Advice for finding time to write?

I'm starting Year 10 in 2 days (Freshman year in America) and, well... Mum expects me to be studying during all the free time I've got (This year I have hardly any free time). Then she dropped the bombshell saying that it means I won't write any more.



That means I have to hide it from my Mum... because no way am I ditching my writing!

I'm actually quite clever and usually I get high marks in class, in the top three in tests, blah blah blah. I managed to get away with writing when I'm not supposed to because I made a strategy which means I don't need to... but now I've got to hide it.

I don't think I'll be able to get away with not 'studying' this year and although I'll be writing, I can't write as much. How will I still be able to find time? Any tips? Should I wake up at 5.30 am every day to fit in an hour before I go to school or...?

I can't wait to graduate.

Wait a minute. You can't write? :OOOOOO

Wow.
Please, Mac, don't take offense and I mean no disrespect to your mom, but, well, personally, I'd be glad that my child was writing. You know, instead of wasting his/her time playing dumb video games or watching TV all day, I'd be thrilled to know s/he was doing something creative. Maybe you could try to explain it to her from that angle.

Or, failing that, make a deal with her. Tell her to give you a month when you can write, and if during that writing month you can keep your grades high, well, then she'll know it's not harming your studies in any way. She'll see that it's a perfectly reasonable hobby, and is doing nothing to harm you.

Or, failing even that, get the other parent on your side. That's what I always do XD Maybe your dad will help you out.

And, of course, if nothing like this works, well, do you write on a computer or in a notebook? I do it in a notebook, so I can always stay an extra hour after school writing, and tell my mom that I was just hanging out with friends. Or I can always leave the house an hour early before I'm supposed to meet up with friends, and she never suspects that either. Though, if you write on a computer, I don't know what I'd do :/ Maybe go to the school library after class, and use the computers there? Or, yeah, just get up super early XD

I can't wait to graduate either.

Well, I have a very, very busy schedule. What I do is write at night. Before you go to sleep. Sneak your laptop, notes, whatever you need to bed with you and stay up as long as you can writing. Get up early, edit and maybe bring it to school with you to write before and after classes.

LadyCobweb wrote:Wait a minute. You can't write? :OOOOOO

Wow.
Please, Mac, don't take offense and I mean no disrespect to your mom, but, well, personally, I'd be glad that my child was writing. You know, instead of wasting his/her time playing dumb video games or watching TV all day, I'd be thrilled to know s/he was doing something creative. Maybe you could try to explain it to her from that angle.

Or, failing that, make a deal with her. Tell her to give you a month when you can write, and if during that writing month you can keep your grades high, well, then she'll know it's not harming your studies in any way. She'll see that it's a perfectly reasonable hobby, and is doing nothing to harm you.

Or, failing even that, get the other parent on your side. That's what I always do XD Maybe your dad will help you out.

And, of course, if nothing like this works, well, do you write on a computer or in a notebook? I do it in a notebook, so I can always stay an extra hour after school writing, and tell my mom that I was just hanging out with friends. Or I can always leave the house an hour early before I'm supposed to meet up with friends, and she never suspects that either. Though, if you write on a computer, I don't know what I'd do :/ Maybe go to the school library after class, and use the computers there? Or, yeah, just get up super early XD

I can't wait to graduate either.

I'm not offended. When she told me, I nearly shouted 'WTF!' but she obviously thinks I spend way too much time in front of the computer writing. Apparently I should get out a bit more... (IT'S NOT THE EIGHTIES!) I don't think my mum understands what people our age do these days. I always feel like she'ss out of touch with the world now. It's changed a lot over the last 20/30 years and even I noticed (and I've not even lived that long)

I should've mentioned that we joined this sports club recently which is where I'll be spending a lot of my time. By the time I get home, I've got an hour and a half before I go to bed. She's been moaning that I don't study since year 7, but now she's taking action -.- Bear in mind that I've been writing through year 8 and 9 where I got good grades. I don't know what she wants... my mum's been driving me crazy the past year.

My parents are divorced... and my Dad's in Libya anyway. I can't even reach him. I don't know if he's dead or something. My mum's hard to convince anyway. I might buy a notebook to write in soon (because I write on the computer) and take it to school. I should add a poll - parents are out of touch with the modern world - disagree or agree?

Hailey wrote:Well, I have a very, very busy schedule. What I do is write at night. Before you go to sleep. Sneak your laptop, notes, whatever you need to bed with you and stay up as long as you can writing. Get up early, edit and maybe bring it to school with you to write before and after classes.

I'll try that. Maybe I will get up early before she's awake.

I can't believe I have to do this! What is WRONG with my mum? She desperately needs to get in touch with the modern world. She's not even old, she graduated from Uni a year before I was born.

Maybe try writing in a notebook, instead of on the computer. That way she can't use the "you're spending too much time on your computer" argument. And it will be less obvious that you're writing.

Or make a deal with her. You do 2 hours of solid homework, you get 45 minutes of writing time, or something like that.

Has she read any of your story. If she doesn't know what it looks like you could pretend that your English teacher has given you a new assignment which involves writing book reviews for each book you read. You could just pretend you're doing that each time she catches you... after all, you could easily pretend that you're writing the synopsis or something...

Oh I don't know!

I really think you need to sit down with your Mum and explain how much writing means to you. Say that it can be a reward - you will be more motivated to do your homework if you know you can spend some time writing afterwards. Tell her that it could help you manage your time more efficiently and you can actually get better results this way, even if you only have an hour or two to work each night (and I know this from personal experience).

Tell me how it works out!
Good luck

Well, I agree with everything the others said.
I would just like to add that if you're in school all day, and then have that sports program till a hour and a half before your bedtime, you really should study during that time. And not stay up late to write. Because if anything is gonna mess up your grades, it's that.
Tell your mom that you're staying in the library after school to study, and write there. I think that would be the best solution. And also, you can squeeze in a few sentences during your free periods.
And I like Tia's idea of making a compromise with her best.
Why don't you just do the simplest thing possible and sit her down, tell her you need to talk to her, make her listen to what you have to say, and just tell her that this is what you love, and need to do. Ask her if she ever had something like that (And I am 100% sure she did). Then she'll understand. And if she says it's just a dream, and that you should try living in the real world or something like that (parents... ), tell her that this is important to you and you're not giving up on it no matter what.

[quote="Emma]Maybe try writing in a notebook, instead of on the computer. That way she can't use the "you're spending too much time on your computer" argument. And it will be less obvious that you're writing.

Or make a deal with her. You do 2 hours of solid homework, you get 45 minutes of writing time, or something like that.

Has she read any of your story. If she doesn't know what it looks like you could pretend that your English teacher has given you a new assignment which involves writing book reviews for each book you read. You could just pretend you're doing that each time she catches you... after all, you could easily pretend that you're writing the synopsis or something...
[/quote]
Mmm, nice idea. I'll say that I'm doing a diagram of an ox bow lake for geography maybe. Or I could just say that I'm editing a photo while on the computer... thanks!

No she hasn't read my story yet. I've got nothing that I'm completely proud of yet to show her... I might when I'm done.

Thalia wrote:
Why don't you just do the simplest thing possible and sit her down, tell her you need to talk to her, make her listen to what you have to say, and just tell her that this is what you love, and need to do. Ask her if she ever had something like that (And I am 100% sure she did). Then she'll understand. And if she says it's just a dream, and that you should try living in the real world or something like that (parents... ), tell her that this is important to you and you're not giving up on it no matter what.

I think she's just objecting to me writing when it's not half-term/christmas etc which is impossible...
Wow, she says exactly that! I need to 'live in the real world'. I'll tell her that. Thanks

Thanks guys for all your help! Don't ask what's with my mum though. She's being very strange.

Yeah, no one's seen my story yet either.
Well, I sometimes spring random sentences on my brother to see what he thinks, but that's it XD
Mac, if nothing, she's got to let you write on Friday and Saturday.

She will let me on those days but then I'm out all the time. I'll find a way.... somehow.

You can do it, Mac!
Somehow.

LOL, thanks Thalia My mum and I were talking about it today and she mentioned that the sports would be a sort of break, which means that I might be able to squeeze half an hour to an hour of writing. I'll ask... (since we didn't get onto the subject of the writing).

Even better news - I have a free lesson on Tuesdays. Yeeeesssss...