JESSICA THERRIEN: Multi-Tasking Mom

I've never been a routine writer. I just end up psyching myself out whenever I try to force the words to come. The creative monkey in my brain gets all nervous and shuts down. Before baby, I'd write whenever ideas came to me. Now, A.B. (after baby) I can't really pull the little guy out of the bath to jot down a scene. I was going crazy with how slowly it was going.

I called up my friend/critique partner/editor Holly, and we decided we'd start trading chapters every Monday. It has been such a life saver. Just enough peer pressure to get me thinking/writing. I don't sit down at a set time every day, but knowing I have to get her the next chapter by Monday pushes me to make it work when ideas start flowing. Just the other day I was washing dishes, writing, and watching Matthew all at once. Now...I know what you're thinking. Water, electronic devises, and babies don't mix. True. But I had him in the high chair playing. I would wash a few plates. Dry my hands. Type. Type. Type. Then talk a little baby talk. Then do it all again. It was slow, but still awesome.

When Holly and I started, I had the first 3 chapters pretty much complete, but the rest of the manuscript was in a thousand different pieces scattered throughout 80 or so pages. Now I have the first 12 chapters of COTG #3 completely done (in crappy first draft form at least) and I have 130 pages.

Hooray for multi-tasking! Now...if I could just find a way to add a little more blogging to the mix ;)

How do you handle it all? Anyone out there an expert multi-tasker?

17 comments:

Alex J. CavanaughAugust 22, 2013 at 4:40 AM
You're making it work!
I can't write and do other things at the same time, but at work I can do my job, blog, and watch movies at the same time.
AnonymousAugust 22, 2013 at 6:05 AM
I'm glad someone's found how to make it work. By the time I finish making dinner, getting the kids fed and bathed and into bed, and calmed down from the whole day, I just want to pass out.
Meradeth HoustonAugust 22, 2013 at 8:19 AM
I'm so glad you've got a system that works! I don't even have kids and most of the time I can't figure out a good balance between my day job and writing :)
Brandon AxAugust 22, 2013 at 10:05 AM
I always follow the whatever works, works, philosophy. I have gotten myself to where I can write pretty much every day now since I had to rush with Ashes, hopefully it last. Although my kids are older now so I have while they are in school.
Mark KoopmansAugust 22, 2013 at 12:52 PM
I was just waiting for this post :)

Isn't it madness trying to write and parent within the same 24-hour period:)

My now-general rule is I write once the boys are asleep - and that quiet time seems to work for me.

I have sacrificed sleep though, so need to figure out how to multi-task adding wrinkle cream to the mix :)

GOOD LUCK - and you are sooo doing great :)
J E OneilAugust 22, 2013 at 4:21 PM
Good for you for finding something that works :). I'm so not good at multitasking, but I guess you have to pick it up when you become a mom :).

Matthew in that bear hoodie (it's a bear, right?) is sooo cute.
MelissaAugust 22, 2013 at 4:26 PM
To write when mine were little, I'd have to get up in the wee hours of the morning and write while they were asleep. Good for you for multi-tasking! :D
UnknownOctober 24, 2013 at 2:24 PM
Can I just say how freaking adorable he is? Love that jacket.
UnknownOctober 24, 2013 at 2:24 PM
This comment has been removed by the author.
UnknownFebruary 12, 2017 at 9:39 AM
Hello , the cartoon is great and I would like to use it with my students ,can you give me an agreement that certify that I can , I would like to avoid any copyright trouble or stuff like this