: Re: How do you communicate to people that writing is a job and prevent interruptions? Iâ€™ve been a writer for fifteen years, five as a full-time writer, and still havenâ€™t figured out how to

Writing is just a side-line to me, but I work from home, so my situation is similar.

I don't have the nerve to refuse to answer the phone or the door. I'm too worried that it might actually be an emergency, or at least something important.

But I simply don't let people barge in on me. If someone calls me when I'm working and it's not an emergency, I say, "I'm sorry, I'm at work right now, I'll call you back tonight" or something of the sort. I rarely have anyone push it, but if they do my next sentence is something like, "Seriously, I have to get this job done today. I don't have time to chat." And then I hang up.

I don't want to be rude, but if someone demands I give them time when I am trying to work and earn a living, THEY are the ones being rude. If I spend too much time on the phone and miss deadlines, I presume I would eventually lose my job. If you're a free-lancer, you can't not lose your job per se, but you could lose clients. These people are saying that your need to earn an income and support yourself is secondary to their desire to have an amusing conversation. I'm sorry, no. They are being incredibly rude and selfish. I rebuff such people as politely as I can, but I don't feel guilty for doing so. I think the thing is to just be firm. Don't be afraid to hang up. If someone comes to the door, I just wouldn't let them in. Again, "sorry, I'm working now, I can't take time out for a visit". And if they don't say okay and leave, close the door and lock it.

If a friend or relative says you are being rude for refusing to speak to them, I'd say something like, "This is my job. If I just showed up at your office and wanted you to sit and chat with me for an hour, could you take time off to do that?" If they want to argue about it, they're not much of a friend. Even if they honestly can't comprehend why you need to work for a living, a real friend would accept that you can't socialize at certain times of day.

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