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Wednesday, April 13, 2011

K is for killing the inspiration.

No matter how experienced a writer you are one of the first and lasting bits of advice you are given is to have a notebook and pen wherever you go. You are also advised to sit and 'free write', as in write down the first things that come into your head wherever possible. This is easier said than done, often I have notebook, pen, desk, mid-sentence and 'Mummy can I..' Any attempt to delay said ... results in moans and groans which mean in the end you give in, even if you leap up and get the ... immediately by the time you return the thoughts have gone and inspiration lost.

I have now vowed to try and do the free writing first thing in the morning of after they have gone to bed, the novels and so on have to happen as and when and due to the number of interruptions require a lot more editing, even writing a shortish blog post can take up to an hour sometimes. When the weather is good the writing is easier, the office re-located to the garden and the kids happy. Of course come September all three will be off to school and I will have regular writing time. In the meantime I will goof around with games on the PC (Sorry facebook friends who don't like farm or frontierville, join up it's fun!) and read, lots of reading and dream of the days when I can sit and write for a whole two hours with only my own daydreams to interrupt me.

4 comments:

Tim Atkinson said...

Ah, too many words, too little time... will it ever be any different?

Hart Johnson said...

This was the origin of me writing in the bathtub. In there, nobody can ask me for anything... My kids are a little older, but I started when they were 10 and 6--had to steal the time where I could... once I got the older reading for herself in the evening, I got in the tub... if there was an emergency, dad was out there and couldn't claim I ought to get out to get them whatever... I can TYPE distracted, but not create.

Angela said...

What's funny is that when I first read your headline: K is for killing the inspiration. My first thought was, this has GOT to be about children. And it was, so how's that for inspiration?

I write with munchkins round my ankles too, and I always feel bad that I don't get more done. Nice to know I'm not the only one.

Mel said...

Thanks all for dropping and letting me know I am not the only one out there struggling with it! I want to be there for the kids but I want to write as well, I guess I only get one shot at being their mum but the rest of my days to write so for the next little while I have to make do with being frustrated.