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| Lacy Williams |
My mom thinks I am a little nuts to try to balance a writing career with the little ones at home, but I don't see it much differently than having a part-time job outside the home. And there are some days that my characters and writing is the only thing keeping me sane.
I'd love to share some tips on how I get things done. These may not work for everyone, but they do work for me.
1) When I do get writing time, either after bedtime or when I have a babysitter, my focus is all on writing. No email. No social media. No goofing off.
2) I try to keep realistic deadlines. This has been a learning process for me working with my publisher. For some reason, my kids always seem to get sick the week before my deadline is up. So I've learned to plan for a few extra weeks for each deadline within the contract. I've also learned to work ahead, and not procrastinate until the last minute--unless I want to be up all night finishing the book (which I've had to do a couple of times).
3) Count on others. This has been a big one for me. I'm an independent person who doesn't like to lean on others much, but I've had to ask for help from family to watch the kids or let my husband know when it was his time to put the kids in bed.
4) Enjoy the small moments. It's a constant balancing act to remember that my needs and goals aren't the only ones that matter. I want to spend time with my kiddos now while they're small, and not miss those little moments like when my son blew his first bubbles or the littlest one learning to roll over for the first time. The first laugh. First ballet class. I think a lot of parents share this same struggle, because on one hand we have to put food on the table, but we all need to learn to slow down and enjoy the small moments.
For our family this year, that meant taking a family vacation (we invited my parents and sister since we were outnumbered by kids!). What a fun time to slow down, spend time together and do things we haven't done in awhile. We visited a theme park and hubby and I got to sneak away to ride a big roller coaster--something I haven't done since before the kids came, but it was like having a few moments of my own childhood back to go on the exhilerating ride.
I'm certainly not perfect at balancing my priorities, but it is something I've been working on!
Dora here. What about you?
Do you struggle with balancing writing and family life?
Maybe a full-time job, too?
How do you balance everything?
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| Roping the Wrangler Purchase Link |
Teacher Seeks a Husband
Schoolmarm Sarah Hansen longs for a family of her own. But horse trainer Oscar White is the last man she'd consider. Still, she can't help noticing the care he shows three motherless girls and the gentle way he helps Sarah overcome her fear of horses.
Schoolmarm Sarah Hansen longs for a family of her own. But horse trainer Oscar White is the last man she'd consider. Still, she can't help noticing the care he shows three motherless girls and the gentle way he helps Sarah overcome her fear of horses.
Too bossy by half—that's the Sarah that Oscar remembers from their teenage years. Yet as a former orphan, he finds the little Caldwell sisters—and their pretty teacher—getting under his skin. Could the tender heart Sarah's always hidden tame a once-reckless wrangler?
Meet Lacy: By day, Lacy Williams is a stay-at-home mom battling dirty diapers and dog-hair dust-bunnies. By night, she is an award-winning novelist. She loves dogs, chocolate ice cream, romantic movies and her number-crunching husband. Her most recent book, ROPING THE WRANGLER, comes out in August from Love Inspired Historical. http://www.lacywilliams.net
