I am fed up with people on Facebook going on about how much they are writing. '10,000 words today - I'm on a roll!' 'A whole story done today - yipee!' etc etc. Oh go away.
I am hardly writing at all. I want to write, I have the will, even the little clicks of things to write about but it is IMPOSSIBLE with an 8 month old baby who wants undivided attention. And I can't afford a creche, so don't suggest it. Neither do I have family on hand to provide relief. The only time I get to write these days is late at night when baby's Dad is here to take over (and I'm usually too tired by then) or in the car when he drives. That's why I like going places more than ever.
I'm not looking for sympathy. I am just VENTING. Today I sat her on my lap while she wriggled and screeched and I put the finishing touches to my poetry MS before sending it to the publisher. It was frustrating and not a little difficult. I hope the MS is not back to front or inside out or anything.
OK. Rant over. Join me tomorrow at Rachel Fox's blog for an interview as part of my Red Car Tour for my poetry pamphlet. We talk bravery, among other things.
WOMEN RULE WRITER: Lit blog of Nuala O'Connor / Nuala Ní Chonchúir
21 comments:
Dear frustrated in Galway,
I know you’re not looking for sympathy but you have mine, by the bucket load! I don’t know how any new mother manages to brush her teeth in a day let alone write.
As for the brags on fb, I wonder how much of their 10,000 word count in worth reading, I’m sceptical about people who need to tell all to the world.
x
Thank you, Kar. Yes, there is the whole quantity vs quality angle. Still, I'd love to have the time/chance to write 10,000 words of waffle.
And yes, why if they are writing are they on FB telling people?! Why aren't they just writing??!! If I could do more than be on FB and blog, I would do it.
Love
STILL Frustrated in Galway x
p.s. Talk later?!
Oh facebook! A right load of tosh on there.
I kept off it for ages then dabbled a little...partly because there are a few people I like who aren't around blogs so much and are on there.
Plus writing is not about how many words. Never has been and never will be. How many of them have written any words as good as 'Nude'?
x
Aw Rach, thank you, me dear. Don't mind me - I'm just having one of those days!
Aw Nuala,
Don't be cheesed off. You are building up a head of steam and when you do finally get some space and time to write I am sure it will be magnicient !
Oh, and FB is fiction most of the time.
Anna May x
I hear you, Frustrated in Galway. May I just say that you, at least, have an excellent and gorgeous excuse for not writing. What do I have? Nothing. Hmmm....
Excuse-less in Bristol
Thanks Anna May - thank you! Magnificent might be a stretch...
Tania - hee hee, love the name.
It's frustrating not to be writing no matter what the reasons. Hope you can get back to it soon. N x
For what it's worth I think you are awesomeness for even thinking about writing with an 8 month old! But hey, I remember your love of stationary so now's the time to litter the house with notebooks and make jottings/scribbles/etcetera whenever they occur so that in the future you'll have a zillion prompts and ideas to work with when you do have the time.
Hi Sara, yes, I'm frantically jotting, it has to be said! But I'd give anything for even 4 hours a week where I could just sit, alone, in a quiet house and write. Sigh.
Vent all you like! Sorry if you thought I was bragging with my new years tot-up...been where you are re baby less than a year ago and have no support so I do empathise but it does get better and then you'll be able to let fly with all your trapped ideas too...sounds like you're very hard on yourself...baby is only a baby once - enjoy that, for now.
Oh, poor Nuala! I remember that baby-centric time very clearly. But just wait until Juno is a little older and starts giving you ideas for stories and poems (which I'm sure she does already) AND she's inherited your love of books and likes to sit cuddled up with a story while you write, write, write.
Rachel - it's not that I'm NOT in writing mode all the time, it's trying to get a good run at it really that's impossible. I do enjoy her hugely (she's my last baba so I treasure it all) I just get MADLY frustrated at times. Today was a bad one!
Sarah - I know it passes, I've been through it before twice. I guess I am just so insanely busy now with the 3 of them, and my partner is away long hours, so I am trying to do everything and not succeeding. And, of course, writing is the last thing on the list, sadly.
I'd love to win a huge dollop of money. I'd pay for a creche and get on with it!
My empathy to you Nuala. It is so frustrating when your craft is calling but so too is your beautiful child. One of my biggest gripes are those who have family to help with baby and yet have absolutely no appreciation of how very lucky they are. I hope tomorrow is a brighter day for you.
Keep yer chin up lass!
Hi Nuala,
Did you know that the third Monday in January is officially the most depressing day of the year? Add coming back from hols on top of that, ( with compound interest) and see what you get.
By the way, I think you're doing great, you keep a brilliant blog going, (best in Ireland), you've been reading at festivals, and even with an eight month old baby you still manage to look fantastic!! You are so far ahead of where I was when I had babies that age. I know it's hard,very hard, but keep focusing on that quiet room and your four hours of writing and it might arrive sooner than expected.Just keep programming the universe to send you exactly what you want, and it will happen. Take care,
See you soon,
Lucy xx
Claire - I so agree! Childless writers who moan about having *no time* to write also seriously piss me off. No time??!! They don't know the meaning of it!!
Rachel - Thanks, babe. I am actually not in bad form just CRABBY!
Lucy - thank you for that blast of positivity. I am trying to swing it into action - ask and you shall receive, amd all that! See you soon! N x
I hear you, Nuala. It's worth remembering, this too will pass, she'll grow, amuse herself for longer and you'll miss it, a teeny tiny little bit.
Oh gosh, I just know it, Kate. She is adorable and really fun. I just pull against her sometimes and the frustration is laced with guilt. Hence the rant!
I'm over it today. Sort of...
I firmly believe that The Story does not measure itself in wordcount. It is as long or short as it wants to be. Wordcount does not matter.
Woody Allen takes all year to think of the story and characters, and only 3 days to write the script. I fully endorse his approach. I am not a full-time writer, so I write in small snatches. I percolate the rest of the time. I hope you percolate too, as you bring up your wonderful children.
xxWena
Wena - i do, i do. i percolate away like a coffee pot!!
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