Remember how I wrote a couple novels and was all excited to pitch them to literary agents and hopefully, fingers crossed, get published?
Yeah…
That’s still my goal and I’m still excited about my novel(s), but I just haven’t been able to get to them. I have ALL my beta comments in for After the Fall so now I feel like I can officially start Draft #3 (even though I actually started it before moving to Michigan, but we won’t dwell on that).
My first week of work was exciting enough, but then I had plans EVERY night after work. Me, the woman* who hasn’t had plans in months. THIS week, however, is much calmer so I’ve done my best to get writing back on the table. I’ve relinquished a couple other obligations that were taking up a lot of my free time, so now writing is back to numero uno.
Having said all this, I don’t want you to think I haven’t been writing at all. One of my responsibilities at my new job is copywriting and they’ve taken full advantage of me. Unlike some other times in my life when I’ve been taken advantage of, I’m actually enjoying this. 😉  So, while my novel isn’t progressing as rapidly as I’d like, my skills are still getting a workout.
How do you find balance when life takes over?
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*It feels so wrong calling myself a woman. My instinct is always to write girl.
I’m trying to buckle down and climb back on the stallion that is writing fiction for publication after getting bucked out of Amazon’s contest yesterday. I’ll let you know if I find a way to stay in the saddle.
Travis, you deserve a bit of a break. I can’t imagine the rollercoaster you’ve been on.
You know you’ll only hate my reply. Many do. I have all day to write at my job & not much of a social life to speak of. I wish I could give some of my writing time to you, dear. I’m glad you can keep the skills at least sharpened at work – even if you can’t write your novel there.
I’ll have to find things to keep you occupied. 🙂
Yes, I’m definitely keeping those skills sharp — and busting out the creative writing every now and then.
I let the life take over. Part of my life, however, is writing. I have sold a couple of screenplays and several short stories that supplement the unusually strong downturn in the economic growth of the construction industry. So, writing is becoming part of life as a source of income. Thank God for that.
It is good that you are enjoying your work. I hope this continues to give you joy.
awp
That’s so great you’ve been able to sell your work! I’m sure many — especially on this blog — are envious.
I have no clue how to balance. I’m constantly artisticly lopsided.
Good luck with the draft, ladygirl! 😉
*poke*
Adam
I think artistically lopsided sounds good. 🙂
I don’t call myself ‘woman’ either. Its more like “chick” or “broad”. 😉 Hope you are enjoying your new job!!
I call everyone girl unless I’m talking to their face. “This girl at work” … that sort of thing.
I have trouble with the whole woman thing, too! I actually wrote a whole post about that, but I deleted it. (I still write a post every day. The sad thing is that I’m only posting once a week because I delete them all!) Usually I think girl, but that’s too young. And “woman” is TOO OLD!
So what’s a girl to do? :-p
Guys have “guy.” Boy, guy, man. We just have girl, woman.
I CANNOT call myself a woman. It’s just wrong.
I can’t believe you delete so many posts. I don’t think I’ve ever done that, although I have scrapped ideas before they’re written. I guess I just don’t transcribe those.
No advice on balance, since I haz none.
I have no problem with “woman.” I only say “girl” if I’m being cheeky, or referring to my daughters.
The word does, however, make me want to belt out “Natural Woman.” YOU MAKE ME FEEL!
Wendy, that’s why I can’t say it. It’s WRONG. Even if I guess I am a fairly natural woman, lol. At what age will I feel like a grown up?
Ugh – I’m tortured with the same problem right now. Blogging has totally taken over my writing time. I go back & forth with the balance thing & it’s so tough…
Kristen, reducing my posts to three times a week helps, but I’m still behind in my reading.
I hear you girl, I have trouble with that, too.
Balance is so hard. It’s what I have the most consistent trouble with. But I just have to pull myself into awareness, assess, and make the most important things happen.
THANK YOU. Call me a girl, it’s totally fine. 🙂
I think you’ve got the right mindset to get it done. YOU go girl. 😛
I’m so bad at this! I’ve really had a hard time carving out time to write lately. I feel sort of fried after work. My fantasy is that when the kids leave for college I’ll have loads and loads of time on my hands. It’s probably a delusion.
I’m so glad you like your job!!! Yay!
I can totally relate – someone called me an adult the other and it took me a second to realize they were talking to me!
Someone called me a woman yesterday and I did a double take! lol.
I had been wondering about your writing as a lot of your posts that I’ve read (I’m not the most diligent reader though) haven’t been to do with writing.
I totally know what you’re talking about with work and having time to write. Some weeks I have political meetings or protests on most week and the free time I have is used to veg.
I guess it’s about setting priorities – or not writing until you pop full of unused inspiration, which I see is a possibility from the above post.