When Life Gets in a New Writer's Way

First of all, TGIO. Thank goodness it's October!

I'm guest blogging at Writer's Plot today, where authors Leann Sweeney, Lorraine Bartlett, Jeanne Munn Bracken, Sheila Connolly, and Kate Flora have been kind enough to have me over for a spell. Today's topic is handling the pull between real life and the writing life. Some writers insist that writing is real life, but I still don't feel that way. To me it is still something to be squeezed in between a day job, kid activities, and assorted other responsibilities--the things I consider "real life." However, thinking positively, I'm coming to understand that even the time I spend not writing can improve my stories.

I'm interested in how other writers handle this, so if you feel like sharing your perspectives please leave a comment for me either here or there.