A writer’s most valued commodity is her/his time–and usually alone. It is in those moments alone that we do our greatest work–writing and reading.
And yet, the writer must remain engaged with the world–observant, aware, awake, and alert to what makes people tick–the universal modus operandi that drive the human heart and soul.
How do we do that when Rumi so eloquently says: A little while alone in your room will prove move valuable than anything else that could ever be given.
Perhaps the operative words in Rumi’s statement are: …a little while…
I often think writers spend too much time alone–that we are too taken with the image of the lonely artist–or perhaps the tormented, mentally unbalanced artist–the writer who sits to her/his desk day in and day out pecking, typing away at her/his keyboard–creating that great American or world novel that is destined for a lineage of literary awards and propelling us the writer in to enormous fame–and fortune.
Yet we all know that that scenario is all-too-often not the case. I read last week that most published writers garner less than $19,000.00/annum for the words we string together and launch into the world either under our own auspices or those of a traditional publisher. For me $19,000.00 sounds great. As a fulltime wife and mother I’m happy simply to see my books purchased with hopes that sales will exceed that of my small pittance of an advance that came nowhere near the per annum salary that most writers are said to achieve.
I love writing. I love hearing and reading from readers how my stories affect them.
But more and more as the economy plateaus into a state of stagnation I am coming to see that the lure of money plus writing doesn’t always equal happiness–even for those who gain the 6-figure book deals. I’d hate to be a writer hoping to sell enough books to cover a 6-figure advance today. Perhaps I’m not ambitious enough, but if people have to choose between paying their mortgage–if they’re lucky enough to have maintained it–and purchasing my book, I’d tell them let the book go–and would wonder, should they purchase my title instead–just what kind of word of mouth endorsement they could offer and if anyone would consider them a rational and stable enough individual whose suggestions to honor.
Writing may be my passion, and while man it is said shall not live by bread alone, in truth people don’t need books to live. They certainly make our lives a lot more tolerable, and in my own case lively and meaningful. I have a stack of books by my bed and many others around my home that I doubt I will ever get a chance to read before I die.
Why?
Because I hope to be living my life–breathing air with my husband and children, smiling with them, taking in the sunshine with them–and doing all the things my characters often wished they had with their families and that some actually did.
Engaging with my family–those closest to me–who are alive and plant the seed of stories in me is the only way I can truly come to write. For it is out of grace and gratefulness of the relationships in my life–the human interactions that open my eyes to the unseen that binds us as humans and families that I come to this art of putting words together, stringing phrases into sentences that construct paragraphs and lead to chapters that comprise novel. And more and more I am realize were it not for the life and lives we lead with others–there would be no need for stories.
How do you spend your time and create balance?
Great post. I completely agree with you. I just decided to pen a novel last year, and I let me tell you, it is way more work that I ever thought it could be.
But I agree with you, after pushing and pushing myself to be all about writing, it was only when I step away and decided to stop neglected my real life that the ideas actually began to flow for me.
So balance is key. Unfortunately, I just really started writing my wip this January (after spending all of 2008 just staring a the computer screen during my forced “alone times” and in workshops). So I am still learning what works for me.
You’ve posted just what was on my mind this morning. I need balance. Great topic!
Before my husband, I had so much free time. Now I’m scrambling for free time. All those days doing nothing but writing and reading spoiled me. LOL!
I think this is the taboo topic of writers–balance–trying to find it and then maintain it. In the not-too-long ago old days we were taught as writers to focus on our writing. Now in the 21st century of Internet 2.0, the down economy and the shifting tides of the market we’re expected to and have to establish an internet presence which requires that we blog on a reasonably regular basis. More writing. How do we fit this into maintaining a family?
So many writers–famous and not so famous–live a lonely life–no family, or estranged from their family. These are not good role models. What are we to do?
Talk about it–share our opinions–find a new way.
So ditto, ditto, ditto.
I feel you about the scramble for time.
I have little to no money–and even less time.
Thanks for the comment.
Thanks so much. I think you and others who respond are helping me to find my niche in blogging–writing about my struggle as a wife and mother whose passion is writing. And yet my husband and children form the basis upon which and why I write. My husband is my muse. And my ultimate hope is that my daughters will find in my stories that part of me that they didn’t know or for various reasons of age and time were unable to access or better yet understand and grasp. I hope they will do the same with my paintings. One of the saddest things is to lose a parent without having had the time and experiences in which to get to know them as a person. I think it’s important for us to let our children know about our journey as individuals. Hopefully they can glean some wisdom that helps them along their path. While I spend as much time as possible with my children I know we don’t touch on everything. Hopefully my writing and painting will make up for what I missed.
And so there you have it. I’m running this race against the conventional wisdom of the powers that be in writing and publishing that say you must focus on your writing 24/7. Just as the economic markets are forcing all of us to re-evaluate where and how we spend our money–and if it is really in our best interest to spend and consume so much–I think we must also–it only seems right–to re-examine how and where we deposit our time.
When considering that time is a writer’s most valuable commodity the question arises how much time spent writing is appropriate and healthy–for the writer and for the author’s work.
Your comment suggests–and I’m also coming to believe along with you–that time away from our writing brings clarity–a depth that constant focus dispels and zaps.
Thanks so much for visiting the site. I hope you return.
This is a great blog post. This is something that I need to heed. I love reading and writing so much that I sometimes forget the points that you covered in this article.
Thanks,
Joey
And don’t we all.
Thanks so much for your comment.
I am struggling with this very same issue. It is very difficult as I work full-time, so any chance I get I want to spend on writing…but I also have family who wish to spend more time with me (partic. my mother and my niece).
I think today, I will put the pen down and spend the evening with them.
Thank you writing about this Anjuelle.
The internet is a great tool for writers. It has made it possible for writers like me and others to get our work out into the world, enabling us to spread the word of our writings and our writings to people across the globe. Yet the internet is a tool we must use with extreme care. I’m finding that the more time I spend blogging and writing about my life and the pitfalls of being a writer, the ups and downs of this writing life, I am recalling the various teachings and sayings of Buddhist teachers. Ultimately we must all remember, recall or simply learn how to chop wood, and carry water as we use this wonderful tool of the 21st century, the internet, lest we all be swallowed up by the illusions of power and gain and lose what ultimately caused us to turn the internet in the first place–dedication to our imagination and creativity through our reading and writing.
Thanks so much for your comments.