Yesterday morning after church, Carl stayed inside chatting with friends while I kept an eye on the kids in the little playground in the courtyard. After a few moments of watching and thinking, I reached into my purse, pulled out my pen and the sheaf of papers I’d shoved in earlier … and started scratching out the basic outline for my next novelette.
And then I had to laugh at myself. Yes, I’m a writer all right. Even with having to take a break when Grace and another girl had an disagreement on the slide (the other girl lost, but Grace was the one who came away in tears), even when I texted Carl to say Where are you, the girls are getting restless and I’m melting in the sun, even though there were people all around that I could have been talking to … I was thinking about characters and setting and plot, and getting down as much of it as I could.
My kids already know what editing is, as well as outlining, plotting, and all the rest. They hear me talk about it, they even ask me about it now. Joy draws pictures and makes up stories about them as she draws. Grace plays with her toys by acting out stories with them. When we stopped at the drugstore to get a birthday card for their friend today, I walked out with a card, fresh pencils and colored pencils for the girls, and new post-it notes for me, since I can never find Carl’s when I need to use them for story notes.
Somewhere along the line this summer, I’ve started treating my writing more seriously. It’s always been my passion; now it’s my business as well. It’s becoming an essential part of our family life, just as Carl’s studies did back when seminary became more than just a “someday dream” and moved into a serious “in the next few years plan.” It’s not taking over anything, it’s just entwining into our everyday lives and activities.
I wouldn’t have it any other way.
And that's what all our business plans or hobbies become, wrapped into our everyday life, hopefully not consuming but there waiting for us in the odd hours we have! I love new ideas!
Yay! It sounds lovely and perfect.And reminds me that I used to do things like that. I don't know what happened. Obviously it's not a motherhood thing… or, not SOLELY a motherhood thing… I don't know what my problem is.
It seems like the more I am writing and clearing out old ideas, the more new ideas keep flooding in! Something about exercising those creative muscles as well as emptying the brain space, I guess.
I only know that it started happening for me after a long, grim stretch where I could only write fanfiction (and not much of that), and finally, slowly started creeping back up to writing fun original stories just for my own amusement, and then up to writing stories for others to read, to the point where now this self-publishing thing is become a real possibility. So it's DEFINITELY been a long, slow process to where creative writing is becoming second nature again.
Love that attitude! You go girl 🙂
Thanks! And the same to you 🙂
I write because I enjoy it and it's my dream. I want my dream to come true someday. I live in my dream as much as possible through watching and critique movies, writing reviews and news and blogging. It's that simple to live your dream until you actually live it. The fact remains is every path you take will have its perks. You have to follow God because He has plans for you. There will always be your online\blogging community that will support you. We are here to get your motivated, perhaps inspired. Us, writer-types, will always be writers no matter what and that's what matters most. Shoot for the stars, Louise!
Intertwining is better than taking over. God still wants balance in our lives.
I agree we should have balance in our lives, Alex. Thanks for saying that!
I used to do things like that too. Then somehow I stopped. I need to get back into the whole process again. I am, sort of with blogging, but would love to sink my teeth into fiction again.
Thanks, Livia! Writing would be a much lonelier process without my online community. So thankful for all of you!
Absolutely. God is not the author of chaos but of order!
It is so, so hard with babies. I am only in this place now because Grace is three and there's two of them and they can play together and only need me every five minutes instead of every five seconds. It'll come back, Adrienne! Eventually 🙂
So, I should have another? 🙂
I am a big fan of siblings 🙂 Yeah, there's a lot more fights to break up, but there is no better way for them to learn that the world doesn't revolve around them!
I love the idea of "intertwining." What a poetic (and healthy) way of looking at it.
Thank you!