Thursday, September 7, 2017

A Time for New by Susan Tuttle



Most people think of the New Year as the beginning of things, but for me that’s always been fall. September ushers in the start of a new school year and the return of scheduled time. As my children have grown, those schedules have become more hectic and my time gets squeezed tighter and tighter. So as we are coming out of the carefree days of summer and staring down the scheduled days of fall, what’s a writer to do?

For me I start with looking at my calendar and match it with my kiddos’ needs. As a homeschooling mom and also leader of our women’s ministry at church, I know my writing time is limited. Summer gave me the freedom to write whenever I wanted. Fall blows in and I know I won’t write unless I schedule the time. So I sit down and find pockets where I can research or write.


I have to return to meal planning and a large reliance on our crock pot. I don’t enjoy grocery shopping, so I have been known to shop online and pick up my groceries—a service I love and that saves a lot of time. (Side note: our store just began delivery too! I may try that out this year.) My kids are old enough to pitch in with laundry, so that is a saver as well. Once I find pockets, I do my best to protect them but also maintain a fluidity that understands our family needs can change on a dime.  If I do make it to my writing room, however, I tell the kids that they cannot disturb me unless it’s life or death. While their idea of life or death isn’t always the same as mine, it works most of the timeJ

What about you? How do you handle the switch from summer to fall?

Susan L. Tuttle lives in Michigan where she’s happily married to her best friend and is a homeschooling mom of three. She’s firmly convinced that letters were meant for words, not math, and loves stringing them together into stories that inspire, encourage, and grow women into who God created them to be. Romance, laughter, and cookies are three of her favorite things, though not always in that order. You can connect with Susan at her blog, Steps, Facebook, or Twitter.