May 16, 2008

Does anyone else feel the constant push-pull between their commitment to writing and their commitment to their families? I was just talking about this yesterday with another busy writing friend. We’re both empty nesters now, and we both expected to spend endless hours writing every day. Take out the hours needed for website work and other book promotion (speaking, teaching workshops, signings, etc.) and, in theory, there are still about five hours per day to write. If you exercise, then make it four. Four would work, as long as you spent evening and weekends reading about the craft of writing and reading current books in your genre.
Hmmm…

Where’s family fit in? Although my kids are grown, I have two girls living in this town and both my grandchildren. I love spending time with them more than anything else. I want to invest in their lives–and they’re just plain fun to be with!

The point of all this?

I have two deadlines that I am behind on. I’ve put in tons of hours on both projects, but they are coming along more slowly than I’d anticipated. Even so…today I’m quitting early and taking my grandkids (ages 2 and 5) down to the pond to go frog hunting. It’s rained three times this week, and the tiny half-inch frogs should be hopping!

Could I get more writing done if I stayed in my office this afternoon and evening? Yes. Do I feel guilty about the fun I’m going to have with my grandkids, or the bonding time this evening, the hugs and kisses, watching an episode of “Little House on the Prairie,” and popping popcorn? Not one bit!

Work hard at your writing, yes–but don’t let it mix up your priorities.

7 Comments »

1. 

   thanks I needed that!

   Comment by Writer Ninja girl — May 18, 2008 @ 7:01 am

2. 

   Glad I could be of help! It was just as much fun as I’d anticipated.

   Comment by Kristi Holl — May 19, 2008 @ 12:35 am

3. 

   I needed to hear this, too. Thanks for being so open with your posts!

   You’re a breath of fresh air!

   Comment by WordWrangler — May 24, 2008 @ 5:43 pm

4. 

   Thank you. I found keeping my priorities straight hard when my kids were little, and it’s hard now that my grandkids are little and live close by. If I can remember to put God first, family second (with appropriate boundaries), and the writing third, I usually do okay. But it’s a juggling act sometimes!

   Comment by Kristi Holl — May 24, 2008 @ 10:20 pm

5. 

   Yes, God first. I have to confess, though, (cause He knows it’s true) that sometimes I even fail at that. Sometimes I fall into the pit of putting my gift of creativity AHEAD of my Creator! That’s NOT a good thing. When I realize what I’m doing, it grieves my heart. Ya know? He’s making me more aware of it all. And He’s using your blog to remind me!

   Comment by WordWrangler — May 24, 2008 @ 10:45 pm

6. 

   I think that one of the safest things you can do first thing in the morning or before you start writing is to (in prayer) commit the day’s writing to Him and ask Him to only give you His words to write. Then you have to trust that what comes is from Him–even on the hard days when it looks like gobbledy-gook. I think putting Him first in the writing is probably simpler than we tend to make it.

   Comment by Kristi Holl — May 25, 2008 @ 12:31 pm

7. 

   You’re right, of course. And when I make that my priority, everything else is ALWAYS better. So…I’m going to do that now. Hope you have a blessed Sunday!!

   Comment by WordWrangler — May 25, 2008 @ 12:40 pm

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