Reading, writing, life balance and family

How do you create a writing ethic?

Do you have those days where you don’t want to write? Days where you would rather be doing something else other than sitting with your laptop. When you know you need to be reading more, but reading and writing daily can be hard. I tell myself that my laptop is my friend despite the times that we have an argument as it freezes on me.

So, how do I get around my inner struggle? Writing my blogs helps motivate me to write, adding to them twice a week with the support of writing prompts.

Admittedly my blogs are very good at taking time away from writing my book, but I feel the more I write hopefully the better my writing will be.

Trying to make time around family for writing is also hard. Making time for children alongside writing and reading. I’m often found writing between 9 pm and 11 pm then reading later. Once the children are in bed it is my time to then try and focus. However, admittedly often I’m sat with the television on as I need to spend time with hubby as well. The last few nights I’ve been typing while watching ‘Manifest’.

Reading

I’ve said before that my book has a lot of characters, something I need to work on. I’m still reading ‘G.X. Todd – Hunted’, I’m enjoying it but as I’ve said before, being paperback I can’t read it late at night with the light on. ‘Hunted’ has quite a few characters and it continues from ‘Defender’ which is more focused on key characters. ‘Hunted’ feels harder to read but this could be just me.

At the weekend I read ‘Dan Malakin’s –The Regret’. I did not expect to enjoy it as much as I did. I started reading it on my Kindle late Friday night. Saturday morning I picked it up again and then couldn’t put it down. My eight-year-old came and asked me for dinner, and my response was, “when I’ve finished my chapter”. I highly recommend it, it makes you think about how being hacked on the internet could affect you, and to watch out for those friends who you maybe do not know as well as you thought you did.

My son’s reading

I still have an on-going battle with my eight year old and his reading. Friends have given me advice, one even offered to get a book autographed by his Author friend for me, a kind offer but trying to inspire him to read anything, I am struggling. He is a good reader, but he is not taking the time to think about what he is reading. I’ve explained to him that if he thinks about the characters and what is happening, he will enjoy reading more as he will understand it. For now, ‘The boy who sailed the ocean in an armchair’ has been put to one side. What are your boys reading? Or what did they enjoy?

The books in the featured image are his, he has a great selection in his room, but right now little interest. Trying to capture his imagination is proving hard work, though he told me last night that he enjoys writing. My response was, “Okay let’s write something’ and no that didn’t happen.

My novel

Now at 70 000 words and it is developing slowly. My aim is to be on my second draft by Christmas. I purchased a Mono printer a few days ago with a duplex function. Once my first draft is completed I intend to print it, so I can physically hold my first ever novel in its early uncut version. It is a long way from finished but in my mind, it will still be an achievement when it’s complete. As a pantser, I’m still not sure of the end, I had an unexpected character suddenly appear, so somehow if I keep her, I will need to mention her earlier in the story.

I feel my whole first draft will need rewriting when it is finished. Stephen King has said that he will put his first draft away for a few weeks before editing it. To look at the novel with fresh eyes, I’m looking forward to finding out how my story ends. I’m waiting for my characters to lead and tell me.

Facebook live

My Facebook Lives,

Today and new blog post – 3rd September 2019

New blog post and home work – 6th September 2019

Newsletter

If you are interested in receiving my newsletter containing links to my posts.  Please enter your email either on the right-hand side if on a laptop, or below. I intend to send emails at the end of each month

Today

I’ve been sat here typing whilst watching the history channel. I have the children to collect from school later. I’m feeling relaxed and enjoying my free time. Yes, once again I should be sorting out my garden, especially as the weather is getting colder. Writing my novels, blogging and reading have had a detrimental effect on my garden.  It is tidy and the lawn is mowed but I should be spending hours weeding and pulling out bindweed. I could be planting pretty flowers which will then die as soon as the first frost arrives in a few months.

Two years ago, I joined gardening forums on Facebook. It looked great, but once I started writing it has become neglected. Yes, I struggle to manage the whole balancing act.

I’m hoping to do Facebook live again later today, as long as the children let me. I’m now going to make myself another mug of tea, make some food and then drive to the school to collect the children.

For more see, School holidays are over, writing and baking