Writing on the brain
I've mentioned before how I get a little..."obsessed" with a book project when I'm almost done working on it. That's been the case with a couple of book projects I have been working on this month. The essay collection was nearing the end of the editing rounds. The first book in a new middle-grade series was also nearing completion. So I started "putting the heavy" on these projects so that I could wrap them up and finish them by the time the month of March was over.
But apparently, I ended up finishing them sooner. Yay!
In order to ensure I had more time to work on them, I stopped blogging so much (and reading everybody else's blogs), stopped reading so many postings (and responding to certain posts) on the Absolute Write Water Cooler, stopped TRYING to read my hundreds of emails in my numerous email accounts, stopped working on EVERYTHING ELSE (short stories, songs, poems), and just used EVERY free moment I had to work on these books.
At some point, I got worried I was a little "TOO" obsessed with working on these books. Sure I'm pleased I was able to finish them even before the deadline of March 31st, but I was worried that I was just too wrapped up with working on my books to have much of a social life or anything else. I missed church so I could work on them. I missed the usual date of sending out my monthly update so I could work on them. I didn't go out very often. I rarely called up any of my family. I just..."disappeared."
I kept telling myself "this, too, shall pass." And even as I know that's true, even as I try to get my books edited/written and get all caught up with projects just NOT getting finished, I kept worrying that maybe I'm letting the "writer" have more control over the "wife" or "sister" or "mother." It's an ongoing battle to keep that writer in me in check. To make sure that it DOESN'T get too much control over me. I guess I have been able to control that obsession so far. Just let it have SOME power over me, but not too much. And I have to continue to make sure it won't have too much control over me, either. Yes, the writing is important to me, but my kids are MOST important. So it got to where if I wasn't writing, I was spending time with them. And not doing much else, either.
At least, not until I get through this madness of getting all caught up.
But apparently, I ended up finishing them sooner. Yay!
In order to ensure I had more time to work on them, I stopped blogging so much (and reading everybody else's blogs), stopped reading so many postings (and responding to certain posts) on the Absolute Write Water Cooler, stopped TRYING to read my hundreds of emails in my numerous email accounts, stopped working on EVERYTHING ELSE (short stories, songs, poems), and just used EVERY free moment I had to work on these books.
At some point, I got worried I was a little "TOO" obsessed with working on these books. Sure I'm pleased I was able to finish them even before the deadline of March 31st, but I was worried that I was just too wrapped up with working on my books to have much of a social life or anything else. I missed church so I could work on them. I missed the usual date of sending out my monthly update so I could work on them. I didn't go out very often. I rarely called up any of my family. I just..."disappeared."
I kept telling myself "this, too, shall pass." And even as I know that's true, even as I try to get my books edited/written and get all caught up with projects just NOT getting finished, I kept worrying that maybe I'm letting the "writer" have more control over the "wife" or "sister" or "mother." It's an ongoing battle to keep that writer in me in check. To make sure that it DOESN'T get too much control over me. I guess I have been able to control that obsession so far. Just let it have SOME power over me, but not too much. And I have to continue to make sure it won't have too much control over me, either. Yes, the writing is important to me, but my kids are MOST important. So it got to where if I wasn't writing, I was spending time with them. And not doing much else, either.
At least, not until I get through this madness of getting all caught up.
posted by Dawn Wilson @ 10:45 AM
2 Comments:
At 7:42 AM ,
Jana B said...
That sounds like a LOT to try and keep in balance!!!
Congrats on getting your projects done EARLY! You go girl!!!!
At 3:09 PM ,
Dawn Wilson said...
Thank you SO MUCH!! :) Now it appears I'm falling a bit behind in getting Draft 2 typed up. Eek!
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