You sit down at the computer dedicated to getting your article finished and submitted by today’s mail. You’re focused, ready and excited. Brrring…..the phone rings. After revealing your true identity as a freelance author, your son’s football coach says, “You work from home? Great! Since you’re not busy…” The next thing you know you have just committed your next ten Saturday’s running the concession stand. To make working full time at home successful there are certain rules to live by to keep your sanity as well as keep those manuscripts being sent out.

Get Up, Dressed and Moving!

Although it’s possible to write all day in your pajamas, it probably isn’t conducive to the creative process. You don’t necessarily have to put on a dress and high heels, or suit and tie, but just getting showered and dressed will make you feel more professional. It also eliminates the embarrassment for everyone involved in the event you lose track of time. Your kids will undoubtedly appreciate you picking them up after school without mascara-smeared eyes or wearing bunny slippers.

Set a Schedule

If you were to commute to work everyday you would have a set work schedule. Do yourself a favor and treat your freelance career with just as much respect. Set yourself a schedule including what time you will begin work, what time you will quit, and what days you will work. The great advantage of working from home is flexibility. Get out your weekly calendar and set your schedule around other appointments without compromising writing time. Obviously there will some weeks you work more than others. Try your best to adhere to your schedule and you will be surprised how much you’ll accomplish. Make sure this time is strictly used for writing related activities (writing, revisions, research, etc.). Don’t use your precious work time emailing your friends…unless they are editors!

Design a Work Area

Whether you share a family computer in the living room or have the luxury of having your own office, you need a productive work space. Files, baskets, trays, 3-ring notebooks and bulletin boards are great for organizing and keeping you on track. Build a system that works well for you and puts you in control of your writing environment.

The Telephone-Friend or Foe?

The phone is a great invention and a necessary part of how we communicate. However, it can also be distracting and rob you of precious writing time. There are several ways to handle the telephone issue. You can simply turn the ringer off. If you are really disciplined, you can ignore the ringing and keep working. Purchasing an answering machine is a good investment and ensures that you haven’t missed any important calls. Play the doctor and set specific times you will return phone calls.

Pretend You’re Not Home

This is probably the hardest part for most stay-at-homers. Get in the mind frame that you’re not home. Pretend you are in an office clear across town where you couldn’t just jump up and wash laundry or load the dishwasher. If you find yourself consistently leaving your writing to tend to household chores, post a note on your computer or office door saying “Forget it!”. On occasion, take your writing with you outside or to a local park. A change of scenery will probably boost your inspiration and clear your head. Remember, the laundry and dishes would still be there if you worked outside the home.

Learn That “NO” Is Not a Bad Word

Others may not understand how busy you are and see you as an easy target for volunteer work. Only say yes to the events that you want to participate in. Don’t feel obligated to explain your reason for saying no. It will get easier to decline once you commit yourself to a regular writing schedule and feel more obligated to your career.

Accept the Distractions

You might as well accept the fact there will be times of distraction taking you from writing. A sick child, a husband that calls and wants to meet for lunch, or a friend who needs a sympathetic shoulder to cry on. Unless you have a specific deadline to meet, simply accept that you will not get as much done as you had originally planned. If you have a deadline, plan on a change in work hours and a little less sleep until the assignment is complete.

Forgive and Forget

Yourself that is. There will be times you mess up-where you will fall off the writing bandwagon and get off schedule. But the beauty of writing is in yourself. The thoughts and ideas still generate even though you may not get in your regular hours of writing. Dust yourself off, rework your schedule if necessary, and remember success is in the homework.

QUIZ

How Disciplined Are You?

1. You have your day all planned and the phone rings. Caller I.D. reveals it’s your best friend. You…

1. answer-it’s probably important and there’s always time for writing
2. vow to call her back later
3. answer to tell her you are busy (knowing you will talk at least 30 minutes)

2. Your computer is broke. You…

1. kick the piece of junk breaking it permanently
2. go to the library and do some research
3. skip writing for the day but think about some new story ideas

3. The cat just walked across your manuscript leaving kitty prints. You…

1. ignore and stuff in an envelope-after all, most editors have a sense of humor
2. print out a new copy even it if means you miss today’s mail
3. wipe off with a damp cloth-better to be smudged than get off schedule

4. Your husband has to have a certain pair of pants clean for his meeting tonight. You…

1. spray them with Febreze and get back to writing
2. drop them off at the one-hour cleaners and take a notebook for writing while you wait
3. tell him you forgot but you started a new story today

5. Your mother-in-law is coming to stay two weeks. You…

1. move leaving no forwarding address
2. explain to her you will be busy in your office a little everyday
3. Keep your same work schedule-it’s not your job to entertain her

6. Your child is home sick but obviously well enough to eat every 30 minutes. You…

1. remember the pediatrician stated he is on the far end of the weight percentile
2. write for the full 30 minutes between meals
3. feed him every 30 minutes and see it as a new story plot

7. You are three days behind on your laundry. You…

1. wear dirty clothes
2. decide to cut back on today’s writing time
3. run between the computer and the washing machine

8. You haven’t felt like writing for several weeks. You…

1. quit writing-nobody will buy your stuff anyway
2. join a writer’s support group to find new motivation
3. hope you will feel like it soon

9. You can’t find the box of envelopes you just purchased. You…

1. change your mind about submitting a particular story
2. keep hunting until you find it and vow to get more organized
3. go buy another box

10. Your husband calls saying he is bringing home dinner guests. You…

1. contemplate murder
2. smile, put the writing aside, and start cooking
3. ask if they could make it another night

To figure your level of discipline give yourself 10 points for every A, 30 points for every B, and 20 points for every C.

250-300 points: Very disciplined. You are focused on your writing realizing there will be times of distraction. You are capable of compromising in tough situations without letting it discourage you.

180-240 points: Somewhat disciplined. Writing is important to you but sometimes you let other things get in the way. However, you are able to incorporate some of these situations into your writing benefiting from the experience.

100-170: What’s discipline? You love to write but you tend to let everything else in your life take precedence. Prioritize your writing in comparison to other events in your life. If your ultimate goal is to have more time to write, incorporate the suggestions in “A Writer’s Homework” a little at a time. Soon you will find yourself a very disciplined and successful writer!