Reading, writing, (MOMing) and editing…

Is a balancing act.

“Reader, writer, full-time mom” is a job that must be flexible. All parents (no matter what their work/life balance situation) have to flex for school breaks, seasonal activities, and everything else we must do to live in a clean healthy place and eat basic food groups. So I am trying to get back into a routine now that the kids are in school and I have the potential to work for several hours a day by myself. Of course I have had productive days and ‘lazy’ days recently, but I have tried to be kind to myself.

I’m taking long chatty walks with a friend because the weather is lovely and I need the exercise. I’m reading old comfort books and ignoring my library book due dates for a few days. Before reading another chapter from my latest gifted electronic copy from an author in exchange for an honest review, I am making sure that I am in the right head space so that I can focus and positively support the writing community.

I am busy reading, writing, and editing but it is not evenly balanced at all. And that’s ok by me. I’m reading for a few hours a day but only planning edits here and there throughout the week. Lately I haven’t written anything but emails, book reviews, and social media posts, but I’m not worried. The words will come when the time is right.

The negative voice in my head would say I’m dragging my feet on these revisions but the positive voice is louder—saying that it’s great that I’m taking time to think and feel and plan before ripping the beginning of my book apart.

I know it’s important to stay active in your craft. (Just sit down and write already, Beth… I know!) But imagination is part of the process too. Thinking about my book is just as important as putting my fingers to keys to rewrite scenes.

So if you are in a similar point in your writing journey, be kind to yourself. Be patient. Do whatever you need to so you’re ready to sit down and write. It’s enough.