Where do you find the time?

Well, at the moment, I don’t. The question is still valid though. I was chatting with some mates at uni and they asked me how my novel was going. I assume they were half-joking – so many folk find the idea of anyone writing a novel as opposed to talking about writing a novel a bit ridiculous. So when I answered “Well, the third draft is 50,000 words long now, but I’m taking a break until uni is over,” they just stared.
“How do you get any writing done with uni?”
“I’m only aiming for 1000 words a day,” I said. “It’s not that much.”
“BULLSHIT.”

I get why some people would find 1000 words a day pretty daunting, but when I break it down into sections it isn’t half so significant. I actually start to wonder why I’m not writing more.

25 minute tram ride to uni = 800 words of first draft or 250 words of second draft.
1 hour lunch break at the library = 1500 words of first draft or 500 words of second.
25 minute tram ride home = 800 words of first draft or 250 words of second draft again.
1 hour of Mariokart = 4 cup tournaments = 200 words between each cup = 800 words.

Today’s question – where do you find the time? Pretty much everyone I know here is writing in between real life and other jobs. How do you break up your day and get things done?

Weathermen 3rd draft moves slow – scene comparisons

Updates have been scarce because I’m in the last month of university for the year. I have one week left of classes, one week at home finalising projects, and then one week of presentations and hand-in. Then it’s a four month writing blitz in which I’m hoping to get Weathermen rewritten and in a postal bag to the US.

In the meantime, here’s a before/after scene comparison between the second and third drafts. Each is just under 1000 words, I think. I (obviously) prefer the third draft version, but if anyone would have the ten mins spare to read them both and give me their opinions on what has improved (and, more importantly, what is WORSE in the new draft) then I’d be infinitely grateful. This scene comes in around 50 pages through the novel.