Thank you for joining us for the fourth installment of our conversation with author Linda Paulson Adams. If you missed parts one, two or three, click on these links to get caught up.
Linda, I know you’re a busy mom. How many children do you have?
Six. Three boys and three girls, ranging from ages sixteen to five. That means two in high school, one in middle school, two in elementary, and one in preschool. Busy.
How do you balance motherhood and writing, art, and all the other things you do?
Ah, the age-old question of balance. As a Christian, for me, putting God first in my life is the key to balancing everything else I do. I live by three basic, daily guidelines: prayer, scripture study, and asking for the Spirit to be with me each day. Then I try to follow that guidance to the best of my ability. If I lose track of those simple things (which happens–I’m not perfect), believe me, the imbalance comes on fast. And it’s no picnic. But even a little effort in the right direction brings me back on track.
That said, there’s still practical time management to deal with every day. I’m the same as any other mom–I spend hours each week masquerading as a taxi, and I’m used to last-minute schedule changes and frequent applications of Murphy’s Law. But thanks to a marvelous woman named Marla Cilley, AKA “FlyLady.” I’ve learned helpful, simple routines that manage the humdrum boring stuff in life with ease. She’s wonderful for creative minds like mine that don’t naturally organize things. I absolutely do not believe in “creative chaos”–in fact, if I’m surrounded by chaos, it dulls my mind and energy like nothing else. Her system works to eliminate that. Of course, with eight people living under one roof, some daily disarray is unavoidable–but I can tidy up in fifteen minutes, get healthy dinners on the table, have time for my husband and kids, and still find room for my creative pursuits, with the help of solid routines.
The keys to success really do lie in scheduling and planning–no matter what it is you hope to accomplish. The saying, “If you fail to plan, plan to fail,” is so true. I meet lots of people who tell me they dream of writing a book someday. Why someday? Don’t put off your dreams. None of us knows how long we’ll be here.
I make simple plans with realistic schedules, and stick to them as best as I can. I’ve learned, when it comes to goals, to make use of the Serenity Prayer and make goals I’m actually in control of. I hear lots of new writers set goals like this: “Get published in 2007.” But if you think about it, you’re not actually in control of whether an editor will like your work or not this year–so that’s not realistic. A good, controllable statement goes more like: “Submit five short story manuscripts by July.” That’s something you can plan out and get done on your own, independent of anyone else’s opinion.
What things inspire you most in your life?
Music is at the top of that list. My taste in music is fairly diverse, and I choose what I like mostly by how the song or artist makes me feel, or how I relate to the voice. I definitely have favorite voices. I can be having a bad day, put on some favorite songs, and instantly relax. If I don’t want to get to work and “just do it,” the right music helps me overcome that too. If I’m down or discouraged, there’s nothing like the hymns to get me back on track spiritually and get things back into their proper perspective.
I have a wonderful husband, and a number of good friends who keep me going. They inspire me so much. Their lives inspire me. I can’t say enough about how important it is to surround yourself with good people, who love you and encourage you, who help you dream and live those dreams. Self-esteem comes from deep inside yourself, that’s true. But having people in your life who accept you for who you are, as you are, is such a blessing.
And if I hit a bad writers’ block, I can pop in a favorite DVD and let the story recharge my batteries. I love movies. A great movie can really do that for me. My favorites run from Lord of the Rings to Casablanca to Rat Race. No accounting for that, is there?
And beauty–wherever I happen to find it. I’m one who does stop and smell flowers, or who can be mesmerized by a gorgeous sunset to the point of forgetting to get on the freeway. Whoops.
You know, that could be a little bit of an oops there, but I bet the sunset made up for it.
Thanks for joining us – we’ll conclude our conversation tomorrow. In the meantime, be sure to check out Linda’s site.
