Sunday, November 25, 2001 ( 4:16 PM ) Linda's Secret

I have a secret to share today. I have such a hard time getting started with my writing each day! I spend the day doing research and reading books about writing, doing silly (but helpful) writing exercises, and the other essential stuff of daily life for the stay at home mom - like chatting with the kids, petting the cats, washing the dishes, cleaning the house. It all adds up to a very busy day. By the time evening comes around, I'm too tired to do any writing with the kids making noise, the TV blasting, dogs running back and forth (because we bring them in every night)... and I fritter the evening hours away without getting my writing work done. It isn't until the kids go to bed and the house gets quiet that I can write.

Last night Keith wanted my attention. First he wanted to talk about the budget. I *hate* talking about money, but when he mentioned that he wanted to talk about getting Paint Shop Pro and a new printer, he got my attention. He knows what I like. After that, he was practicing his guitar and came up with some new tunes which he wanted me to listen to. You know how it goes. I got very little done, and nothing done on my novel until he decided to go to sleep at 1 am.

So there I was. 1 am... and the only work I'd done on my novel all day was one of Alicia Rasley's writing exercise/preparation pages... (I love her stuff)... and at that early morning hour I decided to see what I could write before I passed out. Well, I'm happy to report I wrote an entire chapter (2000 words, for this book)...!!! And that's the way my writing usually goes. I wait until the last minute, then race through it just before sleeping. Once I actually came very close to falling asleep at the keyboard, but usually I don't mind staying up late. Anyhow, that's my normal day (and night).

Once I actually wrote 1500 words on The Scribe of Irohila earlier in the day and I noticed that it was easier and my writing seemed better to me. I am toying with the idea of doing the revision writing earlier in the day, when I get ready to do it... but can I change old habits like that? I have a busy, noisy family that homeschools, and working during the day means distractions.

Well, thanks for listening.

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