I wake up early in the morning, but not too early, maybe between 7am and 8am. I get up, take a shower, have breakfast, and then I sit down at my computer and write until I can write no more or my stomach begins to growl. There are no interruptions, and I am free to stay there until the job is done. That would be my ideal writing day. That is not my current writing day.
My current system is more like this: I wake up between 4am and 6am to breastfeed my newborn daughter, after getting to sleep at around 1am when she finally settles. We go back to sleep for an hour or so, and then I have to get up and deal with my toddler when she wakes. I spend the morning doing ‘motherly’ and ‘housewifely’ chores which include changing nappies, feeding the children, doing the laundry, washing dishes and whatever housework takes precedence on that particular day.
My toddler attends preschool three days per week, so I try to use this time for my computer work. I don’t really get much writing done at the moment. By the time I have soothed the baby and dealt with my need for food and drink (greatly increased because of the breastfeeding), and I have made sure my daughter’s nappies are washed and drying on the line or the airer depending on weather, I seem to lose my day. I barely manage to skim through my emails and respond to the most urgent ones, try and update my blogs, and do some freelance work.
I am resigned to my fate for now. I wanted to have children, and I adore my two daughters. I could not be without them. My writing can wait. I have a whole lifetime in which to create my masterpieces, and I already have four published. I have several notebooks scattered around the house that I can refer to when the mood takes me. For now I am satisfied if I can keep my blogs up to date, and I will simply write as and when I find the time and my mood is right. I am gearing up to attempt NaNoWriMo this year. That will be a challenge indeed…
*Image courtesy of
Natalia Sylvester blog
