has kissed me…so, I’ve been writing a little. Oh sure, I’ve been scribbling notes here and there all along, but I haven’t really been doing what I consider writing-writing. Comparatively speaking, I wrote quite a bit last year. I wrote lots of stories stuffed with every emotion and then some. Some of those stories I submitted and some I didn’t. The point is, I was writing and that piece of me that feeds my soul was eating as if it were living with a gourmet chef.
As much as I love writing, it can be a slippery slope for me though. I say that only because the need to write is an endless demand of solitary time. Solitary time that’s necessary to create - consumed in one’s own thoughts. And oh how solitary time eats into other parts of my life. I don’t have the same free-time like I did just one year ago, so my time gets gobbled up and I feel more often than not, that I can’t lock myself into a reclusive state of what is being a writer, because…well, because of life.
I’m lucky to have rich things in my life: friends, family, love struggles, work struggles, and all kinds of responsibilities and none of those things really want to share their time with the writer in me. No one usually wants to play second fiddle to solitary writing time. And it’s not an issue of having selfish friends either. You have to nurture relationships or they won’t survive. And to be honest I want to nurture the people in my life that I love and care about. And I’m no different, I want that too. Everyone wants to feel special and important when it comes to those people we care about the most.
Oh, but wait…I can hear writing calling out to me in that low and seductive, bedroom voice…
Yeah, I know what you’re thinking: we all have to make choices. It’s a poetic balancing act, and all of us have the same struggles - we all have to make sacrifices sometimes. I know. I get it. As I start to let writing seduce me a little more, I’m curious, how do you create the time to do that one thing that truly feeds your soul without stepping into writing quick-sand? I mean doesn’t something in your life suffer because of your passion? Please, enlighten me while writing now nibbles at my left ear lobe….
Hungry, curious, and writing -
Neve Black
Ahhh, it’s nice to hear you say you need solitary time, because I suppose I could be writing now, except my naked three year old is drilling my ear with his new drill. Noise and all, it has. It’s not condusive to working, really.
I’m not sure I’ll be much help here, but here goes:
1. I don’t sleep much anyway.
2. I have few friends, though the ones I do have are very close ones.
3. My kids are adults, and take a lot less time than they used to (to Jo’s point.)
4. I really don’t have any choice. I have to write. If I don’t, it definitely affects my peace of mind.
I suppose it all comes down to priorities, as you already stated. We all come from different places, and the choices we make reflect this.
When I started writing regularly (about six years ago) I just carved out some time early every morning, since I’m up so early anyway and the rest of my family is not comprised of morning people. I started out small; a half hour a day. Then I realized that not spending committed time to writing was a gap in my life I needed to fill. Truly something essential that I was missing.
Well, I’ve babbled on enough about this. Hope it helps.
Hi Jo!
Oh, boy…see we all have our own personal writing challenges, right? And yeah, we wouldn’t give them up for all the solitary time in the world.
Me thinks it’s awesome that you have a nekkid, three year-old drilling in your ear, and a writing siren singing the other.
Hi Craig,
“I don’t sleep much anyway…” Hahaha…that in of itself tells me a lot. You don’t need it. I’m a heathen you know. If I could, I’d drink champagne all night and then sleep till’ noon the next day and then write between eating and maybe a little Yoga or cool swim in the pool. I said, if I could. Yeah, that’s not happening though.
You’re correct, it is about making choices and yeah, I think most artists have to do what we do, because it’s who we are. I would probably die if I didn’t write, even if sometimes life only gives me a little smidge of time to do that. It’s a writing feast or writing famine, I suppose.
Good for you for carving out that piece of time in your life - it sounds like you’ve created a good life boat from the falling to far under the writing quick sand. I say, that rocks! And I think you’re my hero.
Thanks for stopping and commenting. I appreciate your good thoughts.
Well, I must say I think this is a challenge for artists of most ilks, I think. We need time to sit and compose our thoughts, the quiet to let our inner muse come out and play. I wish I could offer up advice but I’m just now trying to get a hold on it myself! Of course, at this point in time I don’t have a bunch of local friends so it makes it rather easy
I do know that I, like Craig, have to write for peace of mind. When I don’t write my dreams go all kinds of disturbing.
“…When I don’t write my dreams go all kinds of disturbing….”
Love this, Scarlett. Hugs to you, baby.