Being a writer isn’t easy. Being a mom is even harder. Doing both simultaneously is huge juggling act.
Amid all of this, I went to the West Coast Writer’s Conference this weekend. It was 3 days of non-stop workshops packed with valuable information.
BEING A WRITER REQUIRES A SUPPORTIVE PARTNER
The hubby is supportive of my passion for writing because he, too, is a writer. Though he prefers to stick to journalistic writing. Still, it’s so important to have a supportive partner in your life, one that will support your dreams. Especially if you are a mom and you want to get published. Like many unpublished writers, I aspire to see my work in print.
Motherhood and my life as a writer often collide. I have to be creative with my time. My blogs are outlets for me to use my writing muscles, so I try to write daily. It also gives me the feeling that I am somehow avoiding the dreaded writer’s block.
Blogging and writing a novel is not the same thing, they read differently. Blogs require knowledge of keywords, SEO, and catchy headlines. They’re slightly more journalistic. The SEO will even ding you if your writing is too complex. It will tell you by scoring your writing.
Although I’m exhausted and will be posting this after a very long day, I am trying to keep to my daily blog goal. If you are mama and a writer aspiring to get published, here’s how I manage my time.
KNOW YOUR CHILD’S SCHEDULE
If your child sleeps in until 7:30 am, then you might have to get to bed at a decent hour so you can wake up early and write before he/she wakes up. If your toddler is an early riser, then you may have to wait until bedtime before you can write. For blog posts and videos, I currently tend to do them at night. I can sometimes do them during her nap time, especially if she sleeps for 2 hours straight.
IF YOU HAVE THE RESOURCES, GET A BABYSITTER
I used a babysitter part-time for a little while until she transferred to a full-time job. If you can afford someone to watch your child part-time, then it might be worth it. Even if it’s for one 5-hour day, so you can give the writer in you the time to work on your writing project or your blog.
BLOGGING & NOVELS ARE DIFFERENT
I take blogging seriously, like I take writing novels seriously. They’re both equally important, but as I mentioned above, different kinds of writing. Like I said, blogging helps to keep the writing juices flowing, keeps me relevant, and provides a great outlet for me. At the very least, I can show that I can write on various topics and that I understand the medium.
If you’re a stay at home mom and an aspiring writer, I know it is a task to get anything done. I wrote my last novel after my daughter was just born and completed it in 4 months. But, the novel before that took me a full year. I met a guy at the conference who needed three years to complete his novel.
Every project is different and everyone’s pace is different. The important thing is to keep writing and to keep creating and not give up on your dreams. Being a writer is tough without kids, let alone having them running around.
SO, EMBRACE THE WRITER IN YOU BECAUSE A
HAPPY MAMA = A HAPPY BABY!
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