I feel like I’ve taken on two extra jobs this year as I prepare for my debut novel to come out. In addition to my work-work, I’m also writing a new book and preparing to market the heck out of the debut. That’s why from now on, you’ll probably only get to know me as Author Working Mom. But I think it’ll be a good thing. I’m planning some posts that offer advice to those who think they’d like to try getting published as well, plus I hope you’ll find it interesting to see what life is like for a new author.
First up: I thought I’d repost an entry I did over at the Elevensies, a community for Young Adult and Middle Grade Authors whose books come out in 2011. It’s part of a series called “A Day in the Writing Life.” Enjoy!
This is a day in my writing life. Actually, it’s me at the end of a day in my regular life, which is when my writing life begins. See, I’m a working mom. Except for rare occasions when I can escape for a writer’s retreat or negotiate a weekend afternoon with my husband, I do all of my novel writing in the evening after the kids go to bed.
And I do it all on this couch. Don’t ask me why I love this couch so much. It’s not like it’s the most comfortable couch in the world; as you can see, it’s a little small for me. (Also, no wonder my back hurts sometimes – my preferred writing position is a chiropractor’s dream.) I think it’s because the couch is in my living room, which is cozy and inviting, unlike the room in our house which we’ve designated as an office–it used to be a coal cellar. My couch allows me to escape into my characters’ worlds yet not have to travel far if I hear a little one crying upstairs.
Because that’s the reality of making a dream come true when you’ve got a million other titles besides Author. I don’t have the luxury of waiting for my “muse” to visit. If I waited until I felt inspired or knew I wouldn’t be interrupted I wouldn’t finish a chapter let alone an entire book. I have to make the most of the time I have, so if that’s an hour and a half between 10:30 p.m. and midnight, then I can’t wait for the words to come; I have to *make* them come,
And you know what? I think that’s why I’ve been able to make it this far. While I do know of some very successful authors who need to be visited by their muses or have things just so in order to create, I’ve also heard a lot of would-be authors lament that they just can’t find the time or the space or the inspiration to complete their novels. For me, Time, Space and Inspiration meet up every evening between 9 and 12, in my living room, on my couch. It’s not very glamorous, but it’s how I work. I try not to let a day in my life go by without one of these meetings, and most of the time I’m amazed at what we can accomplish, whether my muse chooses to attend or not.
Congratulations Sarah! I am looking forward to your posts on becoming an author. That is something I have thought about, but it seemed to much of a pain to take it past the dream stage. Thanks for sharing with the class. 🙂
Call me inspired. I want to write between 9 and 12, but I am mostly tired. This is the year to change it. Looking forward to more on this.
Sara–so proud of you and your new book coming out. Can't wait to read it and learning more about how you did it–looks like some other people are eager, too!
Congratulations on the upcoming debut of your book! And I'm with you as far as waiting for the muse to strike. There's a quote I really like by Peter DeVries: "I only write when I’m inspired, and I make sure I’m inspired every morning at 9 a.m."
You are well done! I have no idea how you can combine writing and motherhood. I am in college, and for me writing student papers is very difficult and boring. I order student papers in special services so that my parents are not angry with me because of bad grades. I found this service using the OnlineWritersRating reviews. I was sure it was of high quality because these reviews can be trusted.