Comments on: The Best Gift for Writers

By: Creativity Needs Time « The Writers Circle

Creativity Needs Time « The Writers Circle — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 20:29:03 +0000

[…] the writer’s perfect gift. It is, this year, every year, forever and always, simple time. I wrote about it a couple of years ago at this time of year, and I still cannot stress enough how absolutely true it […]

By: Judith

Judith — Mon, 14 Dec 2009 15:03:08 +0000

Time is indeed limited, and getting worse all the time. Besides life’s inevitable responsibilities and pressures, we’ve been inundated with endless, generally worthless opportunities to fracture our attention and time.

I was dismayed and comforted when I read “The Endless First Chapter” by Michelle Slatalla in the December 7, 2009 NY Times. It starts:

“I AM reading a book. I mean, I am trying to read a book.”

I’ve never been a particularly quick reader, but these days – with two kids, too much work, and all the joys and pitfalls of my computer obsession – I’m lucky to finish a single book a month. My invaluable reading time has shrunk to a couple of bleary-eyed pages before bedtime. And I’m a NOVELIST!!!! What’s the world – my world particularly – coming to?

In any case, if we can only eek out time enough to read one or two novels a month – or a year – then following the Modern Library’s list at least guarantees that our time will be well spent.

Happy holidays. Here’s to more time for what matters to all of us!

By: Christi Craig

Christi Craig — Sun, 13 Dec 2009 22:06:57 +0000

Great post, and great reminder that we don’t need an MFA, just more time, practice, and a critical eye.

Also, love the link to the Modern Library’s list of 100 Best. I’ve read a few books published by the Modern Library, and I always love the brief history on the author they include in their books. With time being so limited, I rarely get the chance to study the lives of authors, which are as intriguing as their works!

By: Sandra

Sandra — Sun, 13 Dec 2009 00:06:36 +0000

I have the time but I lack the focus. I wish I could force myself to be in the zone when I have time on my hands but it doesn’t seem to work that way. Monkey mind, I guess. Maybe more yoga and meditation would help? Oy.

By: Chet

Chet — Sat, 12 Dec 2009 17:27:56 +0000

Using time is the lesson I set myself to learn this year. All my life, I have had the very bad habit of allowing myself to drift through projects instead of settling down and getting them done. My efforts to write on my train ride each day helped me to change because time was bounded and limited, just the minutes between the moment I got a seat until the moment the conductor announced ‘next stop is Maplewood.’

The gift of time is the first gift any of us receive. I will not ask for more. But I will ask of myself that in the year to come, I be more passionate about what I do with the time I am given. If I can gift that spirit to myself… well, then we will see…

By: Judith

Judith — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 20:17:55 +0000

Hi, Cassandra. Thanks for joining us! I find the harder I fight for time, the more it slips through my fingers. But even short bursts have their purpose. 4:30 AM, huh? I’m a midnight writer myself.

Hope to hear from you again.

By: Cassandra Jade

Cassandra Jade — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 19:56:28 +0000

Uninterrupted time? Does such a thing exist? Well it does when I get up at 4:30 in the morning. I usually get a good hour or two to myself before I need to start interacting with the world.
If anyone ever figures out how to bottle extra time, they are going to make a fortune.
Thanks for sharing this.