An ebook that is always free

As part of Read an E-Book Week, I’ll be featuring ebooks here on this blog. Three of them will be my own ebooks, but I’ll be sure to include a couple of others. The books featured here are only available as ebooks and not in print format as well. It’s my way of staying true to promoting actual ebooks during Read an E-Book Week!



The fifth ebook I’d like to promote for Read an E-Book Week is my free ebook, Survival Strategies for Writing Parents. This ebook is always available as a free download from my web site. I wrote this ebook when I was working as a journalist/freelance writer and I feel that some of the advice still applies to writing parents. (These days, I don't condone being so uninterested in meeting deadlines.) Thankfully, today's technology makes it easier for writing parents to get more things done. 

I may revise/update this ebook at a later time but for now it is available for free as-is.

Survival Strategies for Writing Parents
Self-pubbed, 2006
Ebook, 22 ppg.
Link

 
Synopsis:
Finally! A resource for writing parents that gives it to them straight from the trenches! Trying to manage a writing career with children underfoot may seem impossible but it doesn’t have to be! This little collection of essays will guide writing parents who struggle to find time to write, manage a home office and work around obstacles to ultimately find success as a writer.



Excerpt:

When “Take Your Child to Work Day” is Every Day

Parents writing from home often find it difficult to keep their writer side balanced. The bad news: You’re a parent 24/7 but also a writer 24/7 because writers are always thinking. How do you keep one afloat while staying true to the other? That’s where the good news comes in: The task is darn near impossible, but just as conquerable.

Keep in mind that just because you’re a writer, you can’t turn off being a parent. The same goes in reverse. You have to figure out a way to lead this double life of cooking for your kids, cleaning up after them (and the house!), getting to the PTA meetings and soccer practice all while managing to meet your deadlines, work on an assignment, write a chapter and interview sources. Just that list could make the uninitiated run away screaming and swear off the job of trying to write from home with children underfoot. But for the serious writing parent willing to work around schedules, do without and be a little creative, the task can be done.

Here’s how:

Make both jobs a priority.

I’m not saying you need to be a superhuman willing to do it all. You can’t. No matter what people tell you, you can NOT do it all! I’m only suggesting you go easy on yourself and do something for the writing here, something for the parenting there. Yes, I am saying you need to do both things at once. I’m saying you need to work on your assignments while, at the same time, committing yourself to the parenting duties. For example, I’m constantly jumping in and out of my seat as I work, typing a paragraph, getting up to get my child some juice, typing another paragraph, then stopping again to admire a picture she drew. There are also times I’ll be typing with one hand as I entertain my child on my lap with the other, talk to her about what I am doing while she curiously examines the screen. I’ll even write a first draft in my notebook at the dinner table then type it all up after she goes to bed. That’s just the way it is.

If you have little ones, you can’t lock yourself in a room and work all day. That’s not possible. You need to give attention to your kids just as you do for your writing. Take some time out to talk with them, ask about their day and even compliment something they’re wearing. It’s the little things that can make a big difference.