This post was inspired by my teacher Nova Ren Suma who recently blogged about what it means to be a girl, and a woman, and a female with ambition. You can find that post here.
In this post, Nova says that she has only one thing in her life, and she's completely happy with it: writing. She talks about all the things she doesn't have and doesn't really even care to have in her life, because with the writing there is no room. And I read this, with a bit of jealousy at first. Because if I didn't have other things in my life, I could get so much more writing done--and not just quantity but improve quality too. Then I read on as the things she didn't care to have got more personal, and I thought well I have other things in my life, but they're good. I want them. I don't want to give up some of the things that consume time. I have an awesome husband and a beautiful baby, and I can't always make it to workshops I want to go to, or squeeze enough writing time out of the day because I have other commitments. But it's a small sacrifice when I consider the amount of joy my family gives me.
So I originally planned this post thinking well, I have other things in my life, but it's okay. It's a trade off I'm happy to make. THEN I GOT STUCK--sinking in quicksand kind of stuck--WTH was I thinking when I started this manuscript kind of stuck? How am I ever going to get published. Then I got a request for FURTHER revisions. So, I'm passionate about writing, but it's sinking me on one side, and striking me from the other.
Then I realized I have other things in my life, my family, a part-time job, this blog, because some days I need NOT to write with the same amount of urgency that I need TO write other days. If I didn't have these things in my life, I'd die an artists death. Thank God I have these other things in my life even they often--and in the case of my family, always--come before my art. It may take me longer to get where I want to go, because sometimes I have a tough balancing act, but I wouldn't have it any other way. The other things I have in my life are amazing just as an amazing as the writing.
I need more than one thing in my life. Emil and Emily I love you ;).
(But this should not be taken to mean I think everyone needs more than one thing in their life. I do).
I have writing :/ I work a full time job that I loathe. I have an awesome, awesome dog, though. He usually lays on me while I write (though currently he's on the floor cuz it's hot today). This makes you think though...Writing is really, really tough. But if you want to get published, you keep pushing on, right? :)
ReplyDeleteI agree. I have so many other things in my life that it's a constant juggling act to get to everything. Of course, that makes it very tricky, and writing is probably my nr. 1 priority, but I can't sacrifice living my life only to publish. :-)
ReplyDeleteWouldn't it be boring if we only had one thing to occupy us? Yes! So aren't we lucky to have our family, our jobs (+/-), our writing and the anticipation of what's next?
ReplyDeleteSweet post. yes, family often takes priority.
ReplyDeleteCatherine Stine’s Idea City