Back when I first started this blog, I had a post on Finding Time to write. This past week has been one of those times when it’s been hard to find time. Part of it is me, I seem to run very much in spurts when it comes to creativity. There are certain times of day I can just sit down and go. It just flows, and I think “Oh man, this is cake to write, I’m so frigging awesome.” Those times always seem to be in the 9-11 am time frame. I’m a morning writer. I just am. At night, as it is now when I write this, I can write, but it doesn’t work well. I don’t know if it’s because I’m just tired after dealing with dayjob (IT) issues, or what, but it doesn’t just flow. Things are harder to hammer out, and thus I find myself doubting myself, and really self editing and censoring myself.
Halfway through this week, I realized I wasn’t going to get as much writing as I wanted done this week. I felt like I had let myself down, and in many ways I still do. My goal is to get this first draft done of CANITUS by the end of May. I think I can still make that, but it’s going to be harder now. I’ve been beating myself up on this all week. It wasn’t that I didn’t get ANY writing done, I did. But not as much as I normally do by far. In addition the fact that what I did write, I’m already not happy with. This as far as writing goes, has not been a good week.
But today I had a thought, and I’m going to stick with it.
It’s OK that I didn’t get as much done on the book this week as I wanted to.
It’s OK.
It’s OK because simply I wasn’t being lazy, I didn’t decided to hang out and watch movies, or video games, or organize my half of the closet.
It’s OK because I was busy with my dayjob, that as much I wish I could support myself and my family on writing, pays the bills.
It’s OK because I was helping my kids with end of the year school projects.
It’s OK because I also played with my kids, went went swimming, I had more than a few lightsaber battles with my son, and more than one cooking and tasting adventure with my daughter.
It’s OK because one evening, I walked away from the computer, and watched a movie with my wife and fell asleep early.
It’s OK.
I was being all those other things than a writer. I was being a father, a husband, an IT manager, and generally a person trying to balance everything.
I love to write. More than I ever expected. I came to this late, but I very much enjoy it. It’s part of who I am, but it’s not ALL I am.
And that.. is OK 🙂
Finding Time to write is important. Vitally. But so is finding time for the people in your life, and unless your blessed to make a living at it, working that day job to support those people, and your writing.
Next week is shaping up to be far better for writing. I won’t be short staffed, and the new boss is backing off some. I’ll make up the time I lost, and should still be on track.
Finding time to write doesn’t for me at least, mean sacrificing the rest of my life. And for me, It’s OK.
