In college? How to write that book

I've been to college. I know how it is.

Every possible living and breathing moment is spent listening to lectures, doing your homework, taking part in a study group, studying for tests, taking tests, eating...

...and maybe sleeping.

Who has time to write a book?

Granted, with seemingly fewer hours to write your book, you're probably wondering why I broach the subject in the first place. 

I am tackling it because there's interest, that's why. When I was in college I still wanted to write that book, but I always used the excuse that I really didn't have time. Besides, I was ornery, tired, and overwhelmed. 

Working for the school newspaper took care of a lot of my anxiety, though it didn't clear it completely. And I need to be honest here, I was never disciplined enough to write a book while in college. But once it was all over, I began to take a look at it.

One of my more recent books shared at "Touch a Truck"
in West Valley City

This is what I see looking back.

Writing a book would have cleared up much of my anxiety if only I'd spent a few minutes a day on it. I'm not talking huge sprints, just short jumps whenever I had it. 

    

Television/YouTube. I used television as my escape. When I was stumped on a math problem or I just couldn't figure out what to write my essay about (imagine that) I turned to the tube. What if I'd worked on my book?

Television, or any other electronic gizmo, can suck you in.
Big time.

Bathroom duty. Some people read while on the pot, why not write?

Dinner. Right, you just want to visit for a minute or two. A couple of times a week, take a night off and write while you eat.

Nightmares: I had a few of these while in school. I never wrote them down though. 

Dreams: The same holds true for cool dreams. There may come a scene in your book where a dream comes in handy.

Summer vacation: So, you don't attend school during the summer? Start your book then. You'll have at least three solid months of  'school side' uninterrupted time. Once back in school, you can move forward, having written a big chunk of your book before other duties start waggling their ugly heads at you.

What we spend our time doing during our "free"
time will ultimately get our book finished
or shelved for a later date

Spring/Summer/Fall/Winter break: This is a given. Even if you decided to use only one of the breaks writing, you would make a lot of headway on your book.

Driving/Walking to class: Write your book via electronic means. Once in the car or on your feet and off to school, instead of turning the music on, speak the next portion of your book into your phone. Times like bathroom duty and dinner can easily be used to make a plan on how your book is going to go. 

This little guy is much too young to drive
or go to college, but he is cute

Between classes: How much time do you waste between classes? Are you always studying? Are you often visiting? There nothing wrong with visiting all of the time unless you have a book to write. 

You've also heard it's a good idea to keep a notebook by the side of your bed. This same notebook should go with

you to school and wherever else you go. When was the last time you worked on your book while waiting for the dentist or doctor? Hum, some pretty scary stuff there.

What I'm trying to get at, if you haven't figured it out already, is all of the moments on a given day you really have time to write. 

Sure, I've been to college, but I also know this. Excuses never helped anyone write a book. Not even me.