Summer was not pretty at our house. Fun. Lots of fun. Sandy, too. But not pretty.
I feel like I learn a little something every summer about how I'm going to be a mom and a writer at the same time and this year I learned - I'm not. I took the kids out of daycare in August because we were taking so many trips etc...etc... and it just never occurred to me that I would get NOTHING -- NOT ONE THING done for the month of August.
Part of it is that I am a bit precious. I hate writing when they're in the house, there are so many interruptions I feel like I do more harm than good to my manuscript. I know there are so many mom/writers who can just seal themselves off and get it done - I salute you.
I also TOTALLY overestimate how much my husband is going to help. I have this vision every summer of my husband turning to me and saying "you haven't gotten any writing done, have you? No. You don't have to say it. I can tell. Please, go write. I've got it covered."
Has any husband said this?
He's totally supportive, but trust me, I'm the one bringing it up and making it happen.
So, now I'm back to work. I have a half book deadline at the beginning of October and I'm at about 26,000 words. Doable? Sure. Especially since both kids are in about 6 hours of school. (which you would think is plenty of time, but again, I'm so precious. I want to work out, walk the dog, walk to the coffee shop to meet Maureen, pick up the kids - those things can't happen in six hours - much to my dismay.
And again, every September I'm reminded how damn hard this is. And not so much the plotting and character and fun stuff. I'm talking about the actual sitting butt in chair for three hours problem. The physical act of writing takes some easing into.
So, how about you guys? Did you take time off this summer? How are you doing getting back into the grind?
3 comments:
I've been a lazy bum since the end of June. It's terrible. I've made a million excuses. Unfortunately, that's what they really are. Excuses. I get the boys off to school over the next two weeks. Then it's back to the butt in chair for me as well.
I wish you luck, Miss Molly. I know I need some, too!
Yep, total lazy bum here as well. Sep is back to work time... weekly goals, page counts, all that good stuff..
Soon after we got back from too much travelling (fun, actually) I had a two week deadline for edits on a book. So that helped. But now that's done, I'm kind of faffing around. Not sure which project to pick up next. I do a bit on this ms., a bit on that, and so far haven't really settled down to serious writing.
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