Living in the moment while living your dream

I am at a transition point in my day job. The job that pays the bills. The job that supports me, personally, and my goal of writing full time some day. The clinic is restructuring and I've been given an opportunity to have a much bigger role. It's a very exciting time as we take these steps to be stronger. (I realize I'm being vague about what I do, it's in the medical field, and while not top secret, I go out of my way to keep that part of my life separate from the writing side in order to protect the privacy of everyone.)

So, anyway. Transitions. They're happening. And it's great.

But yesterday I had a meeting with one of the consultants and she asked me about my writing. Not because she was curious, but because she wanted to make sure that if she was going to be training me for this new job, that I wasn't going to up and quit to become a full time writer anytime soon.

At first her words of, "This is a career, not a job. You can't do both." threw me for a loop. I pressed her a bit to get to the root of what she's saying and came to find out that she knows a man, a lawyer, who always wanted to write a book. But he couldn't, because he didn't have the time.  It's a familiar story, right? We all lament about what we could do if we didn't have to work or had those extra hours in the day.

She went on to identify with people like EL James and JK Rowling, how that's a fabulous goal and dream to have as a writer, to be that successful. But those women were full time writers. I hesitated to say (mostly because I don't know the status of those two particular authors when they first penned their books) that most writers also have full time jobs. That most writers, at least the ones I know, have solid careers outside of the world of writing.

Instead I laughed with her, conceding her point that those two women do write full time, and assured her I'm not going to be quitting my job anytime soon and that I'm more than prepared to take on the challenge of this new position at the day job. 

After our meeting I was rolling around what she'd said, trying to figure out the meaning of it all and I realized she was cautioning me. Not on being a writer or how I spend my outside of work hours. But on expectations. What she saw with the other person she knows who has always wanted to be a writer is that he expected to be able to pen a novel, sell it, have it land on the NYT best seller list and he'd be a millionaire. Ta da! And, I can't really fault her for that because I know writers who have had those exact expectations. Maybe not realistically, but it's the dream.

What she was after, and what I'm realizing in myself, is that I'm rooted solidly on the ground, in the now. That I recognize both my day job and my writing career as businesses. Generally speaking, businesses are slow to grow. Live in the moment while you dream your dream. Certainly don't give up your dreams, but work them. Make them work for you. 

But most of all, manage your expectations. And by doing that people will take you seriously in all aspects of your life.

Time Tug-of-War

It's that time of year again. The time when we all make resolutions to do this or do that, but get pulled in different directions entirely. I'd say this is part of being a mom (at least in my world), part of having family around (my in-laws just moved back to the area after living across the country for the majority of my married life) part of the holiday season and just part of living.

 

There is never enough time in the day to do the things that are on my endless to-do list. Although that doesn't stop me from trying.

First up in the update on why I haven't been blogging: I finished the first draft of my novel. (YAY!) It's been a long time coming and I've learned writing a full length novel has a much different process than writing a short story or novella (at least for me it does).
I'd love to be dancing in the streets over this news, but the truth is there is still a lot of work to do in order for me to get this into any type of shape that I'd be willing to share it with a neighbor, let alone the world. So, that is happening in the wee hours of the morning at my house. Which is the only time I can pretend not to get interrupted and concentrate on...well, anything really.  And, believe me when I tell you that I'm not a morning person. Thank goodness for coffee makers with timers.

Family life with two very active little boys is keeping me hopping. Day-job just seems to get more and more demanding. And lets not forget spending time with Hubs, trying to make healthy meals and keeping the house sort-of clean.  Those are the highlights of my days.

And, really, I wouldn't have it any other way. 

As a complete aside, I'm nearing 900 Twitter followers and have over 200 "likes" on my Facebook page. Thank you all so much! If you'd like to stay connected, I encourage you to check out both of those options as they are easier for me to check multiple times a week (ahem...yeah, okay, day) than blogging.

More soon!

Carmen

Balancing the Scales

I've been having one of those phases where life is not cooperating with my plans. We've had some staffing issues at my day job which have created something of a time suck for me as I step in to help. With the end of the school year rapidly approaching, my children have become social butterflies, flitting from one party to another. And they're still in elementary school, I can't imagine what it's going to be like when they get older!

And, last but not least, is my writing. And with the writing, I'm lumping in the work I'm putting in for the Emerald City Writers' Conference, which will be taking place this October. I'm the conference chair this year, which means I get to talk to everybody involved. All the time! It's great fun.

I find myself jotting emails to my writer friends in the unlikeliest of places-all perfectly sanitary, I assure you- and sending myself notes on characters that haven't managed to grace my pages yet, or the solutions to little plot issues that have been eluding me. It's sheer chaos. And a not so secret part of me is thrilled by it.

The ideas are flowing, even if I don't have two seconds to jot them dot. The inspiration is practically beating me over the head. Plus, my guys are really stepping up to help out, which always makes me happy.

Let me share a secret with you men; you don't need to buy flowers or diamonds for your lady. All you need to do is clean the house and she will do whatever you want. 

 Seriously. I promise. ;-)

Okay, I've completely lost my train of thought on that one....oh yeah. Juggling. 

Everything seems to be hitting all at once around here. How do you juggle it all?