Time Flies!

As you get older there is a common feeling that time passes by more quickly. Well, it must be true because it seems like only yesterday that we were celebrating Christmas and forming New Year’s resolutions and now its November. Very scary!

As ever this year has been a busy one and I’m afraid most of it has distracted me from my writing.

Last year was dogged with my own health issues and whilst some of these will be ongoing for the rest of my life, this year more problems were added to the mix in the form of my husband’s health.

My husband is self-employed, often working six days a week and he’s alien to the concept of his own ill-health. But in June of this year everything changed and he ended up having two hospital stays over the summer and various appointments both with his doctor and the hospital to find out what is wrong with him. We still haven’t got to the bottom what caused his illness but at least the medication allows him to live a normal life, albeit slower than he has been used to. 

I’ve also changed my job which has caused some upheaval but which hopefully will give me a bit more time for writing. One of my biggest struggles is developing a consistent routine for it in what is already an overcrowded life. In many ways time isn’t the issue – we all have the same twenty-four hours in the day after all. The problem I need to overcome is my attitude to prioritising writing in my life and placing it further up the list in importance. Easier said than done but I’m working really had to improve my mindset. Having a long term illness I struggle with fatigue, especially after a day’s work, so I don’t find it very productive to try and write in the evenings. My aim now is to carve out some time in the mornings before work, when my brain (hopefully) is at its freshest.

The other thing I need to do is find some focus. Rather than flitting from project to project I need to complete one at a time. Then maybe I will see some progress. So I’ve formulated a plan and this time I intend to stick to it.  Wish me luck. 

I'm Back - Even Though I Haven't Been Anywhere

I can’t believe it’s over a month since my last blog post.  How can that be? And how can it already be the middle of October when it seems like only yesterday we were celebrating the New Year?

I had hoped that after the disruption of the summer holidays I would be able to get back into some kind of writing routine but alas life, as ever, has conspired against me.

I want to be able to get into a good writing routine but a number of life events, work and family commitments have seemed to get in the way.

Since January I have been working three days a week for a local charity fitting my freelance work, which is unpredictable, around it.  Paid work obviously has to come before my writing desires and so my “hobby” gets shoved to the bottom of the list.

September and October have also been challenging with family commitments several birthdays, sleepovers, appointments and the inevitable football.  My youngest had trials for a county team which added to the grey hairs but sadly he didn’t get in – maybe next time.

And finally there has been a house move – not mine, thankfully, but my parents.  They’ve lived in their old house for a very long time (they moved in when I was six weeks old) and as they are both in their 70’s it was all hands on deck.

So time for writing has been a bit sketchy. It’s so frustrating as I constantly feel as though I’m battling against what I have to do against what I want to do.

I’m amazed sometimes when I hear / read interviews with other authors how they hold down full time jobs, homes and families and yet they also find the time to write prolifically.  It can be done, I know it can, I just need to be more disciplined!

On Monday I found out that my part-time job is being reduced from three days to two.  I’ve worked really hard for the organisation, often putting in extra unpaid hour because I want to do a good job.  I know money is an issue but as my Manager (who is lovely) has requested to reduce her hours by the same amount, I thought I might have a chance of holding on to mine.  A letter slapped on my desk informing me that from January my hours will be reduced felt as though my commitment is simply not appreciated.

I’m a big believer that every negative has a positive and so I have decided from now on I will work set hours, I will go into the office, do what I can and then leave.  I won’t be working flexible hours to suit them and I certainly won’t be doing any unpaid work.  So the positive is that I don’t feel as though I owe them anything.  The other plus is that I have a few months’ notice. Obviously I will try to build up my freelance work to make up the shortfall but more importantly I want to concentrate on trying to do what I want to do most of all – and that is to make some money from writing.

We are going on holiday to Gran Canaria a week tomorrow, so I’m going to make sure I concentrate my mind, and fill my notebook while I’m away. And then when I get back, despite the fact that preparation for the dastardly C word will undoubtedly take up a lot of my time, I’m determined that  the next two months of this year will be my most production ever.

Out Of Office

I’ve been a bad blogger during May. It’s mad.  Theoretically I have more time for writing now but I seem to be less productive.  I wouldn’t mind so much if I was spending my days lolling on the sofa, eating chocolates and drinking wine.  But I’m not. 

 

It’s a sad fact that if you’re not “working” people think your time isn't worth much, and can be used to their own ends.  I need to practise saying no – either that or just go away from the house and refuse to answer my phone.

However I do it, I’m determined that June is going to be a month when I finally find some focus.  Keep your fingers crossed for me.

Where Does The Time Go?

Is it just me or is the Time Elf on the rob again?   I just don’t know what has happened to November – or the rest of the year for that matter.   I’m having a bit of a dilemma because I’m now facing the fact that I can deny the C thing no longer. It’s something to do with school nativities, Christmas fairs, football and cubs’ Christmas parties etc etc. And that’s without the thought of shopping, card writing, and who’s coming to stay for the big day? (Bit of familial negotiation going on there too!)

With two boys who are very active, the only day of the week where I usually don’t have to be the after school taxi service is on a Thursday, but at the moment I have at least two things going on each day. Also the letters and texts from school asking for a donation for this, that and the other is just about driving me insane (as well as very poor).  If you see someone fighting for breath, trying to get out from under a mound of paper – that will be me!

And of course all of this trying to remember what I’m supposed to be doing next, isn’t exactly conducive to writing. My mind is doing an impression of the Easter Bunny. (Yes, that will be here before we know it too. At least it might bring some better weather with it.)

The other day I read an article featuring a mainstream author.  He said that when he’s in the throes of writing a book he writes constantly, blocking out the rest of the world and all the menial stuff it contains.

Now, I don’t mean to be sexist but yes it was a man. How many women writers do you know who could do that? (Sorry guys). At least it’s made my mind up about what I want for Christmas.  I want a wife.