Literary Optimization

Question for all you writers out there: what is the optimal block of writing time? Too little, and you can’t get anything done. Too much, and you fritter the time away in Nathan’s forums.

Me: Ooh, ooh. Can I please edit this one query? It'll just take a minute.

Me Answering: No, close that window right now! I mean it.

I might have too much time. On schooldays, provided my two children are free from ear infections and mysterious fevers, I can write from 9 am to 2:30 pm. It’s the quickest five-and-a-half hours ever. I suspect a black hole hovers by my desk, gobbling minutes when I’m not looking. It must have been especially hungry last week considering what little writing was accomplished, i.e. none. Much of that time evaporated composing witty blogs for my followers. All five of them. I appreciate each and every one of you, but this has got to stop.

New Rule #1: Compose blogs on weekend nights after the kids are in bed. (It's Sunday night and I'm almost done with this puppy slated for next Friday. Score!)

New Rule #2: No visiting Justine Dell, Zoe Courtman, Nathan Bransford, Janet Reid, or the Guide to Literary Agents Editor’s Blog until 1:15 pm. (Impossible)

New Rule #3: Get off butt and become follower of blogs I follow. Following that I will follow-up with more querying, researching, and writing. Follow?

How do you manage your precious writing time?