I started 2025 graced with time due to a giant hiccup with my freelance gigs. My intention is to make sure I don’t squander this flash of time grace. I’ve asked my family and friends to keep an eye on me and make sure I’m not consuming this gift of free time sorting through junk from a hanger and three homes to have a yard sale, like that time in 2013.
When I hit a work stoppage in 2013, I had every intention of using it to write more, finish some projects, query… But first, I would do this little thing to make a little money. I spent nearly two months sorting and pricing junk, and, when the yard sale was over, the work stoppage was, too. Proceeds from the yard sale? $200. In hindsight, I would have been more pleased to walk away with a finished novel. Even a poem or story would have been more satisfying than that whopping $200.
I’ve been a freelancer for thirty plus years, full time freelancer for twenty-nine. Hindsight reminds me that I was free to set my schedule, take or turn away gigs, and work extra or less. I was also free to make sure I set aside time to write and take care of the business of writing. But for nearly twenty-five years of freelancing, I squandered that freedom.
Many things in my life need attention: the columns on my house, the clutter in my closets, the garage door, the empty boxes in my garage, the Virginia creeper in my yard, the weeds in my garden. Over the years, when the company calls (and I mean work, not friends), I easily ignore the squalor and unfinished business around me to dive in and get the job done every day for eight to ten hours straight.
The company doesn’t need me at the moment, and I need to remind myself to set aside at least a couple of additional hours a day to ignore that long list of to-dos and honor my inner writer.
Me First
In 2013, I hadn’t yet flipped my schedule to give my inner writer first dibs on my brain. Thankfully, I have four and a half years of putting my writing first. Since Covid, I begin my day with writing, meditation, and reflection. Sitting down to write isn’t so hard now that I’m in the habit, but I’d be lying if I said that all temptation to abandon a stubborn paragraph and, instead, fix the columns, sort through junk and clutter, and throw a yard sale were gone. Time grace or not, keeping my ass in the chair and trusting the words to come is hard. Much harder than cleaning three decades worth of untidy living.
Many of you don’t identify as writers, but you probably identify with some passion for which you don’t make enough time. Can you set aside the time? Morning if you’re a morning person, wee hours if you’re a night owl. Can you get in the habit of showing up for it? I hope so, because the world becomes brighter with each person who honors that inner creative within.
I’m using my time grace to finish January strong. One competition, two queries, three blogs, a Newsletter, and about 13,000 words deeper into novel 3. The best part is I still have the afternoon to tackle broken things and an untidy house. My biggest challenge when I turn to the to-dos, keeping my honey out of my way. I may need to set up afternoon playdates to keep him from hobbling my purging efforts.
©Pennie Nichols. All Rights Reserved. 2025
I write every weekday morning and that keeps me in good writing form. Some people write seven days a week, but I need fresh eyes on Monday, plus a break. Sounds like you have a good system down too.
I like the idea of fresh eyes for Monday. I ease up on weekends but maybe an actual day off.