The struggles for a writer working full time at something other than writing go beyond finding time or a place to write. In fact, those may be the most easily overcome because if you love writing, you will find a way. What can be more challenging is letting the creative mind loose. My work has a fairly creative element to it however I am not always able to transition into the creative mindset I need to be in to produce good writing. I do not fully understand why this is. My work life creativity is based heavily on logical problem solving and the best solutions often come from some unorthodox thinking on those technical subjects. Then, when I transition into my writing life the creative energy can sometimes feel drained. To be clear; I am not having difficulty coming up with ideas, I am not blocked in the traditional sense. I know what I am going to work on. It is the transition from working mind to writing mind that makes me feel as though my mind is tight and not free enough to express itself.
Reading helps. Almost any decent story can start freeing up the works. Sometimes it takes more. When I need something extra the only real solution is to dive into some free writing. I will pick a single topic (usually something dark like a lyric from some dark song) and just write whatever comes into my mind. After fifteen minutes or so the writing mind is functioning well and I shift to the real work at hand.
If you work full time and write how do you make the work to writing transition? What gets your mind free?
Kevin J. Fellows 