I went to school to be a teacher. In fact, I have a B.S. in Education, not journalism.
Due to the hours and holidays, teaching is traditionally thought to be the best work for a mother who wants to keep one foot in the mommy-door and one foot in the career-door. This thought, paired with my love for children and learning, led me to life inside the schoolhouse doors.
Soon though, writing, not teaching, became my real "full time job," and it's been years since I set foot behind a teacher's podium.
There are times I miss teaching and regret I haven't used my diploma more, but who am I kidding? -- freelance writing has to be the best situation for a stay-at-home mother: I get paid, I do something I love, and I don't leave the kids. What's more? I can stay in my pajamas all morning!
Sometimes people ask if the lack of structure and absence of a physical "office" bother me and make it hard to concentrate. Sure, I get sidetracked watching a great episode of Rolie Polie Olie with my son every now and then, and I take long, leisurely breaks to chat on the phone or go to lunch, but this isn't because I "work at home," it's because I'm an artist.
I only write when inspired and when it "feels right." Even if I sat behind a desk all day, I'd still piddle around and get distracted -- it's my nature to jump from project-to-project, then zero-in on a particular piece when the mood strikes me. This is the artist in me. Just as a painter cannot be told, "Paint, now!" a writer cannot sit in front of a blank screen and expect great things to flow.
My best pieces, in fact, are written while I do such things as stand in line at the grocery store and wait at a red light, or during a commercial break from Oprah.
As I'm sure any artist can relate, I usually get a "feeling" when I have a great story brewing in my mind. This is, I think, the blessing and curse of creativity, because sometimes that "feeling" comes in the middle of a dinner party or at two o'clock in the morning and I have to race to find paper and jot my thoughts down. My husband has grown accustomed to me running in the door, heading straight to the computer and yelling as I go, "Can't talk....got a story on my mind....need to get it on paper!"
So, while I love this profession for its adaptability with the children and being a mother, sometimes the unpredictable nature of my creativity poses a few problems. For instance, if inspiration causes me to stay up until 3 a.m. writing a great column, I'm little use to my high-energy children a few hours later when they get up at the crack-of-dawn.
Yes, I have the luxury of lounging in my pajamas and not going to an "office," but I struggle with the spontaneous nature of this business and the chaotic schedule it sometimes poses for my children and me.
I guess though, even if things were different and my life was more structured, I'd still be a fly-by-the-seat-of-my-pants kind of girl...that's just the life of an artist.
About The Author
++You may reprint the above column on your website so long as the following is included the URL address is actively hyperlinked back++
THIS MUST BE INCLUDED: Copyright 2004 Sarah Smiley http://www.sarahsmiley.com - Sarah Smiley's syndicated column Shore Duty appears weekly in newspapers across the country.
one time home cleaning Highland Park ..One of the biggest problems that inexperienced writers have is... Read More
Having problems writing? I don't know why. San Francisco Chronicle... Read More
What is a freelance grant writer? These individuals have a... Read More
Maybe you should write a book! This is not as... Read More
BAITED, BATEDBaited usually refers to traps or snares. When the... Read More
In order to be successful with a newsletter, specialize in... Read More
Creative Writing Tips ?I have said above that if a... Read More
Writing is hard work, and like all hard work, one... Read More
In this article you will find tips on: How to... Read More
All writers should use a plan whether written or reflected.... Read More
Eight or nine times out of ten, picking up and... Read More
Creative Writing Tips ?When an idea comes to us for... Read More
Once you've plotted out your book, developed the characters and... Read More
Beginning writers often tend to think of a book as... Read More
Peter Abrahams is the author of thirteen novels, including "The... Read More
For several years before I left teaching to write full... Read More
Writing better is critical for students. But it's even more... Read More
It never ceases to amaze me when a prospective writer... Read More
Creative Writing Tips ?Whichever theme you choose, all the elements,... Read More
Mix a martini, don't forget the olives, or pour yourself... Read More
Most writers are familiar with first and third points of... Read More
Authors need to write their book according to their target... Read More
On my first newspaper assignment as a critic, I was... Read More
In large publishing houses, many manuscripts penned by first-time authors,... Read More
If you dream of turning your book into a best... Read More
licensed cleaning services Park Ridge ..A few magazines refer to their written idea sources in... Read More
You have a new website, or a new business, or... Read More
Today Norm Goldman, Editor of sketchandtravel and bookpleasures is honored... Read More
Your query letter can be a deal maker or a... Read More
Imagine a three hundred page book was in the author's... Read More
I???ve spoken to hundreds of editors, employers, and project managers... Read More
Kallu was a tenant of Santosh Kumar Nayak. Santosh Kumar... Read More
Remember back in the dark days of your school years... Read More
1 - Join a reading or writing group. Ask members... Read More
There is no specific formula for children's fiction. There are,... Read More
For several years before I left teaching to write full... Read More
Rudolf Flesch, a specialist in writing skills, ran classes... Read More
Beginning writers often tend to think of a book as... Read More
My bookcase take up one whole wall in the family... Read More
Creative Writing Tips ?I have said above that if a... Read More
How to avoid mistakes that undermine your credibilityYou're probably already... Read More
Writing engaging articles and energizing ad copy takes... Read More
You may not remember this, but in the early days... Read More
Congratulations on writing your first book. That is quite an... Read More
If you either want to write a book to help... Read More
As you set out to create your first niche non-fiction... Read More
If you find your sentences filled with commas, and they... Read More
As an editorial professional, I'm sure you're aware of the... Read More
Are you ready to abandon your short stories? Before you... Read More
As one of those fabulous Baby Boomers, you now own... Read More
Writing |