Keeping My Story Close

These days, I'm not writing as often as I like. Now that I'm a student again, I'd hoped to have more time, but most of my time is spent studying. At first, I was dismayed. I knew that there wouldn't be much time for writing when I decided to go back to school. I just assumed that there'd be a little time left over each day. But that hasn't been the case. And as an unhealthy distance began to grow between me and my novel, I knew I had to change tactics.

So, I gave up my large chunks of writing time and instead, learned how to keep my story close. I bought a small, thin moleskine notebook that tucks into my bag without taking much room and weighs almost nothing. Perfect for a bag as overloaded as my schedule. I started working in the "off" moments, even if only for a few minutes. Even if it was just adding one thought, or one sentence. My brain is more full of biology terms and nutritional concepts, than the plight of my characters, but they are always nearby. And by grabbing a minute or a quarter hour on most days has kept me close. Now, as I'm approaching spring break, I'm not worried about trying to 'find' my character and plot again. Because it's still fresh. It's still close.