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Wednesday, July 4, 2012

Insecure Writers Support Group: Does anyone have any extra energy to donate?




It's the first Wednesday of July ... time for another Insecure Writer's Support Group (IWSG) post. The IWSG was started by Alex J. Cavanaugh, and it's a great forum to reflect on your writing journey as well as network and support other writers who may have similar insecurities like you.

So what is my insecurity this month? My lack of energy! As I write this, I have a mini-bottle of "5-hour Energy" staring me in the face. Maybe I should take some, but I'm afraid things like that are addictive and not all that good for me.

Okay, so maybe I'm being a bit hard on myself, after all, I am raising two very young children, I have a part-time job, I still have a household to run, and a social life is always nice, (not to mention spending some time with my husband), but I feel like my writing is taking a backseat. It's not like I don't write. I'm in the process of editing a novel and I do take part in a writing group, but I feel like I could be doing more.

I read an article the other day that gave 8 tips for writing when you have young kids. One tip was taking advantage of nap/rest times. When the kids nap in the afternoon, I should write then. Good advice, and I have been trying to do this for years, but most times I'm so tired myself that I end up staring at my computer and taking a nap anyway. Another tip was using Playtime as a work time. When the kids play, I write. I've tried this too, and though my energy is higher at these times, I find it extremely challenging to write anything of any real value, since my 3-year-old is constantly talking to me, and my 1-year-old is into everything. Plus, I can't help feeling a little guilty for ignoring them.

So, how about bedtime? Um ... sometimes I have a bit more energy to write then, but mainly I'm a write-off. So last night I thought I'd be clever and set my alarm for 5am so I could get two hours of writing in before the kids woke up. A person in my writing group does this and I admire his energy.

My alarm clock went off at 5am this morning ... hahahahahahaha ... I hit Snooze, then Snooze again, then Snooze again, until it was like, "To hell with this! Waking up this early is unnatural."

So here I am now, posting this blog. I guess that counts for some writing today. Hmmmm ... maybe I should take some of that "5-hour Energy" to see if I can get some writing done during the kids' nap time today.

Does anyone have any tips to boost your energy?

15 comments:

  1. Energy can be a problem when you have little ones. Can anyone watch them for you maybe 3 hours, a couple of times per week? You can get an outline done so you'll have a guideline when writing around the children. That'd be easier, I think...

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    1. Thanks for your comment, Gwen. It's getting harder and harder to find babysitters, but that's always an option. At least my son starts full day school next year, so this may give me a little more time to write if I only have one child to look after ;)

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  2. My mum is forever trying to pass strange pills and tonics onto me to boost my energy. To for me, just a good 10 minute walk in the fresh air can perk me up (especially if I walk to the shop for chocolate!)

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  3. Those 5 hour energy drinks scare me too! I'll stick to coffee, a known addictive substance. ;)

    My writing definitely takes a backseat to my full-time job, and I'd get even less written if I was a mom of small kids. That's tough!

    My one suggestion re: energy boost is to get your Vitamin D levels checked. My joints were giving me pain and my doctor gave me a blood test, which showed my vitamin D level was 21 (normal is 30-100, optimal is 50-80). After multiple prescription doses and 5,000 units a day, it's finally in the normal range and I'm feeling more energetic/less depressed. I'm in Ohio where 90%+ of people are low in D and I imagine vitamin D levels are even lower in Ontario.

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    1. Thank you for this insight. I know vitamin D is important but I never would have thought to check this. I'll have to look into it.

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  4. I found it difficult to write when my kids were young, too. I did do a lot of nights staying up until 4:00 a.m. and then getting only three plus hours of sleep. Can't do that anymore!

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    1. Wow ... staying up until 4am? Superwoman! Thanks for your comment.

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  5. Hi, Siobhan,
    Life went along at a nice clip until I started writing. Suddenly, every spare minute disappeared.

    I'd tell you to get some rest, but I know from experience that sleeping while my baby slept didn't work for me. :) These I survive on Arizona, which is no better than what you're thinking about drinking.

    It's hard to get any writing done around kids. I have a 10 y/o and when he decides to talk and guilt me into talking with him, all writing goes on hold.

    My best advise is to just make use of any spare moments you catch. Hard with your babies so young, but that's all I can think of and make sure you get some rest. Now, that's important.

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    1. Thanks for your comment J.L. Maybe I should just be grateful for the times I do get to write, instead of feeling guilty when I don't get the chance ;)

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    2. True that and gratefulness feels better than guilt every time. Have a great weekend.

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  6. I don't know how you manage everything in your life -- but you sure make me feel bad for the whining I've been doing recently. My life is way easier than yours. My admiration and best wishes on everything you do. :-)

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    1. Oh ... thank you for this. Don't mean to make anyone feel bad though. I'm sure we all have our individual challenges as writers ;)

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  7. LOL. As the mother of two young girls (7 and 5), I understand you completely! I keep telling myself I'll wake up at 7 (Forget about 5. It is ungodly, that's what it is!) and I end up waking up at 8... 8:30... I hate myself for my laziness but I'm just so tired! The other thing that conspires against me is that I need such a long time to start producing quality, or semi-quality prose, that anything less than two hours in a stretch are useless to me. The more I talk with other writers, the more I realize that most authors can take advantage of very short short periods of time, yet I'm still stuck with having to wait for school to be back to have a decent about of time to finish my novel.

    Ah, we're doomed! However, I truly enjoy summers with my kids and I know they will be all grown up and not wanting me around very soon. So, I'm happy running around the beach with them for now. =) The time to write will come.

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