03 Aug 2006 09:24 AM

She Writes...

Reading and writing are my lifelong passion.  Unfortunately, I have to be creative about finding the time to enjoy either one.  We're a family of five and there is usually some crisis or event where Wonder Mom is expected to appear. 

"Honey, where are my tee shirts?"

"Mom, he's bothering me while I'm on the computer."

"No, I'm not.  She won't let me watch her play the game. I just wanna watch."

"Mom, you said you'd pluck my eyebrows for me and while you're at it could you braid my hair."

Sometimes, I just turn up the music, lock my bedroom door, focus on my laptop, and  pretend I'm somewhere else.  There must be some place where the clothes are always clean, we can each have our own hiding space, and when we wake up we're fabulously gorgeous. Realistically, I must find that  hiding space.

Well, now you know, She Babbles.  The question still remains, "What does She Write?"

For several years, I've written short stories and essays.  I like to experiment with various genres to test my abilities. Writing short stories (from flash fiction to novelettes) is fun, I treat it like a game.  I challenge myself to squeeze as much detail as I can within the word restriction.  Did I say short stories were fun to write? I meant torture.  It is pure torture, for someone who likes to talk as much as I do, to be restricted by word count. 

Most often, writing essays work well because I can write until I have run out of things to write about; and then edit.  I tend to write like I speak; the words flow smoothly from my brain to my fingers.  Unfortunately, my typing is not always as fast as my thoughts, so I'm usually drowning in post-its.

Earlier, I mentioned word count.  A three hundred page book like King's, The Cell, can be a challenge. When my children were babies, I could find time to read during their naps. Now, (they are 17, 10, and 7) I find that I need a nap to keep up with them.  Everything has to be scheduled or it simply won't get done because I will forget.  What happened to my memory?  After the first child, my brain has never been the same.  Sometimes, I forget what I'm saying in the middle of a conversation.  It's quite embarassing, but I've learned to laugh it off.   

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Megan Bayliss (3586) 04 Aug 2006 11:07 PM

FANTASTIC. Oh how I can relate. I am now trying to write in 15 minute blocks and post it to my journal daily. If I don't do it, the clothes, floors, lunches etc, take on more importance. After 24 years of doing all those things I'm just completely over it and figure that it's now my time to write. I've just had a children's chapter book published so its paid off. Now though I don't want to have to go out to work, I just want to write, write, write, in my nightie, when I want and not have to worry about paying the bills.

Like you, my brain became pitted once child one was born and it never quiet filled out again!!!!! In fact, after four pitting beatings it became completely eaten away! But, what I've found since writing daily is that my mind goes so fast that I often leave words out (they probably fall through the brain holes). I can't type as fast as I think and therefore I often end up typing the word that's in my head right at that moment. Sure makes for curious editing!!!!!!

In my journals I'm working my way through the alphabet. Tomorrow I'll journal around "F". I form a story around the first "F" word that comes into my brain and write for 15 minutes before I edit or develop. I love it becase it underwhelmes me rather than giving me too much poetic licence to create epic novels. I change styles to suit the short story formation and the household needs at the time.

I'm going to subscribe to your journal if that's okay so that I can read your entrys when you post them. I would LOVE you to give me critiques on any of my entrys too.

Take care and thank you very much for allowing me into your private space.

Megan