The Thrill of the Challenge

There is nothing, and I mean, nothing like a challenge to make you write.

During the month of November I wrote (and wrote, and wrote) for nanowrimo. Had to hit my words and I did. It was a challenge that I wanted to win.

But now, I’m doing a bit of a different one. I’m doing the SNAP challenge that you might have heard about along with Cory Booker, Mayor of Newark, where those who have signed up have challenged ourselves to live on what we would have been given as an allowance for Government food assistance (used to be called Food Stamps, now it’s called SNAP.)

For 7 days, I have to live on the food I’ve purchased with $30, which is the median amount of assistance given to an individual in New Hampshire. Note: others around the country are working with different amounts – it all depends upon your state although it appears that New Hampshire has one of the lowest amounts. Us Granite Staters are TOUGH.

I decided to do the challenge by myself and not include Marc and the kids because on a regular weekly shopping trip, I typically spend $25 or less per person and if I took the challenge for our entire family, I’d have to spend $40 dollars more than what I normally would.

But we all know that shopping and cooking for many is much easier than shopping and cooking for one.

Which is why I’m doing this, to show that while it’s not easy, it can still be done and it can be done well.

If you are a writer, (and I’m assuming that if you are reading this, you are a writer of some sort) then you want to write. To do a challenge like this without documenting what you are doing, without trying to teach from your experiences, would amount to nothing more than a waste of breath.

When writers learn and experience new things, we tend to sing about them from the rooftops.

Which is why I think that if you’re looking for some motivation to write you should consider taking a challenge – and then report back on your experiences – on a regular basis.

Many blogs where this was the starting premise have turned into books, some concepts have been: living on a budget, wearing the same black dress every day for one year, giving gifts away every day, and figuring out how to feed your child a gluten-free diet. The reason they have turned into books is that they have created a lot of information behind the idea. You need a certain amount of depth of material to get published.

And why is there typically so much material? Because people are interested in how you are doing, they want to learn from your experience. The more you give them, they more they want on the topic.

It’s a win/win situation, you get to write and people get to read your writing.

Whether it’s the SNAP Challenge or your own personal challenge, if you have trouble committing to your writing, try starting a challenge and then announce it to the world.

Trust me, the world is going to keep you on your writing toes.

***

Wendy Thomas is an award winning journalist, columnist, and blogger who believes that taking challenges in life will always lead to goodness. She is the mother of 6 funny and creative kids and it is her goal to teach them through stories and lessons.

Wendy’s current project involves writing about her family’s experiences with chickens (yes, chickens). (www.simplethrift.wordpress.com)

If  you want to follow my challenge, check it out on my blog, better yet, create your own challenge and tell me where to find it.

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The Mother-daughter Integrity Book Club

I’m thinking about starting a project but I needed some help so I turned, as I often do, to my Facebook friends.

“What are some of the books from *your* youth where the main character showed good old fashioned common sense and a great deal of integrity when challenged. In particular I’m looking for strong girl characters. One example off the top of my head is Pollyanna. For this project I’m not interested in current books.”

Oh and here’s the project. We don’t belong to an organized religion but I’ve always wondered (feared) if my kids are not getting the value training that they might be getting if we did (for the record, I think we do a pretty good job at home but we could always do better) . We’ve got some testing-life’s-boundaries bumps going on and so in order to right a path and to emphasize that your reputation and personal integrity are the two most important things you will ever own, I am going to start a “mother-daughters” book club with these older books where we are going to read the stories and then discuss the actions and decisions. It will be just like a ladies book club but without the wine and cheese.

“What other stories/books can you come up with?” I asked my Facebook friends.

This is what they came up with – a list that simply begs to be shared.

• Nancy Drew comes to mind…and maybe Heidi.
• All of the Oz books — In the books, Dorothy is clever, kind, brave, honest and true. She was most certainly the girl I modeled myself after. Because of the era, there are other components of the series that are less lovely, but L. Frank Baum clearly showed a little girl who had what it took to solve problems for herself.
• Anne of Green Gables and Pippi Longstocking come to mind
• “Knee Deep in Thunder” obscure but wonderful journey of self-discovery. Also “The Borrowers” series by Mary Norton- Arrietty (my daughter is named after her) is pretty fearless.
• Little House on the Prairie
• Little Women.
• A Tree Grows in Brooklyn
• A Wrinkle in Time. by Madeline L’Engle.
  Also can’t ignore Harry Potter series; Hermione is the smart one!
• The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn
  St Francis of Assisi
  Zorba the Greek
• A Girl of the Limberlost by Gene Stratton Porter, which I believe is back in print. She has backbone in spades! I think I read my Mom’s copy from when she & her sisters were young – my grandmother still had a couple of shelves full of kid’s books in their spare room for many years. I think I acquired my fondness for Zane Grey there as well, but most of his female characters are disappointing in this regard.
  The Dana Girls series (same author as Nancy Drew) were always my favorite mysteries, and they and their friends always seem to manage for themselves quite well.
• Scout from To Kill A Mockingbird
• Laura Ingalls
• 33 titles in The Happy Hollisters by Jerry West was actually written by Andrew E. Svenson(looked on Amazon they are $4.98 on kindle or $9.98 paperback) geard to 6 to 12 year olds . I read them all many times to myself and read them to my younger brother and sister. He contributed to established series as Franklin W. Dixon (The Hardy Boys) and as Laura Lee Hope (The Bobbsey Twins). The first volume in his own original series, The Happy Hollisters
• An Old Fashioned Girl by Louisa May Alcott. Still one of my favorite books ever. Any LMA book, really, but that’s the best.
• I’m also going to add to this list _ From the Mixed-up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler – one of my all-time favorites
• These are not that old but the American Dolls have great stories. I read the whole Molly series to my daughter when she was about 4 of 5 and when she was old enough she read them to herself. Then she read all the other series. I like Molly because if took place when my mother was about the same age.
• Nancy Drew! She was my inspiration.
• I loved Pippi Longstocking!
• Donna Parker mysteries
• “Call me Heller that’s my Name” she knew what to do when caught on a train trestle and the train came. Anne of Green Gables
• “Cowslip, Slave Girl “was a very good book don’t know if it is in print
• Nancy Drew, and Trixie Belden….They were my favorites growing up!
• Anne Frank

What favorite stories from your youth are missing from this list?

***

Wendy Thomas is an award winning journalist, columnist, and blogger who believes that taking challenges in life will always lead to goodness. She is the mother of 6 funny and creative kids and it is her goal to teach them through stories and lessons.

Wendy’s current project involves writing about her family’s experiences with chickens (yes, chickens). (www.simplethrift.wordpress.com)

Pollyanna starts tonight.

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Define and you shall have – the continuing story of a writer who got her groove back

This is how happy I am these days.
Photo credit: Twoshortplanks

You know that little hissy fit I had a while back where I publicly declared that I had had it and that I was going to treat my writing as if it were a real business (and not a hobby that could be interrupted at any moment just because someone “needs a pickup?”)

Well a funny thing happened on the way to my business. It’s kind of like the Universe was waiting for me to finish stomping my foot and when I was done said, “Well okay, then, let’s get to work.”

Last week, my first “full-time” week as a freelance writer, my business partner (Lisa Jackson from this blog) and I got 3 new clients and tons of new work. In a “you’ve got to be kidding” kind of moment, I also got some email from an editor who started it off with “You don’t know me, but I know you. Interested in some assignments?” Two other editors contacted me for a total of 7 feature articles due by the end of this week. And oh yeah, out of the blue I got paid for a project that I thought was long dead in the water.

It was a week worthy of inclusion in one of those “The Secret”-like books, you know, clearly define your future and it will arrive on your doorstep?

Every day I now leave the house and I set up shop anywhere I can. Sometimes it’s a coffee or sandwich shop, or a local library, including a university library. Basically, I try to write anywhere I can find some space and a wi-fi connection (I’ve even written from inside my car.)  I write for the morning, break for lunch, and then write until about 3 or 4 at which point I head home and start the daily soccer and after school event diving.

And guess what? The house hasn’t fallen apart, the kids have not become juvenile delinquents, and I’m even getting help in the kitchen when it’s time to make dinner.  We are all, as a family, on a much more even keel.

Who knew? Because obviously, I sure as hell didn’t.

To pay back the world for letting me write like this, I allocate 10 dollars a day for coffee and food. I see it as my rental cost for the space but I also see it as giving back to the community (I try to choose local restaurants and sandwich shops for lunches.) The way I see it, 50 dollars a week is a small price to pay for the writing freedom it brings.

As soon as I post this, I’m going to take a shower and then meet with a potential new client this morning. I know that the work is not going to continue like this and that as a freelancer I’m always going to have to do a little hustling but, I get it, I get it. I’ve always believed (and taught my kids) that no one can hit a target in the dark. If you are not clear on your path, if where you want to go is not illuminated, then chances are, you will spend your time not only wandering, but also being truly being lost.

* * *

Wendy Thomas is an award winning journalist, columnist, and blogger who believes that taking challenges in life will always lead to goodness. She is the mother of 6 funny and creative kids and it is her goal to teach them through stories and lessons.

Wendy’s current project involves writing about her family’s experiences with chickens (yes, chickens). (www.simplethrift.wordpress.com)

Now, I just need to schedule in time to exercise…. baby steps.

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Writing as a form of therapy

Sometimes it stinks being a writer. You can’t take a day off (well, of course, in reality you can, but you won’t get paid) and you have to write your articles even if you don’t feel like writing.

I recently felt that way. I didn’t feel like writing – so I relied on my favorite form of personal therapy when things are not going the way I had hoped.

Photo credit: Curtfleenor

I wrote. But I wrote the stuff I wanted to write.

It sounds odd but writing to me is like a form of therapy to another. I’ll be the first to admit that I don’t “see” things. When a friend of mine feels down and goes to a fabric store, she talks about how a bolt of fabric would look great as a vintage A-line dress, I just don’t see it.

What I see is a bolt of cloth.

When another friend takes her blue mood into her studio and comes out with a wave-washed beach scene that just screams overcast, I don’t know how she does it.

What I see is a bunch of paints.

I don’t understand how they get from here to there.

But when I’m in pain, when I’m low – just lead me to a keyboard. I seem to be able to channel thoughts and ideas that I didn’t even know I had.

This past weekend I had such a mood. I’ve mentioned it before, we have Lyme in the house and as a result we have some sick kids. Really sick kids. The problem with Lyme is that like the holes in a dyke, once you get one leak patched up, another one pops up.

It’s never-ending.

It’s exhausting.

So I did what I do best. I sat down at my laptop and did some writing. It was the kind of writing I felt compelled to do (not the kind of writing that will get me a paycheck.) I started a blog (yeah, I really need to be involved in another blog right now, she said sarcastically) on what it looked like to have chronic Lyme in the family.

The blog is here: What it looks like to have Chronic Lyme and in it I used the language I had to explain what couldn’t be explained to anyone who hasn’t been there and who doesn’t “get it.”

While I don’t know where the blog will go and I don’t even know how long it will last, like my friend’s dress or painted scene, for now, it fills a need that I am able to very clearly see.

***

Wendy Thomas is an award winning journalist, columnist, and blogger who believes that taking challenges in life will always lead to goodness. She is the mother of 6 funny and creative kids and it is her goal to teach them through stories and lessons.

Wendy’s current project involves writing about her family’s experiences with chickens (yes, chickens). (www.simplethrift.wordpress.com)

And, trust me, I’ll keep writing about Lyme disease until everyone understands how important it is to know about it. 

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Writing Through the Rolls

Since last Thursday, three people I know have died. Thankfully, none are my immediate family, but still I ache for the losses. The closest to me is my cousin, Sue. We weren’t close, but we weren’t distant either. We were just busy moms who always picked up right where we left off when we connected at family gatherings. Despite the degrees of separation, I find myself impacted by these deaths. I’m distracted and it’s hard to concentrate

©2010 Lee Laughlin All Rights Reserved

As the saying goes, no one gets out of this live alive. Things happen (sometimes even good things) that will through off your writing schedule. Kristine Kathryn Rusch calls them “Life Rolls”. The term came from a role playing game she used to play as part of a workshop she co-taught.

When we taught the Master Class, we (along with Loren Coleman) invented a role-playing game that mimicked the way a long-time professional writer’s career works. … [W]e had disruptive events coincide with every writer’s role-played career. Those events were called “life rolls.” Sometimes they were positive—for example, you got married (of course, you’d lose money for the cost of the wedding plus weeks (maybe months) of work, but you might not have to pay all the bills on your own any more). More often than not, the rolls were disruptive. We took one bestseller (in the game) out for five years with a succession of life rolls that prevented her from working.

We all experience Life Rolls, the question is, how do you handle them? There are the events that directly impact you (marriage, birth of a child, death of a loved one), but I find there are also events the indirectly affect me that can also through my writing off. Here are three tips to help you get through them.

Give yourself a break

Some events are so severe they demand it (death of someone close), other events are so fleeting (a sick child) they are easier to accommodate. Either way, ask yourself, if a friend were in the same position, would you be encouraging them to cut themselves some slack? Apply the same thinking to yourself. Just be careful not to take too long of a break. You don’t need a visit from the witch of self doubt. She makes getting started again an even bigger challenge.

Write through the hard times

When one of my Dads died, I set up a blog and wrote letters to him. I kept it anonymous. On it, I talked about my feelings, what was happening as we made plans for his memorial service and when I felt him close as life went on. The writing helped me process his death. I added to it for a while after he died. I’ve never stopped thinking of him, but these days I can usually wait to voice my thoughts in my journal. At the time, I needed the immediate release. If you are facing something insurmountable, Write. Say things that are not socially acceptable, just get it out. I like having the blog to go back to. It’s nice having a secret place for just he and I, but you may find it more helpful to get your feelings out and then shred them.

Change it up

Sometimes the words won’t come. You can bang your head on the keyboard like a muppet and still, *crickets*. When that happens, work on more mundane, less creative tasks. My list might include filing, laundry, bread making and walking. These are all tasks that need to be completed, but they wouldn’t be my highest priority if I could get my muse into gear. Sometimes changing things up gives my muse the space she needs to get back on track. Again, be aware and don’t let the muse disappear for too long.

What do you do when you hit a major or minor life roll and the words won’t come?

Lee Laughlin is a writer, wife, and mom, frequently all of those things at once. She blogs at Livefearlesslee.com. Her words have appeared in a broad range of publications from community newspapers to the Boston Globe.

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Presidents Day and freeing up some time to enjoy it

Happy Presidents Day, everyone. 

I put this picture up on my blog Lessons Learned from the Flock today because, well, it is Presidents Day and it’s more than appropriate (and besides all that, it’s drop-dead cute) .

Now though, I want to talk about this photo with regard to being a writer. When you write you have to constantly come up with new ideas. Sometimes that means paying attention (read the post on people watching) or just sitting back and observing how life unfolds. It means keeping a running list of things you want to write about and directions you want your story to go.

A very important tool for all writers is planning. We took this photo this past summer, a few days after our chicks were hatched (seriously, I think that chick is about 3 days old.) I went down to the basement and gathered as many holiday decorations as I could and my husband, Marc took a million pictures. The planning part is this, on holidays, I don’t necessarily have the time to write a detailed post (more often than not, the kids are home and I simply can’t, hey I want to have fun too) but I still want to maintain a connection with my readers. So I put up prepared themed photos on my blog.

It frees up some time while still keeping my audience engaged (which means I get to go out to lunch today.)

So, by all means enjoy the day, eat that cherry pie and don’t tell a lie, but also start thinking about how you can make your lives easier while still being a writer who writes.

***

Wendy Thomas is an award winning journalist, columnist, and blogger who believes that taking challenges in life will always lead to goodness. She is the mother of 6 funny and creative kids and it is her goal to teach them through stories and lessons.

Wendy’s current project involves writing about her family’s experiences with chickens (yes, chickens).

And yes, you’d better believe that we’ll be having cherry pie with vanilla ice cream for dessert tonight. 

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The price of writing

I’ve had to move out of my house.

No, no worries. It’s not that kind of moving out. It’s more of a “I can’t get a darn thing done with dog, chicken, children, and husband around me” moving out. I need my space. I need to not have to worry that someone will interrupt me to ask (bark) for me to let them go outside. (Again, again, and again. )

Which is why when I found out that a local chocolate shop (Swans in Merrimack) had opened their upstairs as a place for people to meet and/or work, I was thrilled. How perfect was that? Chocolate, coffee, and writing – literally a match made in heaven.

I’m actually not too keen on writing at some coffee shops, there’s just a little too much activity going on. I’m not one of those people who can easily tune out other things (like the two women over in the corner who are talking about their children’s high school finals – well what do you know, my son has one of the teachers they are discussing.)

However, when I’m in a groove, like a superhero I can make everything disappear (even the cool Frank Sinatra music that is always playing here.) The shop activity is downstairs, there is nothing up here but chairs and tables. Since I’ve arrived this morning, I’ve written a post and an article. Not too shabby.

And as an added bonus? I’m sitting in an upright chair that won’t allow me to slouch. My back hasn’t felt this good after writing for a few hours in a loooong time.

As soon as I get this post up, I’ll turn to my manuscript for that last hour I plan to be here (and then it’s off to begin the eternal kid pick ups from school activities.) It will be the first time I’ve had a chance to look at that baby in weeks. (I blame the holidays and the kids all being home – won’t admit a bit to procrastination.)

I guess it’s all about finding out what works for you. I’ve considered renting a room but to be perfectly honest, it’s not in my budget. I’ve lusted for a tiny (expensive) writing cabin, heck, I’ve even considered working out in the cold pen with the chickens – nothing seemed to be doable. But because I’m a writer and because as a writer, I want to write, I had to find something.

So even though it means packing up my computer and notes, it’s still worth it, the benefits of finally finding a place where you can concentrate on your writing far outweighs any and all hassles.

And as for those few extra inches from the treats (this morning it was a cafe au lait with an oatmeal, cranberry, and white chocolate cookie) that will be on my hips by the time I finally get my manuscript finished?

Small price to pay and totally worth it.

All that's left of my cookie.

 

Wendy Thomas is an award winning journalist, columnist, and blogger who believes that taking challenges in life will always lead to goodness. She is the mother of 6 funny and creative kids and it is her goal to teach them through stories and lessons.

Wendy’s current project involves writing about her family’s experiences with chickens (yes, chickens).

 

And next time? It’s the cannoli.

I think I’m going to like working on this book. 

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An elf on a shelf in the henhouse

This post originally appeared on my Lessons Learned from the Flock blog . I’m including it here on this blog for a few reasons. First of all it’s a holiday post and if you’re a mom you’ll recognize the spirit in which it was written. But another reason it’s here is that one question I am constantly asked is how do I come up with enough ideas to be able to write up to 8 blog posts a week? 

My answer is that is in order to do this you have to pay attention to what’s going on and then you have to use that material in a creative way. There is a children’s storytelling game that consists of several dice on the sides of which different items and topics are written. The object of the game is to roll the dice and then come up with a story that includes all of the elements you’ve rolled. (I’ve also done this with my kids using a set of “item bingo cards.”) It’s a way to force creativity.  

I write about chickens, kids, and the lessons learned, lately there have been a series of “naughty elf posts” from parents who are a little fed up with the whole “orchestrated Christmas thing.” The roll of my imaginary dice came up with “chickens” and “that damn Christmas elf” – from there it was simply a matter of letting things go where they wanted to go. 

So go ahead, those of you who can never come up with ideas. Create some imaginary dice with topics on each side (some you know about and some you don’t) and then roll those dice and see what comes up. It’s all about combining ideas in a new and creative way and then putting your special spin on them. 

Ho, ho, ho.

***

 

For those of you who don’t have children or for those of you who are sane (basically the same thing) there is a relatively new Christmas phenomenon that’s hit the streets of which you are probably unfamiliar. It’s called the Elf on a Shelf and in a nutshell, an elf (one of those creepy ones from the 1950′s with the plastic face) sits on a shelf in your house and while your children sleep, he returns to the North Pole and reports back whether the kids have been good or bad. Apparently this goes on for the entire month of December.

Now as if spying on your kids and tattle-telling isn’t enough, apparently this elf moves from room to room each night causing mischief. Some of the mommy blogs are listing creative ways to have the elf make mischief, all in the name of good Christmas fun – switch all the clothes from one closet to another, make cookies IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT and leave the dirty dishes for mom in the morning…

Oh that naughty elf.

I’m going on the record as protesting. As if us parents don’t have enough to do during the holiday season, now we’re supposed to perpetuate the story of a little being who reports back if your kids lost their temper but then feels free to wreck havoc in MY house?

Get Santa on the phone, something’s not right.

Some parents are rebelling, I’ve seen the elf in an orgy with naked Barbie dolls, I’ve seen the elf with a toe tag in the refrigerator, and I’ve seen the elf with a hangover on the toilet (extra credit if the vomit looks like a peppermint swirl.) And while that is SOOO my sense of humor, I’m going to take the high road on this one.

A few summers ago, I actually picked up two of these disturbing elves (you know you have the real ones when their eyes look sideways) at a yardsale. I wanted my kids to see what passed as acceptable holiday decorations when I was a kid.

“Mom, they’re creepy. I’m not touching those things” said Addy.

Yeah, I know, but since then, as a tribute to the 1950′s (and let’s face it, because I get such a rise out of the kids), we’ve had them in the branches of our Christmas tree peering out at us when we gather round. Each year we dig them out of the box and place them as far into the tree branches as we can so that perhaps, if we squint our eyes, we won’t be able to see them. But we always know they’re there – the monster under the bed in the tree.

Yesterday we took one of the elves down and brought him into the henhouse (Why let the kids have all the fun, why not tell Santa if Zelda is picking on some of the youngsters, or if Morganne has taken the fatest sunflower seeds first, again?)

Here is the elf sitting in the feed. Apparently the chickens feel the same way about the elf as does Addy. No one wanted to go near it.

Here the elf is riding a chicken, what fun he will be able to report to Santa tonight. I’m not sure chickens have the ability to be pissed off but if ever there was a case of “if looks could kill” I’m thinking this one would certainly qualify.

And lastly, here is our beloved, creepy elf, just minutes away from learning what the term “pecking order” really means.

Rest well, and give Santa our love, little buddy.

***

Wendy Thomas is an award winning journalist, columnist, and blogger who believes that taking challenges in life will always lead to goodness. She is the mother of 6 funny and creative kids and it is her goal to teach them through stories and lessons.

Wendy’s current project involves writing about her family’s experiences with chickens (yes, chickens).

 

No elves were harmed in the making of this post, our elf has been returned to our tree and has been squished back into the branches along with his Christmas twin where he belongs. What? You think I’m going to take any chances with Santa this close to Christmas? 

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Starting a blog even though it seems scary

Today’s post is from guest blogger Diane MacKinnon.

For years, I wanted to start a blog.  I am a life coach and feel a strong need to connect with other people and try to communicate about how to live a happier life. I would write blog posts in my head, in my journal, and even in a folder on my computer marked “Posts for Future Blog.” So why didn’t I start a blog?  One word: fear.

Once, when I was eleven, I came home from school to find my mom and my older brother laughing over my journal.  While there was a part of me that was flattered they thought it was funny, I was horrified to think they were reading my private thoughts.

Although I kept journaling, I never wrote down anything that I wouldn’t want anyone else to read.  Pretty boring.  Eventually, as an adult, I consciously stopped censoring my thoughts and actually wrote down in my journal my true thoughts—even the really petty, stupid ones that make no sense at all unless you were there.

But to write things down and then put them out there into the world? Saying, “this is what I think and this is what I believe?”—that still seemed very risky to me.

So I snuck up on it.

I read other people’s blogs, I kept writing my own blog posts in my journal, and then in January of 2011 I took a Blogging 101 class with Dan Blank. I did all the class assignments, including getting a blog set up on Word Press.  I wrote out an editorial calendar and brainstormed more topics.  What fun!

And did I start my blog on February 1^st, as my editorial calendar had scheduled? Nope.  But I kept thinking about it and doing little pieces.  I’m a big fan of turtle steps—taking such small steps forward in completing a task that they feel doable, even easy.  But if you want to start a blog, one day you actually have to publish a blog post.

I finally took the leap in June.  I just pasted a blog post into my Word Press blog site and clicked Publish. I didn’t tell anyone I did it, but it still felt really scary—and exhilarating.  About a week later, I mentioned to a close friend that I had started a blog.  Then I told a few more people.  And when I sent out my monthly life coaching newsletter, I mentioned it there.  Every time I mentioned it, it felt a little less scary.

My blog is not getting a ton of hits, I don’t have all my “tags” listed.  My RSS feed sign-up is not working exactly the way I want it to.  But I can fix all that.  The important thing is that I am being true to myself and I am putting it out there.

Have you started a blog? What was the scariest part for you? If you want to start a blog and haven’t, try turtle steps.

Diane MacKinnon is currently a full-time mother, part-time life coach.  She is passionate about her son, her writing and using her mind to create a wonderful present moment.  Find her blog at http://www.dianemackinnon.com/blog.

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I’ve got 30 minutes to write this post

I have 30 minutes to write this post.

Photo credit: Kevin

Don’t worry, it’s not like I’m in danger and if I don’t complete it within the time frame something bad will happen to me, it’s just that my day is packed and I don’t have the time to give it much more than 30 minutes.

This is what happens when you are a freelance writer who takes on several assignments at once. Today I must:

• Finish a book review
• Write a parenting magazine column
• Write a pet magazine column
• Write a magazine article
• Submit newspaper story ideas for next week
• Respond to an email from a frantic chicken owner
• Write two other blog posts
• Interview a restaurant owner for a feature article

I also have to pick my kids up at the pool, contact a friend about some photos, attend a town event tonight, drop off some medical forms, and somehow find the time to get food in the house, the natives are getting restless about that one.

I’ve written before about the challenges of being a writer while having children (compounded by the fact that they all have diverse summer schedules) and I know that, and let’s be honest here, I’ve whined often about this predicament.

But you know what? It has taught me to buckle down and do my work. There is nothing like a time crunch for productivity.

I know I can write this post within 30 minutes because I’ve written so many before that I’ve found a groove. Same thing goes for the articles and book review which I will give each a whopping total of 45 minutes in which to write. I’ve done it before and based on that knowledge I know I can do it again and again.

I’m always amazed by people who claim they need weeks in order to compose a blog post and get it written. Oh for crying out loud, follow Nike’s advice and JUST DO IT. While I may submit copy that has a few typos in it (the bane of my existence) I end up submitting a post that although not perfect is something that is finished. A finished piece gets payment, a perfected, thrice rewritten piece that hasn’t been submitted because you don’t know if it’s good enough – gets you zilch.

It’s amazing what time pressure can do for your writing output. Now excuse me while I turn to my other work for today.

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Wendy Thomas is an award winning journalist, columnist, and blogger who believes that taking challenges in life will always lead to goodness. She is the mother of 6 funny and creative kids and it is her goal to teach them through stories and lessons.

Wendy’s current project involves writing about her family’s experiences with chickens (yes, chickens).

And yes, I finished writing and putting up this post with 6 minutes to spare. 

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