The week just gone was a tough one in many ways. My job pushed me to breaking point, and was an all around un-enjoyable experience which has really made me start to question a few things.
One the writing front, time just wasn’t on my side. The kids were awake around 5 am (on average) each morning and even at 03.45 on Friday. This means I have edited on a handful of pages of my manuscript and have fallen behind. The deadline is only one of my own making but I still get very hard on myself at times. I am thinking of taking the advice offered by a friend of mine – LauraLynn Elliott – and to set myself a goal based around time rather than a specific word count.
I had hoped to have the novel ready by now, and I guess, in a way it is. I am now just doing the last line edit to get it into fighting shape. This is the part I struggle with the most, and am most prone to second guessing myself. I will get there, of that I have no doubt. It just takes time. I guess it is true what they say, Patience is a virtue.
For my other goals, things are moving forward. I have no real set deadline or pace for them. I am reading blog posts, and further developing the skeleton of my secret project. I have ready every day and hope to finish the second Dexter novel today. He really is a great character.
Well, I am going to have to close this post out now. The kids are all awake and my daily window has once again closed.
I hope you are all having a great week and that the round is going from strength to strength for you.
Official Site of Alex Laybourne - Author 
Patience is an 8 letter word that is easy to say and very hard to achieve, most especially with young children. But they do grow very quickly. Seems like only yesterday that my 25 year old was a toddler resisting all my efforts at potty training.
As frustrating as a lack of time can be there is no use-by date on creativity so you’ll be writing until you’re in your dotage. I certainly intend to 😀 And who knows? Maybe next week your kids will sleep until 6am. It /is/ possible 😀
That is the same way I view it Andrea. It is frustrating, but my children come first. One day they will be sleeping late and begging not to be woken until midday. I plan to enjoy the moments of now as much as I can. I still can’t believe that my eldest is already 5. It goes so quick.
I too plan to be writing until the day I drop 🙂
Have a great weekend and thank you for stopping by.
Those pesky kids! Sorry, I just thought of Scooby Doo.. 🙂 I am right there with you on getting nothing done.
Sorry about the job. 😦 That is such a terrible feeling when things at work are unenjoyable at work.
Enjoy your Sunday, Alex!
Thank you Darlene. I just read your post a few moments ago. When you hate going in to work, it is just the worst feeling. The worst part for me is that it is not what I want to be doing with my life. But oh well. We keep moving forward 🙂
Scooby Doo rocks, so no apologies are ever needed lol
The reasons for these delays will surface only when ready to – but in my experience there is always a reason and it is usually a beneficial one – I could not complete my last book and it was so frustrating! As it turns out I needed a cover and name change. Time delays gave me that option. (You already know the one about the priority of your children but there is likely more) – Consider it as a mystery waiting its sweet time to reveal its purpose. 🙂
Thank you Lesley. Indeed, sometimes things happen for a reason. We just cannot see it at the time. I am as it happens still waiting on my cover art so maybe that is it.
Thanks for the mention, Alex!
I’ve had my job push me to the breaking point, too, and it affects every part of your life. I’ve tried to stop taking these feelings home with me so I don’t drive myself crazy.
So far, the time goals are working well. I either write or sit in front of the computer and try. But my butt sits there until the time is up. I’m curious to see if you try it and if it works for you.
Those little ones won’t be little forever. My boys are 29 and 23 (almost) and I really miss them being little sometimes. I don’t really miss the early morning awakenings, though. LOL
You are welcome 🙂 I have to say, I already feel better with a time goal instead of a quantity goal.
We had such a great weekend with the kids, so much fun that I didn’t even think about writing at all. Just enjoying time with them is the most important thing. Even when my three year old son walked into the living room with a box of 12 eggs and a naughty smile on his face. Suffice to say a few moments later I was tidying up half a dozen eggs and laughing so hard my sides hurt.