Writing with Children

Writing is an astronomically difficult task on my best day, in solitude, with coffee. Writing this summer has been a spectacular challenge. Summers are busy. Far busier than the school year. And I am the lucky driver of the Lindsey bus. (My kids are 5, 8 & 11)We are on the go most mornings and we top off the lessons or activities with a picnic before coming home. It's lovely and we're making lots of memories, but the writing isn't happening. The exercise is basically not even on my to-do list. My to do list is made of child transport and laundry. Even my meals are looking more like sandwiches three times a day than the well balanced plates I used to make. 

During the school year, things are different. I have six solid hours Monday through Friday to work with- write, clean, promote etc. For example: Monday is an errand day and everyday start with a run. I follow a routine and it keeps me sane. There's time to write everyday. There's time for everything everyday and I am the master of my domain. *dances*

Except this isn't the school year.

This is summer and I am floundering. I'm getting farther behind on my manuscripts by the second and the next two months don't look any better. Weeds and grass are growing. My garage needs purging. My ceilings need painted. I've got lots and lots of real life stuff to do in between swim and tennis lessons. And camp and kids college. And no less than six birthday parties. Not to mention if the kids are home too long, they start arguing over anything from how many raisins are in a box of Raisin Bran to the colors on a rainbow according to art class. So, you see my troubles?

They are good problems to have. It’s true. I know. But, the summer has officially killed my writing life and made me a little bananas. As an author, the bananas show. As I’m writing this post, it is literally closing in on midnight on the night of my post deadline which was set long long ago. My overflowing brain is maxed to capacity. My imagination is running wild. My deadlines are creeping closer. I'm headed for a panic attack. Let me just say, there will be weeks of back-to-school writing in August when I finally get the opportunity to empty my brain. There will also be a mad dash to meet deadlines, but at least it will be fun work. 

So, for now, I'm keeping a balance - sort of. I'm making summer memories with my small children while they still want me around and fending off deadlines with a short stick. Is anyone else juggling life and a houseful of children on summer vacation? If so, I'm right here with you. Hang on to your sanity a couple more months because sadly, these days will be gone too soon. 

xoxox
Julie

Time and Other Problems

by Janis Patterson

Okay, I messed up. Big time. Again.

Just a few minutes ago I got an email asking me if this were not my day to blog. Well, first I panicked, then I check the spreadsheet where I keep all my blog commitments. It wasn’t there, but as it is my responsibility to put it there I am still probably the one who goofed up. Ooops.

Obviously, the world will not end, my career will not implode, tornadoes will not strike simply because I missed a blog date. I am sorry to let down those who depended on me, but let’s get a grip on priorities.

On the other hand, this is a perfect object lesson. I, like just about every other writer on the planet, have a life, a career, perhaps health issues and a dozen other things going on. Some of us have day jobs. Some of us have families. Some of us have other obligations that pull at us, usually in half a dozen different directions.

On top of that, we are expected to edit, to revise, to play in the fields of social media, to blog, to maintain our websites and keep them current, arrange and go to booksignings, chat up booksellers, do every kind of promotion to keep our name out there that we can think of. to self-publish and do audio books and… – oh, I almost forgot – to write. And write well. And write prolifically. Every year it seems that more of the responsibility of getting the book out there falls on the poor author’s shoulders.

Hold it! Where is this going to stop? There are things we can’t give up – family, job, etc – and things we have to do – like write good books. We all want to do what we can to get fans and sales. But where does it end? There are just a set number of hours in the day and only so much can be crammed into them.

I don’t have an answer. I wish I did – maybe then I wouldn’t find that I have left off a blogging date and appear a careless fool for having done so. Those of you who have mastered the art of doing everything, I wish you’d tell me how you did it. Until then, I’m just going to keep stumbling on, and somehow I know I won’t be alone.