to bed a few minutes later and dedicating that time specifically to writing. Even five minutes, if you're dedicated and use it well, can be a huge boost to your daily writing output.

- Commuter time. Yes, commuter time. Buy yourself a small voice recorder and "write" while you're in the car. Just don't forget to pay attention to the road!

- During commercials. Okay, so you can't give up your favorite program. Nor should you. Even writers need to have a little time for themselves. So why not write during commercials? H

One of the biggest complaints you'll hear from writers is that they simply don't have time to write. Sure, they want to write, but the real world is always keeping them from it. There's work, errands, kids, housekeeping. Dinner needs to be cooked and the dog needs to be walked and the in-laws are coming for the weekend.

Real life obligations and pressures are a fact of life for everyone, writers included. Bills need to be paid. Families need to be attended to.

So who has time to write?

You do.

The truth is that if you wait to find the time to write, it may well never happen. That's why you need to steal the time to write.

Most schedules, no matter how busy, have the potential for stolen time. You just need to know where to look.

First, you need to become conscious of how you actually spend your time. When they actually break it down hour by hour, many people find themselves surprised at just how much time they actually do have. Many writers who'll tell you they haven't a second to spare in their busy days spend an hour or more a day in front of the television.

But the trickier aspect of stealing time is the smaller pieces that hide right within the confines of your busy schedule. Here are a few places with potential for stolen time:

- Break times at work. Your lunch hour (or half hour) is an ideal time for writing. Instead of taking your meal in the company's busy lunchroom where you'll feel obligated to converse with others, steal away to your car or an unused office or conference room. Even ten or fifteen minute coffee breaks can be used for writing if you train yourself to write in small chunks.

- While waiting to pick up the kids (or your spouse). Oftentimes we lose some of our day to simply waiting. Perhaps you get to the bus stop early, or you have to wait for your spouse to come out of work. Steal that time for your writing.

- Cooking dinner. Sometimes chores are one-hand chores. Maybe you have to keep stirring that sauce so it won't burn. If you have a hand free, use it for writing.

- Getting up a few minutes earlier or going to bed a few minutes later and dedicating that time specifically to writing. Even five minutes, if you're dedicated and use it well, can be a huge boost to your daily writing output.

- Commuter time. Yes, commuter time. Buy yourself a small voice recorder and "write" while you're in the car. Just don't forget to pay attention to the road!

- During commercials. Okay, so you can't give up your favorite program. Nor should you. Even writers need to have a little time for themselves. So why not write during commercials? He

is that if you wait to find the time to write, it may well never happen. That's why you need to steal the time to write.

Most schedules, no matter how busy, have the potential for stolen time. You just need to know where to look.

First, you need to become conscious of how you actually spend your time. When they actually break it down hour by hour, many people find themselves surprised at just how much time they actually do have. Many writers who'll tell you they haven't a second to spare in their busy days spend an hour or more a day in front of the television.

But the trickier aspect of stealing time is the smaller pieces that hide right within the confines of your busy schedule. Here are a few places with potential for stolen time:

- Break times at work. Your lunch hour (or half hour) is an ideal time for writing. Instead of taking your meal in the company's busy lunchroom where you'll feel obligated to converse with others, steal away to your car or an unused office or conference room. Even ten or fifteen minute coffee breaks can be used for writing if you train yourself to write in small chunks.

- While waiting to pick up the kids (or your spouse). Oftentimes we lose some of our day to simply waiting. Perhaps you get to the bus stop early, or you have to wait for your spouse to come out of work. Steal that time for your writing.

- Cooking dinner. Sometimes chores are one-hand chores. Maybe you have to keep stirring that sauce so it won't burn. If you have a hand free, use it for writing.

- Getting up a few minutes earlier or going to bed a few minutes later and dedicating that time specifically to writing. Even five minutes, if you're dedicated and use it well, can be a huge boost to your daily writing output.

- Commuter time. Yes, commuter time. Buy yourself a small voice recorder and "write" while you're in the car. Just don't forget to pay attention to the road!

- During commercials. Okay, so you can't give up your favorite program. Nor should you. Even writers need to have a little time for themselves. So why not write during commercials? H

pend an hour or more a day in front of the television.

But the trickier aspect of stealing time is the smaller pieces that hide right within the confines of your busy schedule. Here are a few places with potential for stolen time:

- Break times at work. Your lunch hour (or half hour) is an ideal time for writing. Instead of taking your meal in the company's busy lunchroom where you'll feel obligated to converse with others, steal away to your car or an unused office or conference room. Even ten or fifteen minute coffee breaks can be used for writing if you train yourself to write in small chunks.

- While waiting to pick up the kids (or your spouse). Oftentimes we lose some of our day to simply waiting. Perhaps you get to the bus stop early, or you have to wait for your spouse to come out of work. Steal that time for your writing.

- Cooking dinner. Sometimes chores are one-hand chores. Maybe you have to keep stirring that sauce so it won't burn. If you have a hand free, use it for writing.

- Getting up a few minutes earlier or going to bed a few minutes later and dedicating that time specifically to writing. Even five minutes, if you're dedicated and use it well, can be a huge boost to your daily writing output.

- Commuter time. Yes, commuter time. Buy yourself a small voice recorder and "write" while you're in the car. Just don't forget to pay attention to the road!

- During commercials. Okay, so you can't give up your favorite program. Nor should you. Even writers need to have a little time for themselves. So why not write during commercials? H

aks can be used for writing if you train yourself to write in small chunks.

- While waiting to pick up the kids (or your spouse). Oftentimes we lose some of our day to simply waiting. Perhaps you get to the bus stop early, or you have to wait for your spouse to come out of work. Steal that time for your writing.

- Cooking dinner. Sometimes chores are one-hand chores. Maybe you have to keep stirring that sauce so it won't burn. If you have a hand free, use it for writing.

- Getting up a few minutes earlier or going to bed a few minutes later and dedicating that time specifically to writing. Even five minutes, if you're dedicated and use it well, can be a huge boost to your daily writing output.

- Commuter time. Yes, commuter time. Buy yourself a small voice recorder and "write" while you're in the car. Just don't forget to pay attention to the road!

- During commercials. Okay, so you can't give up your favorite program. Nor should you. Even writers need to have a little time for themselves. So why not write during commercials? H

to bed a few minutes later and dedicating that time specifically to writing. Even five minutes, if you're dedicated and use it well, can be a huge boost to your daily writing output.

- Commuter time. Yes, commuter time. Buy yourself a small voice recorder and "write" while you're in the car. Just don't forget to pay attention to the road!

- During commercials. Okay, so you can't give up your favorite program. Nor should you. Even writers need to have a little time for themselves. So why not write during commercials? Heaven knows there are plenty of them.

Just a few minutes a day is all it takes. You'll be surprised at how much you can get done in stolen time. By keeping a notebook in your pocket or purse, or perhaps in the glove compartment of your car, you'll be ready to write at any time. Keep a notebook beside your bed, too, and don't hesitate to jot in it during moments of sleeplessness. Be ready for when inspiration strikes, and seize those stolen minutes of time. Your writing is worth it.