I read anytime I get the chance. I have books near the chairs in the house that I sit on. In the living room I have a rocker that used to belong to my late Mother. I sit there crocheting afghans when I watch movies with my husband.
"What's that? You're scrolling through Netflix to see what you want to watch next? Let me know when you find something you like," as I dive back into the non-fiction book I've been enjoying.
Or,
"You don't want to watch anything now, since you're at an exciting part in the book you're reading? Great! So am I," as I rejoin the characters in the Sci-fi book who are facing life and death peril.
I have a book where I sit at the kitchen table, so when I'm eating alone, I can read. I have a book in the bag I bring with when I sub in high schools, so when I'm in a class that has required reading time each day, I can show them that reading is important to me also. And I have a book in my truck, so if I'm stuck waiting on a train, I have something to read.
Writing time is different. I work multiple p/t jobs, so when I get time off, I catch up on my promo activities first, trying to reach readers who haven't read any of my books yet. Then I go back to my WIPs and decide which one to focus on. Then I spend a couple of hours in the world of my characters...living them, being them, and enjoying their experiences of falling in love.
I write sequentially-meaning that while I have already worked out in my head what the next few scenes will be, I'll write the scenes in the order they occur. The outline is in my head, and I work on the scenes whenever I'm not called upon to be interacting with my surroundings. I use times like when I'm baking or cooking or sewing, to "listen" to characters "talking" to each other. First thing in the morning, if I'm not rushing to get out the door to work, is a great time to "listen". So is last thing at night, before I fall asleep.
I guess my reading and writing aren't that different after all. I squeeze both into whatever minutes I can spare throughout my busy days. How about you? Do you have set times for reading/writing each day? Leave a comment below for a chance to read one of my unpublished short stories.
To find out what the usual suspects do to fit reading and writing into their busy schedules, visit the next author on the Round Robin list:
Connie Vines http://connievines.blogspot.com/