Writing in the summer is hard!
When the sun is shining, and the sky is clear, I don’t want to be inside the house or even at the coffee shop, writing words. I want to be at the pool, basking in the rays or lying on a raft reading a book. I want to be taking my kiddos to the park or to lunch or somewhere we can’t go during a typical school day.
Also, with the kids on summer break, they constantly want food or transportation to their next place of entertainment. I’m suddenly a chef, chauffeur and event planner. I’m cleaning up messes, breaking up arguments, and defending my “no” answers to some of their requests. Momming is mind-boggling and does not co-exist well with trying to write and revise novels!
A few years back, I learned how to write during the in-between times. I would take my laptop computer with me to cheer practices, musical rehearsals and even to birthday parties. That way, I could maximize my writing time while also being available to transport my kids to their activities. During the summer, the schedule isn’t as consistent, so in-between times don’t tend to work.
I’ve found that I have to schedule time to write every day. It has to be planned, and I have to plan for it, meaning being mentally ready. My kids may be on vacation, but I’m not! I am up and at it at 5:30 every morning, which means early to bed the nights before. I’ve discovered that our local Starbucks opens at 5:00 a.m., so I’m there before 6:00 with my laptop and my coffee. I wear my writer reading glasses until 10:00 or 10:30 a.m. I work my fingers off, creating, revising. Then I’m home to my kids shortly after they roll out of bed.
At home, I replace my readers with my Mom hat. I try to fully attend to my kids, because I know they won’t always have summer break. Someday they’ll have full time-jobs and much less time to splash in the pool with me or bug me to take them to the mall. I try my best to be present, although it’s a challenge, because my fictional characters are also my children. They, too, are constantly tapping at me, wanting to be taken here or there, wanting to do this or that in the story I’m weaving for them.
It’s hard to be the driver in two different worlds. Especially when your characters want your undivided attention and the sun is calling your name from the unbroken blue sky.
But, really, I wouldn’t have it any other way.