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Doing it all
Jun. 8th, 2012 02:39 amI was asked "How in the world do you write with 3 teenagers in the house?"
It's easy.
They have their things to do, I have mine.
These things do not overlap to any great extent. As long as they are fed, passing school and their clothes are washed, I figure I'm ahead of the game.
All right, my youngest has her own body-guard squadron at conventions. And my oldest son is starting his own cult. Or nipping out for a pint with his droogs, I'm not sure which. But this is typical of the weirdness of my family.
On the whole, teenagers require far less attention than small children and I've been writing since Oli was 3.
Teens are far less likely to cut themselves on the pickle jar (needed stitches), play Superman on the ceiling fan (required fan repair) or ride their trike into the French door (required repairs AND bandaids). Mine are homebodies, so I'm not worried about drugs or gangs.
My life is simple.
I get up. I work out. I clean. I shower.
I eat breakfast and then crochet while watching TV
I write. I edit.
I yell at someone to do the dishes.
I make lunch, or coach a kid through it.
I eat, get ready for work and go to work.
I come home, edit or write more, and go to bed.
I get up and do it all over again.
I have a routine and I like it. On my days off, I omit the "go to work part" and continue the "write/edit" part. And add "laundry/groceries/errands."
Social life does not figure in to any great extent. I do church stuff, and sometimes resent the interruption. I have a baby shower Sunday and am not sure I want to go. Day off! Let's see if I can set a new record and break 5000 words!
I work a mentally unchallenging job, deliberately. I have the easiest job in the world. I drive a semi 200 interstate miles to the same location every day, I drop a trailer, I hook a trailer and I drive it back. If my job required mental exertion, I wouldn't write like I do. I couldn't. Because the job would eat my brainpower, like it did when I worked in the library.
It's easy.
They have their things to do, I have mine.
These things do not overlap to any great extent. As long as they are fed, passing school and their clothes are washed, I figure I'm ahead of the game.
All right, my youngest has her own body-guard squadron at conventions. And my oldest son is starting his own cult. Or nipping out for a pint with his droogs, I'm not sure which. But this is typical of the weirdness of my family.
On the whole, teenagers require far less attention than small children and I've been writing since Oli was 3.
Teens are far less likely to cut themselves on the pickle jar (needed stitches), play Superman on the ceiling fan (required fan repair) or ride their trike into the French door (required repairs AND bandaids). Mine are homebodies, so I'm not worried about drugs or gangs.
My life is simple.
I get up. I work out. I clean. I shower.
I eat breakfast and then crochet while watching TV
I write. I edit.
I yell at someone to do the dishes.
I make lunch, or coach a kid through it.
I eat, get ready for work and go to work.
I come home, edit or write more, and go to bed.
I get up and do it all over again.
I have a routine and I like it. On my days off, I omit the "go to work part" and continue the "write/edit" part. And add "laundry/groceries/errands."
Social life does not figure in to any great extent. I do church stuff, and sometimes resent the interruption. I have a baby shower Sunday and am not sure I want to go. Day off! Let's see if I can set a new record and break 5000 words!
I work a mentally unchallenging job, deliberately. I have the easiest job in the world. I drive a semi 200 interstate miles to the same location every day, I drop a trailer, I hook a trailer and I drive it back. If my job required mental exertion, I wouldn't write like I do. I couldn't. Because the job would eat my brainpower, like it did when I worked in the library.
