When I first started writing I had two big obstacles to overcome—finding the
time to write and writing in the midst of chaos.
It all began twenty-four years ago. I had four young children who needed to be
driven to practice and school. They also needed attention and help with their
homework. I had four sisters, too, and we enjoyed getting together every once in
a while. I had a mother who liked to talk on the phone and a mother-in-law who
threatened to move back to New Jersey if I couldn’t find the time to visit. And
then there was the husband who liked to think he was more important than the
characters I wrote about. Let’s not forget about the teachers who could use help
in the classroom, and fundraisers and visiting relatives and friends and
neighbors and graduations and bills to be paid and laundry and a dog, a fish,
and a cat meowing at the door. Phew! The list goes on
There’s always something, isn’t there? Every year the kids got older and stayed
in a school a little longer, but it was always a struggle to find time to write.
The first lesson I learned, though, was that writer’s write—every day if
possible. So I gave up television and I started bringing my laptop wherever I
went. If my child got out of school at 3:30, I would drive to the school an hour
early and write in the car. It was always amazing how much I could get done in
that time.
If I needed to get the kids going by 6:30 every morning, I would set my alarm
and make sure I had at least forty-five minutes to write before the morning
chaos began. My kids are older now. They have moved out of the house, but I
still have friends and family who I enjoy spending time with. Now I have to
force myself to limit the amount of time I spend on the Internet. Social media
and E-mail can be a time-suck. In the end, it’s all about discipline and setting
priorities.
I know there are writers out there who have day jobs. Working eight hours a day
can mess with their creative energy. One author friend of mine forces herself to
write in smaller increments after a long day at the office. She writes one
hundred words a day instead of a thousand. Keeping the story fresh in your mind
is important, especially if you only have fifteen minutes here or twenty minutes
there. And what about lunch hour and breaks? Where there’s a will there’s a way.
Everyone has different demands on their time. It’s all about finding what works
for you. If you’re unable to write an hour a day, or a minimum of 100 words,
then something’s got to give. Every published author I know makes writing a
priority. If that means writing after a long day or getting up when most of the
world is fast asleep, then that’s what you need to do. Come on. Let’s get
started right now. You can do it!
New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Theresa
Ragan grew up with four sisters in Lafayette, California. Her work has
garnered six Golden Heart nominations in Romance Writers of America’s
prestigious Golden Heart Competition. After writing for two decades, she
self-published in March 2011 and has sold more than one million books since
then. In 2012, she signed with Thomas & Mercer and is having the time of her
life. In addition to writing thrillers under the name T.R. Ragan, Theresa also
writes medieval time travel stories, contemporary romance, and romantic
suspense.
Faith McMann comes home to a nightmare: her husband is killed and her son and
daughter are taken. Although the intruders leave her for dead, she survives.
Crippling grief and fear for her children make life unbearable. Until her
anguish turns to anger and she trades victimhood for vengeance.
Frustrated
with the law’s efforts, she takes action to rescue her children—and wreaks havoc
on the brutal criminals who tore them from her. With her family and newfound
allies at her side, Faith descends into the hellish underworld of human
trafficking, determined to make those who prey on the innocent pray for
mercy.
The forces she’s up against have already proven that their
ruthlessness knows no bounds. And there’s nothing they won’t do to turn Faith’s
crusade into a suicide mission. But they’re about to learn that nothing is more
dangerous than a mother fighting for her children—especially one who’s earned
the nickname Furious.
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