You're Worth It

Three activities I engage the most in are parenting, writing, and running, probably even in that order. Do you know what those activities have in common? Or rather, what does one need to possess so as to be successful in all three of those activities?

I'll let you think about that for a minute . . .

(It's not a trick question.)

Okay, time's up. I'm sure you can a find many suitable responses to my question, but in my opinion, it's necessary to be consistent in order to be a successful parent, writer, and runner.

I cannot even imagine what chaos would have ensued at our house if we hadn't established rules and boundaries or set up a routine when the kids were small. We've adapted, shifted, and changed those lines (actual bedtimes is a great example), but we're consistent in having them (that we have a bedtime at all).

With writing, I find that blogging is a consistent way for me to practice the craft. In those busy months when I don't have as much time to put my fingers to the keyboard, I get rusty. My sentences are more clunky, my mind less free. It takes longer for me to get back into the groove of writing than it would have if I'd just taken the time to sit and write a few minutes each day.

And the same can be said of running. Everyone who has tried to maintain an exercise regimen knows that the best thing to do is to stick to a schedule. Being consistent about running has allowed me to keep it in my life for the last twenty-six years.

Of course, it's easy to say to yourself, I need to be consistent. What if consistency isn't a part of your life? How do you fold it in?

Well, I'm no expert, but I'd say to start small and remember that you're human. Let's say you want to try to ride your bike more often. Look at your schedule, see what openings you have, and begin with once or twice a week. When you've tackled going that often for several weeks, throw in another day. The same can be said for any activity: schedule it in. See how it goes.

But keep in mind that you'll need to be prepared to make adjustments. With most folks, life can get in the way at times. It's okay if you don't get out for that Wednesday bike ride. Do you have time for a ten-minute walk instead? And if not, don't berate yourself. Make sure to go out at the next scheduled time.

It might take a bit of work and determination to incorporate consistency into your lifestyle, but if the activity is important enough to you, it's worth the effort. And guess what? You're worth it, too. (And in the case of parenting, your family is definitely worth it.)

Happy Writing!

~Christina

Love Stories

I've been writing novels for about five years now. When I first started, I had the seed of one idea in my head: the story of a little girl named Laney and her friend, Harvey the Hippo. These characters had sprung from some things I'd written in high school, and my first attempt at a book resulted in a novel called Drops of Jupiter.

I like the story, but I've done nothing with it since I finished it so long ago. Instead, I moved onto writing (in order) Hunting for Lilacs, Beyond the Trees, After We've Fallen, The Chocolate Garden, and Just Be.

The last of those was the novel that poured forth this past November, when I participated in NaNoWriMo 2016. It is a love story at heart and something I struggled with for a long time. Should I write a sappy love story? Does this love story have to have a happy ending? It this story really categorized as a romance? And how do I feel about that?

I didn't have the answers to those questions, and part of me wondered why I was so against writing a love story. What's wrong with them? If written well, the story can put smiles on people's faces. Isn't that what I want to do?

Well last week, I gave the first 20 pages of Just Be to The Plot Sisters to read and it was as if I'd purged myself of any bad feelings about love stories. They enjoyed reading the pages, and after our discussion, I realized that every other book I've written, with the exception of Drops of Jupiter, has a love story either at the center of the book or on the periphery of it.

I think I'd better come to terms with the fact that I just might be a love story writer. Plenty of worse things exists out there, don't you think?

Happy Writing!
~Christina

Summer Goals

Despite the cool temps peppering this area of the country, summer is almost upon us. Yes, it's May 15, and my children have four more days of school. And then? They'll be out until mid-August.

As any mom knows, summer is when the real work begins. I need to be more on top of the tasks around here because everyone is home. The house will be messier, we'll have more clothes to wash (thank you, summer heat), and cooking? I don't look forward to the number of meals I'll have to put together between next Friday and August 17.

Of course, I'll have four helpers who can aid in all of those tasks...

But the one thing they can't help me with is writing. How am I to get my writing and editing done with four pairs of little feet home 24/7? It's a question I ask myself every summer, and every summer, I put together a list of priorities. What can I realistically accomplish this summer in between pool visits, beach vacations, and taking care of the kids?

This summer, I don't have much on my list except for two items:
1. Keep up with my Literary Mama duties.
2. Revise After We've Fallen.

And while the list may be short, those two tasks are monumental. If at the end of the summer I have accomplished them, I'll be able to give myself an enormous pat on the back.

Do you have any summer goals? Feel free to share them with us!

Happy Writing!

~Christina

Getting There

A thought popped into my mind as I was pulling laundry out of the dryer, that every job I've ever had, I've either studied long and hard to do the job, i.e. spent five years in graduate school so I could teach those whippersnappers A&P, or I've had enough of a background to get hired, but then I gathered on-the-job training. In fact, the only job I didn't have training for was being a parent. You're just thrown into that job with very little background (babysitting counts, but not so much, really). Parenting is an extreme case of on-the-job training, right?

All of this thinking about jobs made me kick myself in the rear end, at least metaphorically. Despite the fact that I've been writing since I was young, I never majored in English, Literature, or Creative Writing; I never edited more than the high school newspaper (that is, until Literary Mama); I never enrolled in advanced writing courses at the college level. I've been picking my way through writing with the help of my writing group and some wonderful local writing courses, but to be honest, most of my writing education has been by trial and error and much perusing of online resources. And I didn't start this journey until 2012. Three years I've been at this. Only three years.

So why did I think, if it took me five years of graduate school to be able to stand in front of a class and do what I do, or over a decade to be the mother that I am, that I should be able to write a book and publish it in very little time? Am I that arrogant? I don't think so. I'm just that impatient. And I've spoken about that impatience before.

My plan? To stick with the writing life for the long haul, regardless of where I go and how long it takes me.

~Christina


(Blog post originally published at http://17gon.blogspot.com/ and used with permission here.)