The net.
Need I say more? 
Definitely a time managing issue! I love the net. I hate the net. Its
something that you HAVE to control. There are a hundred and one sub
categories to this issue:
***research
***blogs
***promotion
***learning
***connecting
Ah, is there an end? I don’t think so.
For every good thing there is to be said about the net there is a
negative… at least if you are a writer who needs to find time to write
that is. Personally, I’ve finally had to cut myself off… go the drastic
route. I can not simply say I’ll look at one email and be done. Or at
one blog and be done. I won’t. I will justify just one more… and one
more and one more until goodness knows, look I have no time left to
write! 
So I’ve had to make some strict rules on this for myself. You all will have to find your own level on this but be honest with yourself. Pretending to yourself is going to hurt no one but yourself.
I used to do a lot of these kinds of ‘net’ activities on the weekend
and have now gone back to this method. It allows you to enjoy the whole
experience a hundred fold more. You don’t have to feel guilty for not
writing, for stealing that time to play on the net. So here are just a
couple ideas that I use:
***use the weekend(or a set time that is NOT write time)
I set ahead of time when I write and when I look at blogs and such.
This has two benefits… first, I actually write then. second, I don’t
feel guilty or upset with myself for taking the time to connect with
other writers. I can truly enjoy the time!
When I ’steal’ the time from my writing time I always feel guilty,
rushed and cranky with myself for not doing what I was supposed to be
doing. Thus I’m beating myself up. Don’t do that! Just set specific
times to do those things… write them down if you have to! Pretend you
were going to work–at work you could easily have set times for a
meeting… consider one meeting your writing time… another meeting your
blog time… another your email time…
***Research is a bit harder to define specific times…
usually I have to set a timer. I love researching and can totally find
myself off on some tangent and an hour gone by like nothing… no writing
done and sometimes, not even the right research accomplished! I don’t
have the same issue if I’m looking up research the old fashion way, off
the net. Its not I suppose so easy to get distracted. Now all of that
having been said, the big research I truly try and save for the
weekend… my ‘free’ alloted times. Once again, this leads to me not
having to feel guilty for enjoying the research time.***Blogging–Two things: READING–I use google reader. Saves on time
of knowing who blogged recently, how many times since you were last
there and is a great tool for keeping things organized. I also go to
the blogs I want to visit only about once a week… guess when? Yep, you
probably figured that one out–the weekend primarily. Unless I’m taking
a two minute break from house chores and its NOT my writing time… THEN
I might buzz on over to someone’s blog during the week. POSTING–My
favorite way to do this is write up about five or six posts at one
time. Then have the blog program post them for you. Or if thats not an
option, post them yourself each day. **Just be sure not to do more than
a cursory glance over the article… or you’ll be sucked in and instead
of spending just twenty seconds to post a blog, you’ll be spending
twenty minutes!
There are hundreds of ideas and things that go along with this
subject. The primary thing to remember is, the net is a great tool for
the writer in so many ways. Use it but don’t let it rule you.
Cole
Nicole Reising
www.nicolereising.com
www.nicolereising.com/blog
Imagination... the magical whispers from within.
