This morning I popped into the school to hand over my (CRB) criminal record check, so that they have a copy. I now need to speak with Ben's teacher to arrange when she would like me to come in and help with reading. Then, I'll just need to go in for a quick induction and I'm all set.
Because I helped out at the Autumn Fair, I also got an invite to a 'Friends' meeting. Organised it with my dad. He'll have the kids, so I can attend it Tuesday. I would like to get more involved with the school where I can. Not to the point it takes over, but that I feel I'm supporting my local community.
So then I start panicking. Am I doing too much? Will it eat into my writing time? But I want to do these things and what better resource of inspiration than children.
I want to really get on with this writing lark and start making money from it! So I'm trying to do as much as I can in the time I'm given
My evenings have been spent solid editing my novel at the moment - I've got a bug for it, while the characters are talking to me, I just feel I've got to write it! But I'm working so hard, my RSI has flared up!
Then, I have to go to work this afternoon. Only three hours, but it looms over me like a very heavy lead weight. This aids my worry. Once I'm there I'm fine - ish, but getting there is depressing. I can't grumble (although I do), it's regular money, (I need a regular small income) but it makes me miserable. Those three hours could be spent editing my novel, writing a short story, or reading for my assignment, or even, having fun with my kids.
My dream is to make enough from writing I can give up this job. That's my objective for this year.
Generally, I am an organised person. But I fret. Whereas when I worked full time, I knew the environment, and that generally I could go in and get done what needed to be done. Here, I have many external things, beyond my control, I find it hard to schedule.
I've decided, in the mornings, while I drink my first cup of coffee, this will be updating blog and catching up with emails etc. time. I've even set the timer on the oven to make sure I don't get carried away - so I only have half an hour!
I only get three hours a day free time. So need to use those wisely - some have to be taken up with exercise, too. Today, after my coffee, I have got to vacuum upstairs. The sooner I get that done, the quicker I can be back down here sorting out some of my writing.
I want to sort out the four short stories I've written and see if they're any good for somewhere like the People's Friend. They are too long for Take A Break, and after reading their requirements, I'm not sure I could write a story to fit.
Right, that's my alarm going off! Time to get to the housework...
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I know how you feel. I work pretty much full time, so my free time is extremely limited and I get so tired in the evenings that it's hard for me to get on a computer when I've been working at one all day. I'm so behind in my assignments that I'm not sure when I'll catch up. Add to that child care, the housework, running, walking the dog, cooking.....there is no time left! This year is going to be a big clear out and declutter year which will hopefully give me breathing space to attempt everything else I want to do :) Good luck with the reading - it should hopefully inspire you :)
ReplyDeleteWhen my kids were small I worked part time (Thurs/Frid/Sat). I alloted 2 mornings for housework, and the remaining morning we purely for writing. Because it was my 'only' writing time (apart from evenings, but was usually too shattered!) I found that I was much more productive. I also wanted to earn enough money to replace the job, so concentrated on writing articles as these were more likely to allow me to do so then fiction. Research was done in the evenings, but wrote it all in the 3 hour slot.
ReplyDeleteEventually I was able to cut down my hours and write more, until finally I gave up the job to write full time.
Although Im loving the challenge of writing fiction, I still see writing non-fiction as my 'bread &butter' job, and now have to schedule fiction writing time. But it can be done - the trick is I think, is to concentrate your efforts onto one project at a time, that will being in an income of some sort.
Good luck!
Christine
www.christine-muir.co.uk
Apologies for all the errors in my last comment - typed quickly, without my glasses!
ReplyDeleteChristine
@Lisa - I feel your pain. I'm lucky I don't work full time (in the sense of a real job that pays money and everything!) but I still run out of time. My evenings really are hugely spent sat in front of my PC or doing my coursework, as it's the only free time I get, except those three hours a day when Kieran is at preschool. And I want to exercise in some of those sessions.
ReplyDelete@Christine thanks for the inspiring words. That's my worry though, non-fiction is what pays, and I'm not sure I can conjure up enough interesting articles. What magazines do you write for, what type of articles? Never really being a magazine reader, this is what I'm finding hard to make time for - actually researching the mags!