Monday, May 24, 2010
Finding a Balance
After attending a writer's conference in May, I was totally inspired and I convinced my publisher to let me have one more pass at my book (using all the tools I learned at the conference) before sending it my editor. I entered an editing bubble and managed to go through the whole thing in three weeks (with a lot of help from my husband). Also during this time I had family pictures and wedding pictures to work on. After the edit was done I looked around my house and was shocked at how everything had fallen apart. The laundry was a tower tall enough to attract tourists, there were more dirty dishes than clean, the weeds in my yard had staged a revolution against my lilies and I swear my kids were visibly taller. I had been around during the three weeks but had been doing just enough in my real life to get by. The whole thing left me wondering how people strike a balance in their life with writing? How do you keep one part of your life for suffering at the expense of another? I really look forward to hearing your thoughts.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
8 comments:
Housekeepers???
Beats me. The woman who first went back to work promised we can have it all. We can't. We can have most of it some of the time or some of it most of the time. Laundry piles. Dinners get less complicated. Kids get less snuggle time. Hopefully we rotate so nothing and nobody are left for long.
I like your housekeeper idea Michelle! I just need the money to make that a reality. Theresa, I can see you've been through the same struggles I have. I like your rotating idea.
I've had a hard time finding balance, too. I do just fine if I'm just writing on my normal schedule - but once my publisher throws in edits, rewrites, or going through the galleys, I'm completely absorbed in that one thing. I guess I feel like those things need to get done ASAP so I can keep up my end of having the book come out on time. Although, I recently discovered it sometimes doesn't matter how timely the author is, the publisher has can still change things.
So I'd suggest stepping back just a tad from writing so you can be more involved in your family's life and find balance. I'm trying that out right now, too. =) Good luck!
It's always a tricky thing. I just try to do my best and whatever I fall short on, I try not to worry about too much.
Lani,
It's very difficult. Sometimes I get annoyed that I have to interrupt a writing project to take a shower! But when I realize the alternative, I take one. & it's a break from writing or editing. Just alternate between your book stuff and your every day stuff.
this is so so tricky. gosh i wish i knew the answer.
if you figure it out, will you let me know, too??
it's so hard to be human sometimes.
i'm wish you lots of luck!!
I'll be sure to do that Tahereh. :)
I appreciate all your comments and suggestions everyone. This is an area I'll have to make a conscious effort to improve.
Post a Comment