Freelance Writing Moms
by Melissa Ingold
As I sit surrounded by the chaos that is my living room, coffee within reach,
fingers poised above the keyboard, then ... ugh, what is that smell? A sudden
tug on my arm completely breaks my train of thought, "Mom, mom I need a drink."
I say okay, then turn my attention back to the computer screen long enough to
stick my tongue out at the ominously blinking cursor.
Pushing back from my desk to take care of diaper duty and drinks, I have to
wonder if I'm really cut out for this job. Maybe I should just wait until the
kids are grown ... ha, not a chance. With that decision made, it looks as though
I'll have to continue squeezing in moments of writing between my primary role as
wife and mother.
The life of a mom writer is far from dreary and definitely challenging, but the
end result is certainly worth it. At times I get frustrated by the lack of
progress and find myself dragging because of it. During those times, I tend to
stray away from the computer and instead turn to my first love, books. For days
and sometimes even weeks, I won't write a single thing. But through it all, my
mind swirls with ideas for books and articles, all written in my head, and I
know that I can't stay away.
It's a comforting thought to know I'm not the only mom writer in existence, and
if you're like me, you love reading tips and ideas from other writing moms. So,
I've decided to share a few of my own to help you stay on track and keep motivated.
Download a free minute timer like the one I use,
Pc-Tools.Net,
and use it. You can set it for any amount of time you like. So, if you have 15
minutes to sit down and write before running errands, use the timer and it will
pop up on your computer screen when the time has elapsed.
Join a writers group such as this one,
momwriters,
and you will be pleasantly surprised at the amount of support you receive. Many
of the women in this particular group are successful authors, and the advice they
offer is priceless. It's a great place to ask questions, get willing interviewees,
or just to hang out and have fun.
Schedule in time to write. No matter how much you think you don't have the
time to write, you do. You need to decide how important your career as a writer
is, and if it's something you absolutely have to do, then MAKE time to write. If
you plan to do the laundry and dishes while the kids are napping, use half that
time to write and then the remainder doing chores. If it doesn't all get done
right then, don't worry about it, you can finish it up later that night or
tomorrow if you have to. The reality is, you can't be a writer if you don't write.
Get out of the house and write. If you have kids that are in school during the
day, take advantage of the free time to go to the library or coffee shop. Sometimes
a simple change in atmosphere will get your creative juices flowing, and your pen
scrawling. If you're unable to get out of the house without your children, talk to
your husband or another family member about having a couple of hours to yourself
in the evening once a week. Whether you go out for a walk, sit in the park or
coffee shop, you will be amazed at how refreshed and energized you'll feel afterwards.
Not to mention all the notes you've made to further your career.
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