Playing Hooky to Write?

I cannot tell a lie. I once skipped school to write on the last day of NANO one year. It was totally worth it too because I wrote 8,000 words that day, beating my NANO goal by 4,000.

Chandy said:

I thought this might be a fun/interesting discussion to have here. Pretty simple: have you ever or would you ever "play hooky" (i.e. skip work or school) in order to get away and write?

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I wrote most of my first nonfiction book on the job, taking a few minutes here and there. I had a very early word processor available, called 'Script', running on an ancient IBM 370 mainframe, with a high speed laser printer for drafts. That was better than the crappy typewriter I had in the early 1980s. (When I got my advance on the book, I went out and bought a PC-junior to do the final drafts on.)

No. I take writing vacation days instead. I have a very good employer and do my best to respect them.

I get personal days and I get to spend them the way I want, so I wouldn't feel guilty about using one to stay home and write.

I haven't consciously done so... The way it's worked in the past is that I'll have a flat tire or a doctor's appointment or something else that will require me to take a half day, but instead of going into work for the other half, I'll take a full and then decide to use the rest of the day for writing. But I don't have to give excuses.

Just writing to a personal deadline or for NaNo isn't enough for me to skip work, otherwise, but I might consider being sneaky if I had a publishing deadline to meet or something like that.

Now, there are some social events (that I didn't really want to go to) that I have bowed out of by saying I was sick or had to bring work home from the office so I could sit on the couch and write instead.

No. Why would I waste a day off writing? I have more than enough time to write without needing to play hooky to do so.

I admit to nothing. (The internet is a public place, after all.)

No, you shouldn't. Playing a hooky is just another way of saying you aren't where you're supposed to be, doing what you're supposed to be doing.

10 years ago, I would and did. I'd spend entire days when I should have been in bed writing for websites, blogs, articles, what have you. Now? No. It actually caused me to treat writing as though it *wasn't* important, and thus the whole hooky approach actually undermined the habits I needed to develop to become a strong writer that shows up at the page every day.

No. I've absolutely been tempted, especially when I'm knee-deep in a good scene and don't want to stop to go to work. But I still go.

dangerousbill said:

I wrote most of my first nonfiction book on the job, taking a few minutes here and there. I had a very early word processor available, called 'Script', running on an ancient IBM 370 mainframe, with a high speed laser printer for drafts. That was better than the crappy typewriter I had in the early 1980s. (When I got my advance on the book, I went out and bought a PC-junior to do the final drafts on.)

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I've been known to fill time after I've "finished for the day" and am waiting for my car share to be ready to leave writing at my desk; and a good many lunch hours. It does get you some slightly odd looks at work.

I've done it. And worse (or better, depending on how you look at it), I've been encouraged to do so by my boss.

She was the chairperson of the English dept. at a university and when I told her I had partials out, she said, "If you get requests for a full, you cancel all your classes and you spend the week at home polishing that manuscript. You're life goal is not to teach, it's to write. If you get flack for it, I've got your back."

She was awesome.

I have a hard enough time not feeling guilty for taking a sick day...I don't think I could call in just to do something personal. So, no--couldn't do it.

The last job I had, sick days were few and far between, and I had to make up hours for time I had off due to actually being sick (I did try to go in, but I was falling over at the keyboard, so was sent home). You have a very understanding job if you can take sick days off without any consequences.

Outside of that, I didn't take days off from university for hobbies either (I wasn't writing back then, though did have other hobbies). All it would have done is increased my chances of failing. Some catch-up at home is okay, as everyone will miss some days for essential things, but adding days to that isn't a good idea.

I never play hooky from work, even to write. I plan my three weeks of vacation and paid time off in advance. However, if I take vacation or personal time off, I make sure to get more writing in.

I can not speak of it here for fear that "Big Brother" might be watching.

I'm with those who've instead spent their "in between" times at work writing. Often, during the slow season (or just on days where the work is coming in staggering clumps) I'll have TextEdit open in the background. I'll type in spurts as the inspiration and/or time allows me. Of course, I'm not doping that this time of year, but come winter I'll likely be very productive. LOL My boss doesn't mind, so long as all my other duties are completed on time first.

I've never done it, and I don't think I would.

I would, however, schedule time off for writing. In fact, I'm wishing now that I'd thought of that years ago. Doh. Once a month? A writing day?? I could get used to that.

I hate myself if I call in sick to work when I'm actually sick, so no, never played hooky. I do scribble in my little notebook on my breaks or when it's slow and I have nothing to do around the store, though.

I had a writing professor in college who said that it was okay to be late to class because he understood how easy it is to get caught up in your writing and lose track of time. I don't think I ever actually took advantage of that, but it was nice to have it there.

I've never skipped work, but I've definitely skipped a class or two when I'm in the thick of nano. Granted, I get really invested in projects, only to turn around and find myself just as quickly burnt out, so this could very well be karma.

Sometimes I play hooky from cutting the grass or unloading the dish washer, but that's about it.

Yes - I've done that with work. But I take it a bit further and I only tell work that I'm sick/taking the day off. I don't tell anyone else, and in fact, I still leave for work, drive across town to a library way out of the way, and just spend 8 hours writing. Otherwise it wouldn't be a day off for me.