I don’t know about any of you reading this post, but my personal avatar of a writer that sits in my head looks similar to how I picture drug-addicted people when they lack their drug of choice. He sits there, when I’m not writing, rocking back and forth with his arms wrapped around his knees as he just keeps muttering that he needs to write. Picture John Oliver in his role in the show Community, but a druggie. It’s really not a pretty image. Especially considering that I’m not sure the last time he showered….

I have had a number of people ask me how I can write when I have children, or work, or any number of other obligations that take my time and attention. The truth is I write when I can, as often as I can, with or without distraction. I enjoy writing and feel compelled to do so regardless of my surroundings, but truth be told it would be far easier if I made a schedule.

I feel the frustration rise up when I sit to write and my partner-in-crime calls my name, or my son comes in and needs my attention. I feel bad for it, and know that first and foremost my family comes first, but something feral happens just for an instant when I’m interrupted. So my work around is to try to give as much of my time as I can to those around me and, when I can, steal myself away at random intervals to write.

So far this year, I have managed to write every day, some days I can edit, some days I can proofread, but everyday I write. I am a writer. It’s kind of my thing. I posted Insomnia the other night because I found my mind wandering while I stared at the ceiling. I wrote Dark Fog because a moment before that I felt like I was stuck in a bubble. Both were written on my cell phone, sitting in the cold, over the period of an hour or more. I wrote until I couldn’t feel my fingers. The fix needs to be had, and the man in my head can’t get enough.

Do you have a personal avatar in your head that needs to write? What does it look like? How does it convince you to give it the sweet fix that is writing? Is it in blog posts like this one?

Happy writing!