That was the title of a writing seminar I took Monday night with the brilliant and talented Pauline Chen . Most of us are happy just to be published writers, but she is not only the author of a beautifully nuanced nonfiction book but also a well-respected liver transplant surgeon and the mother of twins. Fittingly, the topic (and subtitle) of Dr. Chen's seminar was "writing when you're not necessarily supposed to." Basically, how do you fit writing into your already hectic schedule if it's not your primary job?We discussed three main barriers: finding the time and creative space to write, dealing with detractors (like an unsupportive partner or relative), and believing you have a worthwhile story to tell. She began by asking us to write about anything for ten minutes. Later, when students insisted they couldn't write anything of substance in ten minutes, she had them read their work and it dawned on us that setting time limits has a way of igniting creativity. It frees you to write, rather than fixate on finding the exact right word or phrase.That got me thinking... I'm able to write short pieces and feature articles in short spurts (it's a luxury to have a whole afternoon or evening devoted to writing and I'm guessing many writers are the same way). So, why not write something bigger in those spurts? I frequently tell people I'd like to write a book someday "when I have the time." But honestly, there will always be other things competing for my time. Part of me is tempted to start that book and post my progress each week on this blog, and the other part wants to go back to surfing for freelance markets, because that's more comfortable territory... . Will Susan ever start her novel? Or will she cling to the familiarity of nonfiction? Tune in next week to find out!