Time Thieves

I was discussing with a writing friend how little writing I have managed to do lately. She was having similar problems, so we worked out all the feasible hours we had during a reasonably regular week. From this we removed time to do home and family stuff. It turned out we should have between 15 and 20 hours per week with which to write. IT"S NOT HAPPENING I TELLS YA!
We also wrote a list of known time thieves eg e-mails, phone calls, Internet trawling, kids being lazy, blogging (!) etc. To these time thieves we allocated a distinct time so we could rest assured they would get done but not spend too much time doing them nor do them multiple unnecessary times. So from today I will only blog weekends, jotting a note to myself in between if there's anything I might want to add. Those hours that remain to write are very precious and those who love you will have to understand. For example:
I was telling a friend on Saturday that I had sent my husband to work to make up for hours he took off for a funeral. I was making a joke pretending to be Whipmistress. I'd like to add here that my husband does contract work and if he takes time off we simply don't get paid and secondly that the deceased was a a school mate that my husband had not seen in many years. Anyway my friend (who goes out to work) smiled but said "Oh, that's mean. Why don't you go out and get a job. " Well, of course I was wrong to joke about my good hubby making up the work time but that comment stabbed me right in the gut's. It made me think about going out and doing just that. Of course it played on my guilt and fear but mostly I think because I really am not working- I'm not claiming my 15 hours a week to myself. If I were I could have smiled back and said " Piss Off- I do work!"

Workshop Fun

Attention - This is a plug!
On Sunday Feb 28 my branch of the CBCA is having a children's illustrating and writing workshop for kids aged 8-12. There will a half day or full day option. In the Morning we have the lovely Sue Whiting as author and Dave Hackett AKA Cartoon Dave entertainer extraordinaire and then the afternoon we have Dave in his capacity as a writer and Chris Frogatt, a local writer/ illustrator from our group hosting the illustrating session. Tickets are $20 or $30. For more details Google our group: CBCA Sutherland sub-branch.

I'll have Mine Buttered

Sometimes I meet a new lot of people and I find, in listening to their lives, my world seems very minuscule in comparison. If I were to dress for the part I'd be wearing hessian sacking and chewing on a blade of grass, vacant well-meaning expression on my face. A lot of this comes from spending so much time on the 'inside'. So, I'm trying to broaden some of my exterior horizons. I'm doing German at night school and tonight I went to my first Toastmasters meeting. I'll admit I was scared. I was worried it would be a secret handshake kind of society full of very odd people. Well woman, what was it really like? Ha, ha I'll never tell. By the sign of the sacred five pointed cross, it shall remain forever secret!
Na, not really. Look, everyone was very nice. They don't exactly appear a rollicking lot but on the other hand they did have a sense of humour and were very down to earth. I got to hear lots of short speeches and reassuringly they weren't all brilliant. I'm going to go again at any rate. Perhaps the hooded cloaks will come out next time: I'll let you know. In the meantime for the sake of learning how to give a great speech with confidence or how to run a a formal meeting seamlessly and quickly, Toastmasters seems to have it buttered.

Humble Pie in my Face

Last night I had a most humbling and somewhat depressing experience. I had spent the morning with my critiquing buddy going over some of my picture book stories. One of them, my friend offered to rewrite and e-mail to me later in the day.
This I received in the evening. The whole thing had been pretty well rewritten with just the basic concepts left intact, so it was quite different to the original. Despite my friends hard work, I still much preferred my own version and decided to show my husband the two. I realised he had no recollection of the original story so on a whim I didn't tell him which was which. This was so my ego could experience the gratification of his liking mine better which was obviously going to happen. I am sure you can tell what happened next- yes, he preferred my buddy's and thought it was mine! So I was twice devastated- one that mine wasn't perceived clearly as the better and secondly that he couldn't tell by the style which was mine.
Upon reflection (after a small sulk) I guess there was a lot to learn from that. Some of which is: 1.Your ego is not your friend. 2. Just because it's your brilliant idea doesn't mean you wrote it well.3.If you ask for help, you'll probably get it so be prepared for changes!

Oh Hardy-Ha

I've no doubt the universe has a great sense of humour. This week no doubt had it doubled over in great tear-rending guffaws as I attempted to get all serious about writing. Whilst trying to write, the fridge broke down, the possums ate all of the newly planted veges, the carport flooded, my son lost his glasses and we had to get new ones and it also became apparent he would benefit from a new school so I had interviews, forms, tours and uniforms to buy.
My brother visited sometime during this chaos. I'm sure I very graciously received his wisdom on writing since he is training to be a life-coach and is my baby brother (sorry Mark!). He did finish the visit by adding "Can you just hurry up and get published. I want to have a famous author as a sister." No worries mate, if you'll just step in and run the rest of my life, I'll nip off and get these novels done!
Do I sound like a spoiled brat that I want peace and quiet and time to myself? I'm sure I do since many authors have written under far greater adversity than my little domestic one. I can only say that as a recent beginner in many ways I need time to slip into my world and wrap it around myself like a blanket. That's for fantasy anyway. I have no troubles fitting in some non-fiction writing around every day obstacles. I mean look at me right now- I'm writing this and I have a ball and three plates balanced on my nose and am playing a violin with my left foot.
I did get some writing done. Unfortunately it was like peering in at my fantasy world from outside and through a dirty window. Let me in!
Meanwhile it's time to send more children's picture book stories off to the publisher. Apparently they don't come knocking at your door. But I intend that's what they'll eventually be doing!