A Shout Out to all the Writing Mamas
Mother’s Day dawned here under mostly gray skies that hung low and brooding with the threat of afternoon rain. As I write this, the first drops have begun to fall, turning the road dark and sending the birds at my feeder into a bit of a frenzy. Though I feel sorry for anyone who had outdoor or travel plans, I’m enjoying the cozy feeling that comes from being indoors with a steaming mug of tea to hand while the rain falls outside the window.
On this day celebrating motherhood, I’d like to send some extra love to all the writing mamas out there. Whether you are a relatively new mom in the throes of navigating toddlerhood or an empty nester who is discovering that a mother’s job is truly never done, it’s a challenge to carve out writing time in days that are full to overflowing with the responsibilities (and joys!) of parenting.
In order to make time to write, mothers must become masters of time management and manipulation, stealing writing time wherever they can find it. Even harder than finding time to write is finding energy. When my daughter was younger, there were many days when I barely had enough brain cells left to piece together a simple email, never mind work on an essay or a story. And yet, inspired by other moms, I kept at it.
Ultimately, I know that being someone’s mom has made me a better writer. Tactically, the challenges of writing while being a mom have helped me develop almost superhuman levels of patience, focus, and efficiency. People often marvel, for instance, at my ability to get actual writing done while sitting in a noisy coffee shop. Mom Writer Training, I tell them. I’ve also had clients comment on my ability to juggle so many projects and deadlines with apparent ease. Moms don’t have time to mess around, I tell them. We just need to get the job done.
Intellectually and emotionally, motherhood grants me access to insights and feelings that I would never otherwise have known or experienced. It broadens my perspective, deepens my empathy, and improves my sense of humor. Being a mom keeps me grounded, while at the same time enhancing my powers of imagination and creativity.
I am grateful that my life includes both writing and motherhood. While the combination creates challenges, it makes each day an adventure with new chances for discovery.
Happy Mother’s Day!
While I’m only midway through the book I’m currently reading (hoping to share next weekend!), I do have some Internet reads to share.
My Favorite Blog Reads for the Week:
CRAFT
- Your story matters. But does the audience know that? by @jccabel
- Writer’s Voice — What It Is, and How to Find It by @mythcreants
- Writing Suspenseful Fiction: Reveal Answers Slowly by @janekcleland
PUBLISHING & MARKETING
- The Blog Post Checklist for Cranking Your Search Ranking by @FeldmanCreative
- How (and When) to Develop Multiple Streams of Writing Income by @aliventures
- 6 Things I Wish I Knew When I Started My Blog by Will Nicholls
- What It Takes: The Social Media Skinny by @CallieOettinger
- The Powerful Case for Developing Your Fiction Writing Platform by @EmilyWenstrom
- Print Only Products: Turn Your Book Into A Notebook Or Workbook by @TheCreativePenn
- Audio Content Made Easy: Fantastic Apps for Podcasting by @kerrygorgone
INSPIRATION
- The 5-Step Process that Solves 3 Painful Writing Problems via @copyblogger
- Why Learning to Write Is the Toughest and Best Thing You’ll Do by @pamelaiwilson
- 7 Quick Journaling Exercises That Will Improve Your Fiction Writing by DanielleLHanna
- Pixie Dust by @DonMaass
- How to Think Like a Great Writer by Michael Mahin
THE WRITING LIFE
- The Difficult Art of Happiness by Carrie Brown via @glimmertrain
- Writing Longhand by @elizabethscraig
- Writing as a Small Sturdy Boat by Bethany Reid
- A conversation with the world’s leading authority on the English language about Google ngrams & language change by Daniel McMahon
- The Accidental Essayist by Allison Green
Sundry Links and Articles:
A Little Piece of Fantasy History
As a long-time fan of Tolkien’s Middle Earth, my little geek heart skipped a beat when I came across this little tidbit:
Last year, a map of Middle-earth, annotated by Tolkien himself, was unearthed in a copy of a book owned by illustrator Pauline Baynes. The map’s now been purchased by Oxford’s Bodleian Libraries, who very kindly put a full, authorized, version of the full map online, which is sure to be pored over by fans forever and ever.
··• )o( •··
Book-to-Course Summit
I came across this free, online event via Jane Friedman’s excellent blog. Though I cannot vouch for all the presenters included on the docket, I have always found Friedman’s content to be of the highest caliber.
The 8-day, virtual event takes place May 11th – May 18th and is free to participants thanks to sponsorship from Teachable, an online course development and management platform. If you’ve ever thought about creating an online course, you may want to check this event out for some inspiration and tips. Since it’s free, you’ll likely have to sit through some sales pitches, but you may learn something worth knowing.
Finally, a quote for the week:
Here’s to the adventures of writing and of motherhood and to the way they collide to create new perspectives and dreams and realities. Write on, mamas!
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Jamie Lee Wallace Hi. I’m Jamie. I am a content writer and branding consultant, columnist, sometime feature writer, prolific blogger, and aspiring fiction writer. I’m a mom, a student of equestrian arts, and a nature lover. I believe in small kindnesses, daily chocolate, and happy endings. Introduce yourself on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or Pinterest. I don’t bite … usually.
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Thank you for the terrific resources. Happy Mother’s Day.
You’re so welcome, Marjorie. Hope your day was lovely!
Thank you for the incredible resources. Happy Mother’s Day Jamie 🙂
I hope you enjoy them. Thanks for the Mother’s Day wishes!:)
I am already enjoying 😉
Happy Mother’s day, Jamie. Thanks for the links, I will surely try them. I loved the quote.
Thanks!
I came across the quote on Pinterest, and it seemed just the thing. I haven’t read the poet’s work, but I may need to check it out.
Nice to have you here. 🙂
Happy Mother’s Day!!
Thank you! 🙂
I’m late for Mother’s Day but want to affirm all you have written. I still remember writing in the toilet while three littlies hammered on the door saying ‘can we come in’. Not much written but a sentence at a time. Being a grandmother has its own unique perspectives and challenges but also my writing has changed so much. The world too is much more chaotic than what was relevant then… now is not wanted. I care far less about….markets….who wants to read what I write and far far more about connecting. When you are a writer, when it is in your blood, I believe even on the back of train, bus tickets etc just a word or sentence will be written down. Nothing changes for me except I don’t travel as much but write on Shopping lists. Hope the Mother’s Day with children lingers in your memory strongly. Cheers!
Such lovely sentiments, Faye. I especially like the part about writing to connect, not for markets. There is, I think, something to be said for staying our course in our writing, even as the world changes around us.
Thanks! Hope you had a lovely Mother’s Day, too!
Jamie, I too, love being cozy inside while outside it rains. I enjoyed this post about creative mothers, their children, and their work, balancing everything. So many writers are moms with small children these days that I’m sure many people will benefit from your ideas.
Thank you kindly, David. Very nice to have you here. 🙂