Wednesday, February 07, 2007

Am I Crazy?



Lots of people I know come home from their day jobs, have supper, help the kids with the homework, then kick back and watch a couple favorite t.v. shows, read a book, or indulge in a good board game.

Then there's me.

I work the day job, go home, have supper, fire up the laptop, help the kiddies with the homework, write a little, throw in a load of laundry, go back and write some more, get the kids ready for bed, and sneak in a few extra minutes of writing. After all, I only have four hours to work with from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. And while four hours might crawl at work, they fly by in the evenings.

Last night, sitting on the couch with my laptop, I thought, "Am I crazy?" I don't come home and relax in front of the t.v. or crack open a book or sit in my chair and do some knitting. And you know what? I sort of envy the people that get to do that. I work an eight-hour job, come home and do all the normal routines (kids, supper, housework) and then get right back to work with my writing.

I know I'm not alone. A lot of writers do this - work the day job, come home and take care of the family, and squeeze in some writing time, either in the morning before work or after the kids are in bed.

There are times, though, that I wish I could come home and just relax - do all the normal routines, but then know that I have a few hours to kick back and read a book, play a game, watch a t.v. show, etc. But the writing is always there, hovering at the back of my mind. You should be writing. You want to be writing. Go write!

So I write. And hope that one day, this crazy routine will stop and the day job will be my novel writing so that I can have those few hours in the evening to spend with my family without worrying about the writing. Idealistic? Probably. I'm sure there will be many times when I'm on deadline that I have to ignore the evening activities and plant myself in front of the computer.

So to answer the question, yes, I am crazy. But I'm a writer. For me, the two go hand in hand.

12 comments:

  1. I write full time, and I feel very fortunate to be able to do so. But the truth is that I hardly ever sit down and relax in the evenings.

    My mornings are spent answering emails and blogging, and sometimes going over what I wrote the day before. After lunch, I start new composition. But I get most of my actual work done in the evenings, between 8 and midnight.

    The only TV I watch at night is Lost, and when that's not new, I don't watch anything. I haven't finished reading a single book yet this calendar year. I work all the time, because when I'm not working, I feel like I should be. I'm starting to think I have a problem. ;-)

    I admire you and other working parent/writers more than you could possibly imagine. I can't begin to understand how you organize your time to make sure there's enough for everything. I hope your hard work pays off very soon. ;-)

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  2. But maybe writing IS your relaxation :-) I used to spend my weekend evenings and holidays writing when I had an f/t job (it burned me out so badly I was a basketcase each evening).

    It's all a matter of perspective.

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  3. This is the first year I have been able to relax in the evenings in seven years. It feels fantastic. I think you need to take a break every so often. Just for your sanity.

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  4. I write full time and I haven't watched TV in years, but I don't miss it at all. I juggle -- kids, cats, dog, hubby, house, etc. -- and I squeeze in the writing wherever I can, whenever I can. And if I DO have free time to do something else, I don't want to. Nothing makes me happier than tapping away on my keyboard as I work on a good story -- It COMPLETES ME (eek! Can't believe I just said that, lol...)

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  5. Yes, you are crazy. But not because you write after work LOL. I did the same thing when I worked full time. As an SAHM, my friends ask me if I watch Ellen or the View or one of those other daytime shows. I don't watch any daytime t.v. because I could be writing. I think how much more I would enjoy being home if I didn't have to worry about writing. But I'm a writer, I don't have a choice and neither do you.

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  6. You're nto crazy! You are goal orientated! Good for you!

    Do have a break now and again to recharge though.

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  7. Anonymous11:08 PM

    I feel crazy too. This week alone I have spent over 20 hours already after work and after family time writing and editing.

    Amateur writing is an insane "leisure" activity.

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  8. I'm definitely a morning writer, so I haul my butt out of bed at 5:45 am to write until 8:30. Most people seem to think that's crazy but after spending 8 hrs in a cubicle, my brain is too fried to be overly brilliant. Plus it means I can kick back and relax with tv or a book and not worry that I haven't done my writing for the day.

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  9. Are you interested in participating in a blog tour for Tricia Goyer's new book? Email me at amy@triciagoyer.com. (I am her assistant) :) Love your blogs-great old photos

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  10. Some would say ALL writers are a bit crazy...

    ...but I like these adjectives: dedicated; ambitious; active; interesting; creative.

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  11. Anonymous7:37 AM

    Since I finished the draft of my novella, I've got some "free time" on my hands. I have no idea what to do with it, lol!

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