RESOURCES | By Jennifer A Swanson  »  So you think you have the Next Great Novel rolling around in your head? Well, why not? Everyone can write. It doesn't take a lot of money (which is a plus in this economy) and it doesn't take a lot of time, right? 

Well, let's think about that last one. While it is certainly possible to write a novel in a few weeks, (ever heard of the 30-day challenge), most of us can't sit down and write all day, every day. Instead, we have to fit our writing time into the chaos that is our life. This usually means that we don't write at all or at very odd hours of the morning.

When I am working on a story, it just begs to be written. In fact, it reminds me of that wonderful scene in J.K. Rowling's best selling book, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, where Dumbledore visits the Dursley's in their house. He creates cups of tea out of thin air for them to drink. Stunned by the magic, the Dursley's ignore the cups of tea floating in the air about their heads. The more they ignore them, the more animated the tea cups become. Until finally, the tea cups are knocking against the side of their heads, demanding to be drunk. That scene is simply brilliant!

Book ideas are like that for me. They knock about my brain, demanding to be written, while I rush around in my chaotic life trying to find the time to sit down and do it. Usually, the ideas are the loudest at two or three o-clock in the morning, when I am awakened and forced to get up and write or not be able to get back to sleep.

What do we do about this? How do beginning authors fit writing time into their hectic schedules? Well, there are a couple of solutions.

One, set a writing goal every day. It can be page numbers or a time limit or just a scene a day. Whatever. As long as you write! I know from personal experience that reaching that daily goal can seem like a monumental task. But I've become creative over the years. Ever have a day when you are in the car, driving children from one appointment to another? Perfect time for writing! What? Write in the car? Sure, why not? You stop at places, and you wait at practices or doctors appointments. It's a great time to write.

Secondly, you need to keep a notebook with you at all times. Some people carry water bottles everywhere, you carry your notebook. I didn't use to do this. I would write notes on napkins, the backs of newspapers, notes from my child's teacher. One time I even wrote a few lines on the back of an empty Kleenex box. I almost lost that one, when my kids cleaned out the car. Finally, my good friend bought me a beautiful notebook for my birthday. "What's this for?" I asked her. "You're a writer," she said. "So, write." Oh, gotcha.

Third, never be embarrassed to write wherever you are. I have written in so many different places: doctor's offices, soccer fields, lacrosse fields, dentist's offices and orthodontist's offices. Of course, I have gotten some really strange looks as well. People are naturally curious and want to know why you'd rather write in your notebook instead of watch your child score a goal. (Be careful about that one. When your child asks if you've seen their goal, the correct answer is "Yes, of course, honey. Good job!")

Fourth, when you hear that voice in your head, no you're not crazy, those are your characters talking to you- listen to them! Ever woken up in the middle of the night with a scene in your head? I have. It happens to me all the time. If I am having trouble with a particular scene, then I just "sleep on it". Usually it solves itself sooner or later. Unfortunately, that almost always happens in the early morning hours. (This is why I have a notebook next to my bed, along with a small flashlight.) My kids even know about this.

I was having a particularly difficult time figuring out a major plot line for my new book and my daughter that night during her prayers asked God to "help Mommy wake up with the answer." Sweet, huh. It's nice to know that I'm not the only one who has conversations with her characters. I read a neat book that shows exactly how characters speak to you. It's called Project Mulberry, by Newberry Award-winning author Linda Sue Park. In it, she interrupts her regular story to show how her character spoke to her while she was writing it. Hey, if a Newberry Award-winning author has characters talking to her, then it must be a good thing. Just try not to talk back.

Listen to your kids, too. If they are in the age range you are writing for, they are your best resources. One day, while sitting in the doctor's office (the third such visit that week), my kids and I figured out the entire mystery and ending to a mid-grade novel I was working on. Kids will be honest with you, sometimes even brutally. But that is what you want, what you need to become a better writer. Better to hear if from your kids that something doesn't work, than to spend all your time and energy on a plot line that the editor will hate.

Finally, don't give up. It may take you many years to be successful or maybe you'll get a contract on your first try. But don't let anyone take your dream away from you. While my goal is obviously to be published, I also write for my own sanity. It is a time when I can escape from the chaos of my world and create a new adventure for myself. If the laundry doesn't get done, or the dogs don't get walked, the world won't end.

Well, I hope I've inspired the writer in you to come out and join the world. It won't be easy, but just remember, it's for your own sanity- and enjoyment. Who knows? Maybe your brain holds the next book that will be the latest greatest craze. You never know. So take out your notebook and start writing. Let the stories knocking about your brain out!

• Jennifer Swanson is an award-winning children's author, wife, and mother of three very active children. Within her chaotic life, Jennifer finds sanity in writing. Her book, Penny and Rio: The Mysterious Backyard Meeting is the first in her early reader mystery series. For more on Jennifer, visit www.pennyandrio.com.