I went to school to be a teacher. In fact, I have a B.S. in Education, not journalism.
Due to the hours and holidays, teaching is traditionally thought to be the best work for a mother who wants to keep one foot in the mommy-door and one foot in the career-door. This thought, paired with my love for children and learning, led me to life inside the schoolhouse doors.
Soon though, writing, not teaching, became my real "full time job," and it's been years since I set foot behind a teacher's podium.
There are times I miss teaching and regret I haven't used my diploma more, but who am I kidding? -- freelance writing has to be the best situation for a stay-at-home mother: I get paid, I do something I love, and I don't leave the kids. What's more? I can stay in my pajamas all morning!
Sometimes people ask if the lack of structure and absence of a physical "office" bother me and make it hard to concentrate. Sure, I get sidetracked watching a great episode of Rolie Polie Olie with my son every now and then, and I take long, leisurely breaks to chat on the phone or go to lunch, but this isn't because I "work at home," it's because I'm an artist.
I only write when inspired and when it "feels right." Even if I sat behind a desk all day, I'd still piddle around and get distracted -- it's my nature to jump from project-to-project, then zero-in on a particular piece when the mood strikes me. This is the artist in me. Just as a painter cannot be told, "Paint, now!" a writer cannot sit in front of a blank screen and expect great things to flow.
My best pieces, in fact, are written while I do such things as stand in line at the grocery store and wait at a red light, or during a commercial break from Oprah.
As I'm sure any artist can relate, I usually get a "feeling" when I have a great story brewing in my mind. This is, I think, the blessing and curse of creativity, because sometimes that "feeling" comes in the middle of a dinner party or at two o'clock in the morning and I have to race to find paper and jot my thoughts down. My husband has grown accustomed to me running in the door, heading straight to the computer and yelling as I go, "Can't talk....got a story on my mind....need to get it on paper!"
So, while I love this profession for its adaptability with the children and being a mother, sometimes the unpredictable nature of my creativity poses a few problems. For instance, if inspiration causes me to stay up until 3 a.m. writing a great column, I'm little use to my high-energy children a few hours later when they get up at the crack-of-dawn.
Yes, I have the luxury of lounging in my pajamas and not going to an "office," but I struggle with the spontaneous nature of this business and the chaotic schedule it sometimes poses for my children and me.
I guess though, even if things were different and my life was more structured, I'd still be a fly-by-the-seat-of-my-pants kind of girl...that's just the life of an artist.
About The Author
++You may reprint the above column on your website so long as the following is included the URL address is actively hyperlinked back++
THIS MUST BE INCLUDED: Copyright 2004 Sarah Smiley http://www.sarahsmiley.com - Sarah Smiley's syndicated column Shore Duty appears weekly in newspapers across the country.
elite cleaning services Mundelein ..First drafts are for getting down the ideas. Anna Jacobs... Read More
Many writers stare at the blank page or clean computer... Read More
Q. I'm staring at a blank screen with an equally... Read More
Word processors are so widely used now that I tend... Read More
Think you can't write a book that will sell? You... Read More
I love writing. I love the swirl and swing of... Read More
As an International language, English has been used widely in... Read More
Sometimes a freelance writing career can feel very much like... Read More
1) Convince yourself you want to do something else. If... Read More
How to Come Up with Fresh Story Ideas When Your... Read More
Names are important. Names give clues about us, where we... Read More
What possibly could I have to write about? I never... Read More
Far too many inexperienced writers create flat, stereotypical characters: the... Read More
Agents and publishing houses have their best interests at heart,... Read More
Beginner's Blues: How to Collect Samples, Testimonials, and References as... Read More
Everone knows that comedy is mostly about timing. If you... Read More
Do you want to publish something? An article, a non-fiction... Read More
Productivity begins by recognizing and valuing your brilliance, time, and... Read More
Beyond three and four act story structure, lies the Hero's... Read More
For those looking at the jobs listings for writers, they... Read More
1. SECRETS TO SUCCESS2. MAKING A POWERFUL FIRST IMPRESSION3. AVOID... Read More
Creative Writing Tips ?By now you should have an idea... Read More
You may not remember this, but in the early days... Read More
Way back in your early school years, you were probably... Read More
What is a freelance grant writer? These individuals have a... Read More
Airbnb cleaning service Mundelein ..What am I supposed to give Anthony as a wedding... Read More
You must write a hypnotic persuasion letter to help you... Read More
Want to write an article or book, but are stuck... Read More
Human beings seem to be born with a gene for... Read More
I asked several writers how long it took them to... Read More
Whether you are writing a magazine article, composing a press... Read More
Writing papers and book reports has long been the bane... Read More
In the ten years that I've taught people how to... Read More
If you either want to write a book to help... Read More
The process of developing a working title for your nonfiction... Read More
Whether you are working for a small business, large corporation,... Read More
May I tell you about a writing technique shared by... Read More
What does one do as a writer who loves writing... Read More
Think of writing like karate...it's about DISCIPLINE.Writing, like other forms... Read More
BAITED, BATEDBaited usually refers to traps or snares. When the... Read More
It's clich?, but true-a picture does paint a thousand words.... Read More
Is it possible to improve your writing instantly? The answer,... Read More
Have you given up on getting your book out of... Read More
There is an image most people carry of the artist... Read More
Have you ever wondered how you can adapt your screenplay... Read More
If you are a serious writer who wants to publish... Read More
Language Training - A key to Global CommunicationLanguage Training is... Read More
How to Come Up with Fresh Story Ideas When Your... Read More
Writing is a muscle that needs exercise to stay in... Read More
One of the biggest problems that inexperienced writers have is... Read More
Writing |