I wish I had a better excuse than “life is crazy”, but honestly, isn’t that the BEST excuse?
I took a step back from writing for the past 3 months and it’s been both freeing and very stressful. Freeing because I’ve spent a lot of time reading books that have been sitting on my TBR (to be read) shelf and hanging out with my kids and handsome hubby.
Stressful because I WASN’T WRITING.
I’ve thought a lot about continuing with story stories and #YourWayWednesdays, but for now, I just can’t juggle it all. I’m back to work as a 1st Grade teacher and we’re FINALLY back in the classroom. Not a Zoom classroom, but a real life classroom and it’s marvelous. And exhausting. After being out of the classroom for over a year, both the students and teachers are trying to navigate our new normal with masks and the other effects that the pandemic had over these kiddos.
Last year, when I started my blog, we were in the middle of the pandemic and I was an online teacher which gave me a lot more flexibility and time to fit in writing spurts for fun, easy side projects, such as the short stories.
Along with school back in session (for real), I’m lead for my 1st Grade team which translates to extra meetings, more paperwork and organizing all things educational for me. It’s a lot and I’m tired.
Back in July, I placed my kids into gymnastics! I’m so grateful to give them the opportunity to learn new things and see how strong they can be, but holy cow. What was I thinking?! They have gymnastics after school Monday-Thursday every week. This translates to me playing trade off with my husband (depending on which kid(s) has lessons that night) and often grading papers while watching my kids flip and tumble.
I feel as though I’m being pulled in a million different directions.
HOWEVER… I haven’t been completely MIA with my writing.
I applied to join a writing workshop and was ACCEPTED. I will (hopefully, COVID-19 restrictions pending) be attending 2021 Big Sur California Children’s Writers Workshop this December. I’m very excited to attend and fully expect to have my completed manuscript torn apart. I hope to walk away feeling like I know nothing about writing. I think it’s a great opportunity to learn and I am SO EXCITED.
I’m feel like a broken record, but I’m STILL REVISING.
They say that the most difficult part of writing is writing. I disagree. Getting the story down on paper for the first draft was challenging, but that was nothing compared to revising. I feel like I’m trudging though waist deep mud. Uphill. While grading MYSELF. All while continually trying to convince myself that this story is WORTH IT. It’s slow and difficult to see progress because I can’t really track word count anymore. The words are already there! I just need to make them prettier and more concise and BETTER.
If you’re looking for revising advice, here it is: KEEP GOING. And ask yourself these questions:
- Are you filtering? AKA: Are you letting the reader feel it? Or are they feeling what’s happening through your characters? While this is sometimes unavoidable, try to get rid of that as much as possible. ie: She looked at him and felt her heart lurch. VERSUS Her heart lurched when she saw him. The second starts with the feeling.
- What tense are you using in the story? I’m terrible – ABSOLUTELY TERRIBLE – at keeping my tenses consistent when I write, so I need to be very attentive about this. Maybe you do, too.
- Is that a weak adverb? If it is, FIX IT! ie. happily, sadly, etc. Instead of writing she went quickly downstairs, try she dashed downstairs. Much better.
I’m trying to finish revising my novel in time to submit it to PitchWars at the end of this month, but I’m okay if I miss that deadline too. I’m learning that I need to be more understanding with my writing and my own limitations that are a result of my schedule.
I’m a wife, a mom, and a teacher before I’m a writer. The dream of being traditionally published is still there and I will continue to work towards it, but I’m doing it at my own pace.
AND THAT’S OKAY.
For anyone else just trying to get ideas down on paper, Write Honey, write!
Allie Marin
Allie Marin 