Anyone else read Bossypants by Tina Fey? I first started reading it on a plane. Big mistake. After just a few pages, I quickly became that girl laughing out loud at her book. We're not talking charming little giggles either. I was loud, hysterical, and a complete embarrassment to my husband who threatened to take the book away if I couldn't control myself. I tried to tell him what was so funny, which of course only made it worse. I would laugh so hard that I'd be crying at my own garbled retelling of her jokes...it was a vicious cycle. I got quite a few dirty looks that plane ride.
Later in the book she talks about how crazy her life was when 30 Rock, one of my favorite shows, took off. Shed'd just given birth to her daughter. She was doing Sarah Palin skits for SNL. She would spend all day filming 30 Rock, then all the writers would go to her place and they'd stay up all night writing the next episode. Read the book - it's inspiring just how much she accomplished during that time of her life on virtually no sleep.
So here's my insecurity: I must be Tina Fey right now, and I'm not. This has nothing to do with how funny she is (though I would seriously love to be that funny). It's because I'm not getting enough done. And the thing that always seems to suffer is the writing. By the time I steal an hour or even 10 minutes to write, I look at the screen completely dumbfounded unable to come up with anything. Instead I just end up browsing through houses again....of all my to do's buying a home and selling a home sucks the most. Nope I take that back. Writing 652 *slight exaggeration* thank you cards sucks the most. Buying/selling home comes in second.
I know I'm saying this to a community of multitasking high achievers, so tell me...what are your secrets?? I'm dying to know them and steal them.
Baby boy #2 is hungry and impatient....no time to proofread this post. Please forgive the errors. ;)
The thing I find is, as soon as I compare myself to someone else... especially someone as awesome as Tina Fey... I lose all motivation and confidence. You can't compare what you do to what others do. You have a new baby and likely don't have a pack of television script writers standing over your shoulder... probably you're not gonna get as much done as Tina Fey. BUT! You're gonna get something done if you do it 'cause you love it, and not 'cause you think you should be doing more based on what someone else did. :) 10 minutes is a heroic effort! Keep it up!
ReplyDeleteI always say that any writing is writing you didn't have before. Even if you just add in 6 words. Don't beat yourself up, Kimberly. Everyone works at their own pace and no one is a robot. *shifty eyes* Unless YOU ARE A ROBOT AND HAVEN'T TOLD US. ;-) I loved reading Tiny Fey's book because it proved to me she was just as down to earth and real as she seems to be on the screen. She is, yes, famous and very funny (a funny I too can't seem to be), but she is also a mom of 2, in the work force and trying to get dinner on the table, so to speak. My secrets are this: do my work during the day, take an hour off to do something fun (writing, grocery shopping okay I know not fun but important, etc) and then go back to work. I don't always follow through with it (sometimes it turns into 2 hours of television) but I try to stick with it to give my work self a break AND to give myself a little fun time. :-)
ReplyDeleteThat book sounds awesome! Laughter is medicine for the soul!
ReplyDeleteGreat post.
ReplyDeleteAnd secrets? I wish I had them... All I know is I fit every spare minute/second I can to writing... just like you! And I know that's all I can do. And if I feel like I'm really giving 100%, I can at least feel content that I'm trying my hardest. ;)
You know, I didn't write back when my kids were tiny. I'm not sure I could have. But one thing I do now, to make sure I have time for writing, is say no to some good things because I have to make sure I have time for what is better to me right now. And that better thing is writing.
ReplyDeleteThose people on the plane just didn't know what they were missing!
ReplyDeleteI guess they call it making sacrifices. Something has to go to make room for writing. When I'm working on a book, I don't even touch my computer games. Scary how much extra time that gives me...
I have a hard time writing in small increments of time. Even during naptime b/c I never know when he will wakeup. I occasionaly ask my husband for a day to write (obviously on the weekend) where I know I will have a dedicated chunk of time. That works best for me. Good luck figuring it all out! I definitely don't consider myself a, how did you put it... " multitasking high achiever" but maybe that's why I don't even have one completed manuscript yet!
ReplyDeleteAll those ten minutes add up! I think that's the secret, just take those moments and eventually writing in them will be better. Also, don't beat yourself up - you have two wee ones! Maybe it is a time when writing cannot happen as much as you'd like, but there'll be a time when it will.
ReplyDeleteMy wife read it, but I haven't gotten to it, yet. Not that there's much point to me reading it, since she read at least half of it to me. heh
ReplyDeleteBuying a house does suck. We just did that last year, and it was just about the worst thing ever.
No help here. I'm forever wallowing in the "too much to do, not enough time" pond. But I wish you luck.
ReplyDeleteI have the book on my bookshelf. Must read it - I need a laugh.
ReplyDeleteI totally know what you mean. I am trying to commit to writing or editing for at least an hour a day to get myself back into the mode of being routinely productive. No, the dishes aren't getting done. Carpet isn't vacuumed. One hour writing sends the rest of my life completely off-balance.
I don't know how to make time for writing. I'm not an expert and plus, I get distracted easily so I end up surfing all the writing blogs, reading and commenting on the blogs instead of writing. I usually write when I feel like it and when I have the time. Which I don't have much time, my life is busy.
ReplyDeleteGreat post! :)
Writing with little ones is tough. Heck, finding time to breathe with little ones is tough. It's difficult to focus sometimes when there are so many things (for me, so many non-productive things) bellowing for my attention. It's also easy to chase squirrels when the muse is being elusive and frustrating. I read a book once that suggested we break down our tasks into "good", "better" and "best". That really helped me. There are a lot of good things out there, but maybe, with such limited time, I need to focus on the best.
ReplyDeleteI just read about someone (Moon over Manifest newberry winner.)who wrote in short spurts. Sometimes one sentence at a time. She was raising 4 kids and had a busy life. If thats what you've got, go with the sentences. Write them down and someday they'll become a book.
ReplyDeleteHere is our Hamste Penny's post on witing with kids http://thepenandinkblog.blogspot.com/2012/10/a-writers-struggle.html
After the birth of my second child everything seemed like a mountain, because I NEVER GOT ANY SLEEP!! Heh. Don't be so hard on yourself. It's a special time for your family -- everything else will wait.
ReplyDeleteAs for buying and selling a house...definitely ranks near the top of the suckiest things list. That's why hubby and I are staying here until we can no longer navigate stairs. :) I hope you find a wonderful home.
Writing will come when it wants to. My advice is not to try to force it when you have so many big things going on. If you spread yourself too thin, something will inevitably suffer for it. But YAY to the support group idea!
That book sounds like a must-read....
ReplyDeleteI think that every bit of writing counts. If you write one or two paragraphs at a time, it's two paragraphs that didn't exist before.
And that's just my two cents worth.
I've been dying to read this book, and now you've convinced me to just buy it already!
ReplyDeleteI am terrible at multi-tasking, but I did decide to do something about my writing this month. I've decided the first thing I do in the morning (after the necessary stop at the bathroom) is to write. I have to get up a little earlier, and I have to give up a couple of things (exercise, for one, has taken a back seat - but only until I get in my groove again). Even if I only get to write for 10 minutes, I got to write for 10 minutes. And it makes me feel like SoMETHING got accomplished that day. It's kind of like the old advice, "Pay yourself first." That's what I'm doing in OCtober - I'm paying myself fir
i <3 tina fey!
ReplyDeleteshes someone to aspire to, but shes also a movie star with money & resources to help her.
we are wonder women on our own. some days are better than others for writing, exercising, mommy time. take what you can get and if you get stuck, read, blog, facebook, etc take advantage of any time you get, the writing bug will get jealous and call you back =)
Most of us are struggling like you. I used to feel the same way, until I realized (thanks to this group) that most writers feel they aren't doing enough. In my case, I've decided that my priority is my family. I graduated as an MD and worked in hospitals and clinics in Mexico, my country of origin. Then came my first baby and I gave up that world willingly and happy to be a full time mom. I didn't want to miss anything! Fast forward eight years and I now have two beautiful daughters that know me as mom. Nothing more. No "Dr. Morales" or "Horror Writer Georgina Morales", just mom. I couldn't be happier. I regret nothing because I've lived and enjoyed years that will never come back, and I gained a connection with them that is worth gold.
ReplyDeleteI'm writing about 1000 words a day, on good days. I do have some work published, but I stopped worrying about it. I will do my best in all the works I can juggle, but that's all I can do. I'm a mom first and a writer second. There will be time. When they leave for college and I feel so lost because I devoted so many years to them there will be plenty mental unrest to write a hundred books.
Best of luck!