My wife likes to watch reality TV. As it so happens, I do not. At all.

Every night when we get home from work, she watches one of her shows and I write. I just have to crank up my movie soundtracks to drown out the yammering in the background.

I have no idea what we're going to do when we have kids.

I jacked in the day job, so I now get to work mornings - PM is dedicated to the twin slave-drivers of 4 kids and an acre of garden! When I was in gainful employment though, I used to commute by train. An hour in, an hour out. I wrote my first screenplay in those two hours a day. As to the family - I think if you can keep your nearest & dearest on board, it's a real help.
Because I commit to spending time around the house, my wife doesn't mind if I use her as a sounding board for what's buzzing around my head. This may not be actual 'writing' time - but it's all part of the process. It also means, if I have to go up a gear and spend more time writing - to meet a deadline - she's cool about that to. In fact she's pretty cool, generally! If feel really sorry for people who have a 'combatative' situation at home. Writing without family support must suck, big time.

It's funny but the longer I've been at this the less it's become an issue.

When I first decided to get serious about writing finding time to write while having a family life was probably my biggest issue. I was always trying to figure it out.

I cut out most of my non-work, non-family activities. I was president of two local organizations that ate up a lot of time.

I started with a benchmark I tried to reach each day but that didn't always work. A set time each day also didn't work for me. My daily work and family schedule can be chaotic and my time isn't always my own.

But the more I wrote the more I wanted to write so suddenly I began to see ways to find writing time.

I keep my laptop open always to whatever I'm working on. My family is used to having a cenversation with me at across the kitchen table with my computer between us. If I'm waiting on the water to boil for tea I sitting at the computer in the mean time.

And yes, I finally did it. I get up at least 2 hours earlier than I used to. Which mean getting to bed at a decent time and not pissing away time staying up late but not being productive. (I used to think I was a late night person too!)

I once read that Stephen Cannell got up at 3:30am and wrote for 5 hours.

I've gotten to 5 am. Don't know if I can do any better than that.

I try to take every opportunity I can to write. I've got a small laptop - a netbook I think the size is called - that I can bring with me everywhere.

And then I've learned to handle noise. I can write anywhere. I can't emphasize enough how important this is.

I do no longer care if I get five minutes or an hour, I flip up the lid and write.

One page a day can get you far.