Just Another Struggling Writer

Today’s is a short one, kids, because, very simply I don’t have much to say. In fact, I’m hoping to learn.

With NaNoWriMo approaching and time management on everyone’s mind, allow me to ask a genuine question.

How do you make time to read?

It’s been said many times that being well read in the genre you intend to write is highly recommended, sometimes an absolute must.

It’s a sentiment I agree with, even if I don’t necessarily practice it.

I have an 8-5 day job with a 1.5 hour commute (total, not one way), three kids under the age of 8, a relationship to maintain with my significant other, and a household to keep. Despite all that, I do have some spare time in the evenings and weekends for leisure activities. With my new found dedication to getting a novel done, I’ve earmarked much of that time for writing.

So where, in all of that, do I make time to read?

Or, to put it another way, where does reading rank compared to writing, as well as every day obligations?

Everyone is going to have their own kind of answer here. Not just because individual circumstances vary widely, but also because not everyone is going to have the same relationship with reading as each other. Which leave me to wonder: if I even have to ask this question, what does that mean for me as a former voracious reader?

(A caveat here: I know audio books are popular option, especially for those like me who have lengthy commutes. But as someone with auditory processing issues, driving takes up too much of my brain space for the words to really sink in. I end up getting home with barely any idea of what happened in the story being read to me. Besides, it’s not quite the same as seeing the words in front of your eyes, being able to reread and savor those particular sentences that sink into your soul. But, I digress.)

So, again, how do you, yes you, make time to read?