Since having 3 kids (4.5, 3, 1.5), I have built such a better writing habit where I make serious progress in the limited time I am alotted. Sometimes I know it might be my only chance all week, and this doesn't stress me out of writing. I used to let all kinds of things stop me from writing.
Like Zimmerman, I am also able to write in stints when I can snatch them and not just because somw random thing inspired me.
I love that! I know so many writers who've said something like this--that becoming a mom/caregiver forced them to just be less precious about the time they had available and get their work done. (And I'm impressed you're doing your writing with such little kids!)
I do feel as if writing is a part of my self-care. I love my littles but the day-to-day can often be an avalanche of tiny disasters, and I just have to be the stone in a river while I lovingly tend to these disasters. Writing adds weight to my stone-self--it fills a specials place in my emotional bucket so that I don't get carried away with the avalanche.
Other things are needed too, we are all multi-faceted, but writing is cetainly counted in my self-care.
"avalanche of tiny disasters" and "I just have to be the stone in the river" are wonderful lines--I think you should save those for a future poem/story/whatever you may write!
"I had to learn to... let myself write poorly when I was exhausted so that I could edit it into something better later." This struck me, because I feel like that *edit better later* is the part that I really struggle with. I can smash my way through a mediocre rough draft in half-hour stints with the best of them, but what about when *later* comes, when you need to do the editing work that requires space and air and you still have no time or energy to do it? Would love to hear thoughts and resources on this!
This sounds so familiar! I learned how to work in pockets of time. Sometimes I feel like I'm writing in a fugue state, less flow than scattered zombie energy, but I trust myself enough now to write down whatever comes and then sort it out later when my mind feels clearer.
Since having 3 kids (4.5, 3, 1.5), I have built such a better writing habit where I make serious progress in the limited time I am alotted. Sometimes I know it might be my only chance all week, and this doesn't stress me out of writing. I used to let all kinds of things stop me from writing.
Like Zimmerman, I am also able to write in stints when I can snatch them and not just because somw random thing inspired me.
I love that! I know so many writers who've said something like this--that becoming a mom/caregiver forced them to just be less precious about the time they had available and get their work done. (And I'm impressed you're doing your writing with such little kids!)
I do feel as if writing is a part of my self-care. I love my littles but the day-to-day can often be an avalanche of tiny disasters, and I just have to be the stone in a river while I lovingly tend to these disasters. Writing adds weight to my stone-self--it fills a specials place in my emotional bucket so that I don't get carried away with the avalanche.
Other things are needed too, we are all multi-faceted, but writing is cetainly counted in my self-care.
"avalanche of tiny disasters" and "I just have to be the stone in the river" are wonderful lines--I think you should save those for a future poem/story/whatever you may write!
I agree! such beautiful writing here!
Thank you for your encouragement. :)
I loved this piece + advice: is Erin on Substack? :)
I'm so glad! I don't think Erin is on substack, but you can find her newsletter here: https://drerinzimmerman.com/newsletter/ (And she is on instagram: https://www.instagram.com/doctor.zedd/)
I loved this piece + advice: is Erin on Substack? :)
"I had to learn to... let myself write poorly when I was exhausted so that I could edit it into something better later." This struck me, because I feel like that *edit better later* is the part that I really struggle with. I can smash my way through a mediocre rough draft in half-hour stints with the best of them, but what about when *later* comes, when you need to do the editing work that requires space and air and you still have no time or energy to do it? Would love to hear thoughts and resources on this!
This sounds so familiar! I learned how to work in pockets of time. Sometimes I feel like I'm writing in a fugue state, less flow than scattered zombie energy, but I trust myself enough now to write down whatever comes and then sort it out later when my mind feels clearer.
ah, I love what you say about trusting yourself--I think that's really such an important part of it.