When I first started writing as my career, I had two small children. Basically, my salary at my old job wouldn't cover daycare and plus I wanted to be home those early years. My youngest was four in 2005 when I sold my first novel to Loose Id. I had started writing more seriously about three years before that. I wrote as I could.
When they started school, I started getting even more serious. I've always looked at writing as not just my hobby but my job. I'm not a fast writer so I had to be a steady writer. I tried to write every day. At least 5 days a week, if not 7 days a week.
Up until now, that's worked pretty well.
I've always had the problem of getting scattered. Where I don't feel as though I'm concentrating on anything. If I had too many stories started, I felt scattered. I do think that's one thing going on now. I have three other stories I'm itching to revise and find homes for. I think that's one thing that's been playing into my lack of writing. I've also gotten really busy with personal things and volunteer time. Had some family issues. All this had led to me feeling scattered.
The writing has not been going fast enough. It's been stalled.
So what did I do?
Instead of aiming for writing 5 days a week, if not seven, I'm aiming for three. I designate "office hours" and say, "Here I will write."
Oddly enough, I'm writing as much in those three days that I would in five to seven. I'm not having great weeks but I am having good writing weeks. The story is moving better than it was. And I do think the down time on the story helped it. This is one novel that didn't want to be rushed. It wanted time to simmer.
Not sure how long I will keep the hours or when I will go back to writing more days a week. For the finish of this story, will definitely keep it that way.
So there you have it. I'm writing again. I also was reminded how much I love my job recently. How much I love having a writing career. Definitely helps to keep me going.
Mechele Armstrong aka Lany of Melany Logen
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