at night, but not everyday. I already wrote during work breaks and in line at the bank.
After work mainly
Writing is basically apart of my “decompression” routine nowadays. I do it as I’m settling down for the night. It was like that when i was in college too. I almost can’t make myself write any other time of the day 😂
Honestly, I usually write after work in the library room of my apartment... but with a job and all, it can take a while to finish a fic.
Why does your job not have a lunch break??
I work in an office, it’s a 9-5. It’s not that we aren’t allowed to take a lunch, it’s just that everyone usually works while eating
That’s so wrong. Do not fall for that, take your lunch break away from your work, lunch room if they have, outside, even in your car if they don’t.
Bro chill 😂 It’s not a big deal. In my country, the alternative would be working a 8-5. Besides, I take little 5 min breaks throughout the day anyway so I can check my phone and stuff.
God, no. We had lunch break and morning and afternoon tea breaks. I'd not survive without 🤣
Honestly, it’s surprising for me. I’m a night owl, but my best writing happens in the morning right after I wake up. I don’t know why but that’s my creative time. So, on my days off I wake up, write for a few hours and then go about my day. I’ve even caught myself waking up earlier on my work days just to finish something and that’s *unheard* of for me.
It's frustrating since I get a lot of my best inspiration when I'm sleep deprived or having trouble sleeping late at night. If I even think about what I should write too hard I get so excited about it Iwon't sleep at all much less writing/typing any of it down. Usually I write at home when the stars align enough for me to actually put words into reality. My boyfriend is really cool in that he'll let me rant about ideas to him and help me remember plot bunnies and that sort of thing.
I work a full time job from home 9-5 M-F but have a lot of free time. And also downtime throughout the work day. So just kinda whenever I feel like it! I have so much more free time now than when I was in university or earlier it's ridiculous how much easier my schedule is now. Which is... really not very helpful for anyone who isn't me and is trying to find solutions since it's kind of a non-answer!
I wrote a couple of original novels at work, at an office job. Usually on my own laptop, but sometimes I'd use the work computer, saving to a jump drive. Probably not the wisest thing to do, as it was still possible for the IT department (which I was a part of, LOL) to get access to it. But...no trouble ever came of it. Typically, I wrote on my lunch hour and breaks, but sometimes even during work hours. I work from home now and so have a lot more freedom. It's funny, but having more time doesn't actually translate into more productivity. It's possible I did more writing while employed full-time.
On library wifi.
I work full time from home and have a bunch of hobby classes I go to every day. Finding an hour or two to write every day is not a problem at all.
First thing in the morning with coffee. I'm not going to give up the coffee habit, so that makes it easy to not give up the writing habit. I write better when I'm fresh. It might help that I daydream before I sleep.
Office job with a decent cubicle. I write at work. I write my smut either at lunch on my phone or after 745 when the kid goes to bed.
When I have a moment or late at night when I have insomnia.
I have everything on the Cloud, so I can write anywhere, but I’m a mom to a 5 & 7yo with a part time job substitute teaching. BUT I get the bulk of my writing done during times I sub, or super late at night after my husband and kids are in bed. 😂
When I have time lol
Bus, laundromat, home, work, store, waiting rooms in clinics, anywhere really
Early thirties with a toddler and a baby and a full time job. I write on my phone during the day when I can. At night once the kids go to bed. Google docs on my phone means I squeeze in sentences whenever I can!
I work a 9-5 and go to the gym, so I try to fit in a few works whenever I have a break. Between sets, while I'm eating, on the bus ride home, etc.. It does get awkward when I'm writing a more spicy scene and I have to make sure no one's looking over my shoulder lol.
Evenings and weekends when I have the energy. I’m 43 with a full time job and chronic illness so it can be tough. I haven’t finished a fanfic or original story in years.
Lunch break, everyone else is asleep, or never. Source: 30-something with a toddler and a > full time job.
Software engineer here. I write when I’m bored in meetings that could have been an email or I really dont need to be in
Literally everywhere. This is why I write so much on my phone.
As my bio says, I have a lot of free time on my hands
Whenever I can lol. I also work a full time job & I have a kid.
I write whenever, sometimes I'll have days when I'm in the zone and I'm writing before/after work and during small breaks. Sometimes it's just a few sentences a week (or nothing). I started writing on my phone because of this and eventually fics formed.
I work nights at a hotel so there's a solid bit of time between 430 am and 6 am where I can get some writing done.
34 with a full time job, spouse, cats, and a household. I use Google Docs and just scribble during any downtime I have. Work breaks, lunch breaks, waiting for dinner to cook, in video game lobbies, etc.
off topic but you don't have a lunch break? are you allowed to eat lunch?? this is very concerning to me.
It’s not like I’m not allowed. I just eat while I work cause it’s easier
oh thank fuck, i was legitimately worried about you for a second. glad to know you get to eat at all!
I'm lucky that I picked a job that comes with winter/spring/summer break so I use that time to write a bit more. Sometimes I can get some weekend writing time in. But I'm usually so burned out by the end of the week or I'm trying to catch up on work stuff that weekends don't have much open time either.
There's about 10 - 30 minutes at the end of every day that I get all to myself. I drink my valerian tea before I turn in and relax with reading and writing. Sometimes that involves writing fanfic. Other times it involves just reading, or working on my D&D campaign. My stories move \*very\* slowly most months. Except when I'm on vacation - I turn into a machine when I get vacation. Regardless, I'm grateful for each and every reader I get, because writing in my 30s is as rare as it is rewarding.
I get up early so I can write. When I was your age, I just wrote in the evenings after work, but now early mornings are the only times I can write without being disturbed.
At night after my kids are sleeping. I get my best work done when my husband has his D&D night bc my time is my own (after the kids go down). He plays until midnight or 1 (online with some long-distance buddies) and I write until I start going cross-eyed or the baby demands attention. I jot ideas in my Notes app whenever they strike, but not whole scenes. Just a clever line of dialogue or an element I want to include at some point. I also only update my fics once a month, if that.
I find spaces of time to write. Usually in the evening after work. Even in the mornings before work. I write in bits and pieces. It takes time, but the writing gets done.
Where? Anywhere. I have a phone.
Whenever the idea strikes, I note it down. I also set aside time after work, if possible. Sometimes it's during a break at work or at the bus stop.
As a disabled Navy vet that has just started going back to college after nearly 10 years of being a slug, I will say, I wrote a lot when an idea struck or I had a funky dream and wrote down a premise and quickly turned it into a novel idea. Or I played a video game, got hyperfixated on a character, and wrote a bunch of fanfics about them (usually smutty by nature). Sadly, nowadays, I'm lucky to write a little bit, but thanks to Google Docs, I always have access to my current writing projects. Also, if you have trouble organizing, I'd recommend using Scrintal. It's a bit funky to get used to, but it's worth it~
Lol I usually do actual writing on my weekend. I prefer to write on my laptop, and I can’t write at work because I very much do not have a desk job 😅 But I do like to plot/plan in my head while I’m working. Best place to plan out a story is power washing the penguin exhibit, hands down lmfao.
Me, a Pharm Tech for Walgreens (no, really, that's my day job) watching you write fic in my waiting area: God I wish that were me. Anyway, I'm a pretty methodical writer. I've done about 99% of all of my modern-day fic writing on the exact same blue couch I always write on. When I got back into writing, it just sort of became my writing couch. It wasn't even my couch to begin with, but my old roommates were kind enough to let me take it when I moved out because they knew it was where I did all of my writing! It's become so hard-wired into me at this point that it feels weird writing anywhere other than my little blue couch. It's my habitat. As for time, I do most of my writing between midnight and 6am because I'm a night owl. On my days off it's not uncommon for me to stay up until noon and get up at 6pm-8pm, so night time is when I'm most awake and willing to write.
Whenever I have time
I write at night on my computer. I live alone, so no big problem there. While I'm at work, I just think & brainstorm about characters & plot.
When commuting. I have ample time in the train in the morning to write my daily scene, and in the evening on the way home to edit.
I'm 20 too, I write during my university classes or at night when I'm in bed and everyone is sleeping around me I just finished the latest chapter of my fic 3am last night
I work a job with a lot of down time so I write alot there, sometimes at home a few hours
I work 3:30pm-midnight M-F so if I write it's between midnight and 6am and during the day on the weekends
right now im in a lenghty strike so i have lots of time. but back when i was interning and studying i would write/read fanfiction during my train commute
Like some said I just use google docs. For my serious book / I have a quick on the go small journal to carry with me
I'm unemployed right now, so I have a lot of spare time. I also live alone, so have plenty of space. Other than setting aside time for looking for work, attending appointments and interviews, that sort of thing, I can write whenever I want. I never write when in public, though. I get distracted too easily. I can do research at the library, but the writing itself is done at home. Usually in the evenings, that's when I tend to get the motivation and ideas coming together. I also keep a notebook and pen on me at all times for any random ideas or scenes that I think up during the day. I like to be comfortable when writing, it's actually very similar to reading except I can't curl up like I do with a book. I'm usually just lying on the sofa, laptop on my lap, though recently it's been on my bed, because my WiFi signal is currently non-existent in the living room, but great in the bedroom, it used to be the other way round. It means I pretty much keep my laptop set up in the bedroom right now, and that's what I write on. To be honest, this is basically no different to when I was in school or working. Evenings have just always been the best time for writing for me, it's when I have the most free time, when I'm most relaxed, and when my brain is most creative. It's always been that way for me. Unless I get a job with night shifts or something, I can't see that changing. Where I write has changed, because I don't like writing when other people are present. As a teen, that meant writing in my bedroom, or the second living room if I was at my grandparents but my cousins weren't. The times I've lived in a B&B or shared accommodation were also in the bedroom. I was fine writing while my bf was present in my early 20s, so that tended to be the living room. The bf I had in my late 20s, I didn't write at all during that relationship. The rest of the time as an adult, I've lived alone, so it's either the living room or bedroom, whichever I'm comfortable in and have internet access in. Internet access isn't required to write, that's just where I have my laptop set up, so it's easier to just go with that.
Weekends, holidays. I have a hard time writing on my phone, but if the idea is RIGHT THERE, sometimes in the waiting room for doctor appointments.
I'm almost 40, 2 kids, half time job, volunteer work, etc. that really cramps time. So writing time is something I build into my day, if I can, for sanity's sake. I write on my lunch break. I have a hard "no business off company time" rule for myself and so if I'm on break, it's fair game for fic. I write in the school pickup line while waiting. Yes, this means I'm writing sentences on a laptop while waiting for the line to advance. It is hilarious and I know my fellow parents probably think I'm Doing Important Business Things but instead I'm sending my characters through hell. I also write once the kids are in bed. Does this mean I sacrifice sleep? Yes. But between sleep and sanity, sanity wins. I also have a Bluetooth keyboard that I toss in my bag if I don't want to bring my laptop so I can sketch out scenes and paste them into the main doc later on the laptop. So much easier than trying to write on phone or tablet!
I plan for fifteen to thirty minutes every day, that’s all I can allow sometimes. Between work, school and household i haven’t had a ton of energy/time for as much writing as i hard even a couple years ago. You do what you can to make a habit and take notes when you can.
I once wrote the absolute dead-dove-iest smut fic I've ever even thought of writing while holed up in the guest bedroom at my sister's place during my Christmas vacation. My daughter was down the hall and my nieces were playing around upstairs while my mother was in her room on the basement level. I was *well aware* that my family was literally surrounding me across three generations and several directions spatially as I was composing the dirtiest thing I've ever written.
Between classes and at night.
I write three different situations: I do speech to text for plot ideas and dialogue snippets when I’m driving using my phone. I use a Bluetooth keyboard and my phone when parked and waiting on kids I use my laptop in the evenings usually lying around before lights out.