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The kids are out of school. No one has to work.
Right?
Uhm, not if you're a writer. Writers making a living at writing are almost always writing. Deadlines are deadlines and if there's a deadline, it may mean you're writing on a holiday.
And if you're not writing, you're scheming, planning, plotting, dreaming.
At least that's how it is with me.
Because of my type-A personality, I have to make myself take a break. Get out of the chair and do "real life" things. I need to do these things because life is the stuff stories are made of.
I can't take my books with me to heaven--but I can take those I love.
Life is about loving those around us and most people spell love T-I-M-E.
If you're the kind of writer that has their nose to the grindstone and is more task-oriented than people-oriented (like me), then you'll have to get wisdom on the issue. Pray about it. Ask the Lord to help you stay balanced.
Our families and friends need us more than our books do. But then, we also have to know when to say "no" so that our writing isn't neglected.
If we seek the Lord first, He will provide all the time we need (not all the time we want). If we delight ourselves in Him, He will give us the desires of our heart, and if that desire is to be balanced, then He will not fail us.
"Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. Be not wise in thine own eyes..."
Proverbs 3:5-7a.
Karla Akins is
a pastor's wife, mother of five, grandma to five beautiful little
girls and author of the best-selling Jacques Cartier (that went #1 on Amazon in its category) and O Canada! Her Story. One of her columns on MNN.com was featured on the CNN homepage. Represented by Hartline Literary Agency, she lives in North Manchester
with her husband, twin teenage
boys with autism, mother-in-law with Alzheimer's and three rambunctious
dogs. When she's not writing she dreams of riding her motorcycle through the
Smoky Mountains.
Very good post. Shows the balance. You're right -- people should be first. However, we also need to realize that what others think are needs for you to spend your time really aren't. Thank you for posting. Jeff Reynolds
ReplyDeleteYes! BALANCE. I'm a little unbalanced. ;-) Working on it!
ReplyDeleteSo right, Karla, but it's really hard to get up when writing. I know the feeling, I feel your pain, the dust bunnies under your couch, the cobwebs in the corners, and the dust pictures, but still I write.
ReplyDeleteI bet my dust bunnies outnumber yours! :-) Hey, we could have a dust bunny Olympics! Yes, the dust, the dust. And still I write, too. I doubt when I'm on my death bead you'll hear me say, "Oh, how I wish I would have dusted more!" But I know I'll have regrets if I don't write -- so write I do! :-) Thanks for posting, Linda.
DeleteI did pick beans this morning, but that's all that I'm doing with them until I get this excruciatingly late chap for Tamera whacked out, treadmilling, and at least two more hours for Mr. Young done on his edit. I took Saturday off. Mostly.
ReplyDeleteTreadmilling. I must, I must, I must add that to my list of "real life" things to do. :-) Write on, Lisa!
DeleteI realized yesterday that I spend a lot of time on setting in my stories, linking it to characterization - or trying to. I wonder: does that correlate with my daily life of spending more time at my computer than with real people? Hmm. Great post, Karla
ReplyDeleteThat's an interesting insight, Davalyn. It would be an intriguing study -- what in our own writing reflects how we interact with people? I know I tend to write protags that are so not like me -- but have qualities I admire. I tend to spend more time on my 'puter than with real people, too. In fact, I'm quite sure if I weren't a pastor's wife, I'd be a hermit. Write on, Davalyn, and thanks for posting!
DeleteI loved this post, Karla! Thanks for reminding us to not only work hard at what God has gifted us to do, but to remember to take those breaks and to share time with family and friends. It's definitely a balance. Aloha! --Cheryl
ReplyDeleteThis is something that's been driven home to me the past few month, and drastically reduced the amount of time I spend on the computer. It's been sooo hard, but I KNEW I had to and the reward has made it all worthwhile...even if it IS tough to remind myself it's okay if those 10 "work" (computer/writing) things didn't get done. Great post, Karla--before reading this I was moaning over all I didN'T get done this weekend because I spent the time with the fam. A good investment!! =] Thanks!!
ReplyDeleteGreat post, Karla. I tend to see-saw when I write. Either I avoid the chair or I spend days at a time in it. Balance seems to be my ever present challenge. Writing may be at the heart of what I love to do, but faith and family are paramount. I will admit tho, that as I get older, I'm not as fastidious about the dust bunnies; I finally figured out that no matter how hard I work to get rid of them, they always come back. :-)
ReplyDelete