In the comments for my post on Becoming a Game Designer, Wayne asks:

I used to be a freelancer… A long time ago, in a galaxy far away. But since I had kids I just can’t seem to find the time to do anything. What’s your secret?

Honestly, it’s a daily struggle. I’m home today with my eldest, who’s sick. Because I’m a freelancer and my wife has a regular job, I can take time off more easily than she can, so I do. If too many of these days roll together, though, I get behind. Then I spend a couple weeks (or more) digging my way back out of the hole I’m in.

This has been a perpetual problem for me since the quads were born. There’s just no getting around how much time kids demand from their parents. Because I insist on trying to be a good father (as I’m sure you do), I don’t see an easy out. Still, there are ways to minimize the troubles.

To keep from getting behind too much, I treat my job as job. I have an office outside my house, and I try to get to it as regularly as I can. It’s not as convenient as staggering down the hall to a spare bedroom, but when I’m there it’s clear that I’m there to work. Home offices often have too many distractions within easy reach.

When I’m at the office, I try to work standard, eight-hour days. Mine get broken up somewhat from having to haul kids around town during the day, but I set aside as much time as I can to get the work done. I sometimes end up working in the evenings after everyone else is asleep too, although I do that at a tiny desk in my bedroom or on the couch in the living room instead.

I used to write 5,000+ words per day. Now that I have kids, I shoot for more like 3,000+ words per day. When I have to, though, I buckle down and charge on through. I kiss the wife and kids good-bye and promise to spend more time with them as soon as I can.

I wrote one novel this year in 16 days. I also topped my personal best with an 11,000-word day. It’s not a pace I can keep up forever, especially since I really do love my family and like spending time with them, but I can turn the dial up to 11 when I must.

Of course, I couldn’t do any of this without the support of my wife. She’s supported me every step of the way–and let me know when I charged over the line. Those of you who have met her know, she’s the best.

In a recent e-mail, a reader wrote:

Hello. I am currently a student at UW-Rock County. I saw your article in the Stateline News and had a question for you. I wondered if you had any advice for someone who would like to work in the gaming industry. Although this has been a dream of mine for a few years now, I do not know what I should do to achieve this goal. Currently, I am planning on working towards a graphic arts major after obtaining my associates degree this semester. I would appreciate any advice you could give me.

I assume you’re talking about tabletop (paper) games, since that’s what I’m most familiar with. If so, there’s really no set path to becoming a game designer. Some designers only have high-school diplomas. Others have multiple PhDs in a wide variety of fields. 

I have a degree in Creative Writing from the University of Michigan, but no publisher I’ve worked for has ever cared about that. My liberal arts education gave me the tools I needed to be able to design games–including research skills–but my diploma was never a golden ticket. Publishers only care about two things. Is your work any good? Can you turn it in on time? 

From what little I know about your situation, I’d suggest you keep working at your degrees and try your hand at freelancing in the gaming industry in your spare time. You might even think of applying for a summer internship with one of the larger publishers. If you can gather a few credits during your college years, you’ll be better positioned to make your way into the field once you graduate. Good luck!