Right on time
I am not going back to work this year to my delightful, part-time, very low paying job. Nope, I’m going to stay home all the time, talk to no one at all and write full-time and make even less money.
Decisions are precarious things. Some are important and some are not. This one was important.
If I didn’t give myself all the hours that my kids are in school to devote to writing my essays, my novel, pitches and to developing ideas, I’d never know what the potential was. And I need to know. At the end of the year, which to me is next summer, if the writing efforts aren’t paying off, or working in the direction of paying off, I’ll get another kind of job. I probably won’t write any less, or give it any less effort, I’ll just be doing something else as well.
I know that most writers have a day job, until they don’t. I know I’m fortunate to be able to take this time to devote solely to what I want to do. I know some writers never get that chance. I’m lucky. HA. I promise if you look up ‘lucky’ in Wikipedia you will NOT see my photo.
But there was a roadblock to my nirvana. The routine. The schedule. The making sure that I didn’t spend the next year watching morning television (did you know the Today show is on til 11?) followed by afternoon television (ABC soaps are my best friend) followed by making dinner (2 hours to cook, 10 minutes to eat) and then going to bed (by 10).
So I asked a few – a very few – friends. I read many – very many – writer sites and blogs. I rearranged an office space and employed a bit of feng shui to set the mood. And I came up with this, knowing full well that at any given moment, a kid or a dog could throw up and all bets would be off.
Wake-up between 6 and 6:30: Coffee, read blogs, blog myself, make lunches, do the wake-up the kid tricks, deal with the dogs, eat breakfast, shower, dress, drink more coffee.
8:30: Drop off daughter at school
8:30 to 10:00: Errands, more coffee, housework
10:00 to noon: Fiction
Noon: Assess need for lunch – eat or not – check email – blogs etc.
1:00 – 3:00: Check to-do list (which is long). Work on on-going pitches, essays, ideas etc. Do whatever writing or editing needs to be done. Follow up with editors.
3:00 to infinity: Pick up from school, do kid stuff, dog stuff, dinner stuff, homework stuff and whatever stuff of my own can fit in.
Now this might seem like a no-brainer, but it took me a while to realize I couldn’t sit down at 8:30 and start writing. I would be better off getting something else accomplished first, so that the refrigerator was full or the floor was vacuumed or I’ve seen a girlfriend for coffee.
I want nothing hanging over my head when I sit down to work. Oh right, nothing hanging in the balance except — the rest of my life.
So far (since last Thursday anyway), this has worked out well. It seems my epiphany of a schedule has hit me right at the right time.
My time.
Looks good. Makes sense. I’m impressed. But you will sub if needed, won’t you???
First I was a full-time teacher. Then I had kids and was a mom and a part-time writer. Now I’ll sub (until I get a classroom again) and write on the side. I’m nothing if not flexible. Sort of. Good luck in your endeavour.
I envy you huge – I would love to do that!! I love writing although I am no writer!
I think your schedule sounds great! Good luck to you and I rrrreally hope at the end of the year when you asses you decide to stay with it!!
Your schedule looks great to me. Yes, much too hard to hit the ground running in creative type work. Best to ease in, ease out. Good luck, I hope the new schedule works well for you.
I love the look of your new blog, btw. Gorgeous.
I often do better getting other things done first. Though sometimes I leave housework for the break in between writing and editing.
I agree you’re very lucky to get to stay home and do this. I stay home as well. I’ve had people (even people who know all the details of my situation) who think I should go out and get a real job, but even if I didn’t have to jump the hurdles I would have to jump, it’s silly for me to fit into someone else’s view of “productive.”
We crunched the numbers and for a part time job, I would barely turn a profit, and would be working for about $2.00 an hour when all was said and done. Um…no. I don’t even think so. Not when my husband just got a raise, and we can just be frugal. (Since not working allows someone the TIME to be frugal.)
A full time job would take me away from my writing so much that I don’t believe I could achieve the level of success that I want to have. I understand that many writers work full time and write, even published authors. But I believe it’s often to their career detriment, because you just don’t have the time to work, take care of a house, cook, write, edit, AND market effectively.
To me, working right now is a far greater gamble than not working. But I’m doing my stuff on my own and have a few business-y things I’m trying to start, so I can build in some financial solvency for myself.
Eek that was long. And some of it I told you already.