Three Reasons I Shouldn’t Have Time to Write
And One Reason I Do It Anyway
Here are
some reasons that I shouldn’t have time to write:
1. I have
a full-time family.
I’m married
with two young children—let’s call them L and B.
B is my
funny and sweet 9-year-old boy who is entering fourth grade; L is my delightful
5-year-old girl who is entering kindergarten this year. They’re my little
lovebugs but they also need a lot of time. B is playing flag football, learning
to play the cello, and working on his reading and writing skills. L takes
ballet and tennis lessons and has just mastered her letters and numbers. There
are meals to make, lunches to pack, playdates, birthday parties; tons of
laundry and dishes; homework, and teacher’s conferences.
2. I have
a full-time job.
I have a
rigorous full-time job. I lead a team, manage contracts, and, most importantly,
read, write, and edit content. I keep up with the field by taking regular
training. I love it, but it’s challenging in the best way. As a supervisor, I
am a coach, mentor, therapist, project manager, and subject matter expert—all
of it. Most importantly, I must be brave and make tough decisions. It’s a lot
of pressure, and every day is a miniature adventure.
3. I have
other hobbies.
Anyone who
knows me knows I’m obsessed with my Peloton bike. I ride almost daily, jamming
to EDM, trap, and pop music with my favorite instructors. I also love to play
piano (among other instruments), play The Sims or Dance Central,
and read. I’m reading Bronze Drum by Phong Nguyen, and The Stardust Thief by
Chelsea Abdullah is on my list.
I’ll
always write: By now
if you’ve been keeping track…it’s hard to figure out where writing might fit
into my day. The reality is that I can’t give everything 100% every day, so it
comes down to prioritizing and maximizing my time. That might mean writing
instead of playing The Sims or reading a few nights a week, usually
between 9 and 11 p.m. after the kid’s sleep. It sometimes means coming up with
concepts during work breaks. It means jotting down notes and writing scenes
while waiting for my daughter to finish her ballet class.
The thing
is…I love writing. I love coming up with stories (honestly, that’s probably
half the reason I play The Sims). It brings me so much joy. It’s hard to
explain it. It feels like when I played the bass clarinet in the wind ensemble
in high school—that moment when all the instruments come together perfectly,
and the sound touches your soul.
Writing is also
an outlet for my stress, ponding, and feelings. My first book, Haunted,
is about a young woman who discovers a history that those in power tried to hide,
changing how she views the world. It allowed me to explore those thoughts and
emotions that I went through myself as I learned more about the history of my
family and ancestors.
Let’s face
it—the world can be a scary place. Sometimes, it’s nice to disappear into a
world of my creation and develop heroes who can save it. I hope people read Haunted
and feel the excitement, hope, and joy behind all the words. And anyone who
reads the book and enjoys it, rest assured—I’ll never stop writing.
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