Writing Time (or the lack thereof)

It can only be repeated so many times by writers that there aren't enough hours in the day to write before it becomes cliche, and honestly, an annoyance to those writers like myself who sneak in an hour here, fifteen minutes there to get something done. If the world were balanced and evenly distributed then each artist would be assigned an independently wealthy or well-paid professional partner. But can an artist in that environment truly toil while trying to make a living?

Stephen King certainly tops my list for those authors who have it quite good. Toil can't be a part of his vocabulary regardless of how difficult it must be to write so prolifically. If I have eight to ten hours a day (Sundays off) to write without worrying about the roof caving in or the bills going unpaid, I'd be one happy (and prolific) writer.

Nevertheless, here I sit with ten minutes left in my work day struggling to get a paragraph or two written, cringing every time there is a knock at the door. But if all these distractions weren't a part of my life then I wouldn't be toiling like I do. And I must admit, if I didn't have to struggle to write I don't know if I could even do it in the first place. Well, okay, I still could. I'm not so naive as to think that my writing process couldn't withstand the constant barrage of the 40-hour work week. I've been writing my entire adult life (and most of my adolescent) so there's no stopping now. But there is a strong connection between struggle and meaning that is undeniable. And if there is anything to be said about those writers who have too much time on their hands to proliferate in the name of publishing, having all the time in the world really dilutes complexity and purpose. Just pick up any piece of commercial fiction for a taste of the bland. It'll be clear enough where I'm coming from.