By Sarah Price
Sometimes I wonder what people actually think that I
do all day long. In the minds of some people, I travel the world, meeting new
people and taking copious notes in a tattered mole skin. Others probably think
I sip tea while sitting by the pool at our horse ranch in Alachua County,
Florida or spend the day riding through the Goethe State Park on my mustang,
Malibu. In most cases, people probably think that I write at leisure after
relaxing or enjoying the simple pleasures in life.
Nothing could be further from the truth.
Becoming a full-time author has taught me how to
master a skill that, in my previous life as a working professional, I thought I
had down pat: juggling.
When I began writing full-time, I quickly realized
that I had become less productive than when I was working 60 hours a week and
taking care of my home, children, husband, and numerous animals. Breast cancer
entered the picture and I lost my job. Suddenly, my dream of writing novels
day-in and day-out was a reality. Only I learned that, like those many people
who imagine my life, I, too, was living in a fantasy world.
Writing full-time is not easy. To begin with, there
are a million distractions on any given day: a sunny afternoon, a lunch
invitation, a Netflix binge, even a messy closet begging to be reorganized. And
then there are a million interruptions--especially in my life. My daughter is
home-schooled and trains wild mustangs. She might find a squished snake in her
barn or a gangsta mob of rats infesting her grain...all of which require my
immediate attention. My husband often interrupts me with a need for help doing
a chore such as fixing a horse paddock or ride to pick up a truck being
repaired. When I am in the groove, it's near impossible to turn it on and off
when someone does interrupt me.
And, of course, I have the constant interruptions
from Coco Chanel, my Umbrella Cockatoo, who loves to eat any and everything
from window blinds to moulding to my pens and highlighters. My fantasy of
having her sit upon my shoulder while I write my novels doesn't usually come to
fruition.
The bottom line is that it's near impossible to
write full time and think that, just because you have eliminated a full-time
job, you will be more productive. But there are things you can do to improve
the odds. First, I try to remove myself from the house as frequently as
possible. Whether I head to the library, a restaurant, or a coffee house, it's
a good idea to get away. That eliminates me from the very environment that
distracts me.
Second, I have learned that if I try to follow a
regular writing schedule, other people will learn to leave me alone. Unfortunately,
this requires a lot of self-control and cooperation. But I will turn off my
cell phone after alerting my family. There's nothing so important that it
cannot wait a few hours. If it is, I know someone will find me.
Finally, being organized is a must. Frankly, I'm not
very organized so I have a right-hand person who helps me be more organized.
She will check up on my progress, remind me of upcoming deadlines, and helps to
manage me as I try to manage myself. It helps to acknowledge your own
weaknesses and search for creative ways to tackle them.
And, of course, it does help to learn how to juggle.
It's a skill that will help you, whether or not you are writing full-time.
__________________________________________________________________
Sarah Price is the author of the Plain Fame series
and the Amish of Ephrata series, among other books. She comes from a long line
of devout Mennonites, and her writing reflects accurate and authentic stories
based upon her own experiences with several Amish communities. Ms. Price has
advanced degrees in Communication (MA), Marketing (MBA), and Educational
Leadership (A.B.D.) and was a former college professor. She now writes
full-time and talks about her books and her faith on a daily live stream with
readers. Visit her at sarahpriceauthor.com and on Facebook, Instagram, and
Pinterest
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