Friday, September 7, 2007

Writing in between lives

Today's Mood: Slap-happy. Today's Music: Rob Thomas--Something To Be. Today's writing: reading (beg. to end) Free Lunch. I'm on page 131 and trying to pretend it is someone else's manuscript. Today's Quote:
Sometimes [writing] comes easily and perfectly. Sometimes it's like drilling
rock and blasting it out with charges. -Ernest Hemingway
*******

It is so hot in this library that I am dehydrating as we speak. The sweat is running down my backbone and front....whatever in rivers, not trickles. And I've got a sore throat from teaching--with one more class to go. I'm in my pilot's outfit--I am, after all, a pilot to other worlds here in the library--so that makes me extra hot (temperature wise anyway.)

I've been reading a lot in the last three days--and it's great except that I get so many ideas and characters swirling around in my head that it is hard to keep track of it all.

Writing Magic
by Gail Carson Levine is absolutely excellent for teaching writing to kids--probably middle school thorough high school--because it is concrete, has good examples, and has interesting, exciting writing exercises. I read The Truth about Forever by Sarah Dessen (this was so awesome because it was first person-past tense and the majority of the conflict was internal--like Free Lunch.), Jinx by Meg Cabot (another good first person-past tense.), Quantum by... I forgot but a good Science Fiction (which is what IFFY is), Just in case Meg Rosoff (in which Kismet--or Fate--has a voice) , and Demonkeeper by Royce Buckingham.

My frustration right now is having a day job. I love it--what more proof do you need than the picture above?--but I would LOVE to have more time to write. And my second day job is loved as well--but is equally demanding. I have been getting up at 5:30 and going to bed at 12:00. Last night I got in bed before midnight, but then I remembered the tooth under Shanna's pillow, and I thought I'd better make sure the tooth fairy didn't forget to exchange it for money. When the tooth fairy went in her room, however, she was sleeping with her hands under the pillow on top of the plastic baggie with the tooth. The tooth fairy tried again in the morning--but couldn't find the baggie (which quite possibly slipped down between the bed and wall) and had just shoved the money under the pillow when Shanna woke up. The fairy assured Shanna in hushed mother-like tones that all was well and that she was just making sure Shanna was covered by blankets. Whew!

Does anyone else wish they had more time to just write? And think about writing? I don't even feel like I can think half the time. Maybe the perfect day job for a writer would be one that involved a repetitive, non-thinking task--like dishwasher or something. Of course...my job connects me with kids, and that's vital. Sigh. I just need to give up something. I can't go without showers because that is where my best ideas come. Maybe eating. If I give up any more sleep who knows what I'll say, do, or write!

Oh well, it's been a long, hot Friday and I'm going home. Take care and happy writing.

3 comments:

outdoorwriter said...

Sarah;

Wouldn't it be great if we could all make a living from our avocation rather than our vocation? But then I suppose it would become a job. I enjoy so much more what I do for a hobby than what I do for a living. Hobbies don't pay much, but I'm learning for the best reasons--because I want to know. For me, there's so much more than the fish or game I might get. I want to be able to recognize all kinds of plants and grasses, to identify birds by their song, experience sun rises and sunsets, appreciate the beauty of snow-lace covered shrubs, and so much more. The majesty of a flock of Canada geese fills me with awe. I can't think of a place I would rather be than outdoors, no matter what the season or weather. I take a walk every night and mornings on the weekend.

Juggling it all--job, family, hobbies--is taxing. We get stretched and pulled in too many directions. Usually, we're the ones who bear the brunt; it affects us most: we lose sleep, time and too often ourselves. I get up early every morning just so I'll have some time for me. A time when my daughter doesn't need the computer for school work or my wife for solitaire. It's still not enough time when my muse is working, but it's better than nothing. Hang in there. Glen is only three weeks away.

smcelrath said...

Larry,

Thanks so much for words of encouragement. I'm glad to know I'm not the only one who feels stretched and wishes that I could spend more time writing. And three weeks! I can make that.

mike stratton said...

Sarah,

I love the outfit!

Yes, I too would love to write for a living. I've been struck by how much time I devote to work that pays nothing - my DJ gig and writing. If that would change... I wonder if it would feel like a job? I remember how I used to pinch myself, that people would pay me to come and have these amazing conversations with me. And I still feel like that most days.

Anyway, another friend and writing buddy is reading the first novel and told me this a.m. that he was enjoying it. So that's cool.

Mike
now listening: Miles Davis, Live at the Black Hawk