Hi all, newbie here.
For the last two years I've been writing my life story. Its been a long hard slog, especially as the subject made me eventually start to relive some terrible events which occurred in my childhood.Because of the events which took place from a young age, I feel that I haven't quite finished, and although my first book is finished, and will be published in July, I feel the need to write more books to let it all out of my system, but heres the problem, my children don't want me to write anymore, they feel that I don't give them enough time, but I can't see how I can, I get up in the morning, cook breakfast, wash up and prepare lunch, wash up after lunch and then start to prepare dinner, in between all of that I'm running around the house picking up after them and putting many loads Of washing through the machine which gets so used it needs replacing once a year. I just feel like a conveyor belt

Gosh I needed to let that out. LOL
Anyway I got let down by an agent in Sept a day after I lost my Gran, so as I'd promised her that I would get my book published I went to publishers myself, Luckily I've found a wonderful publisher but they took advantage of the fact that I didn't have an agent to get me a big advance, now I'm so broke because of the expenses that my writing has cost me and I wont see any royalties until at least December, therefore the only thing that I can do is write another book, I can't afford to take them out on day trips and so forth, oh I just don't know what to do, its hard, can anyone give me any advice?

Hi Tess1
:welcome:

Unfortunately I do not have much advice. I have one child and she has some of the same complaints about the time I spend with her. Of course the reverse is true as well. She and I are always seem to be in different modes at different times. I can't imagine trying to write a book when it takes me the better part of a day to write a 2000 word paper for school. Then I obsess for another two days while I "tweak" it.

One thing I have been doing is: when my daughter does her homework, we sit down to the table or desk together and do our homework. That way, it is quiet time, we are together, and it gets that out of the way to do other things another time.

Also involving the kids in more around the house may help. It will be drudgery at first for them but, when they learn that mom is free when all that is done they may get the drift.

quote:

Originally posted by CA:
[qb] Hi Tess1
:welcome:

Unfortunately I do not have much advice. I have one child and she has some of the same complaints about the time I spend with her. Of course the reverse is true as well. She and I are always seem to be in different modes at different times. I can't imagine trying to write a book when it takes me the better part of a day to write a 2000 word paper for school. Then I obsess for another two days while I "tweak" it.

One thing I have been doing is: when my daughter does her homework, we sit down to the table or desk together and do our homework. That way, it is quiet time, we are together, and it gets that out of the way to do other things another time.

Also involving the kids in more around the house may help. It will be drudgery at first for them but, when they learn that mom is free when all that is done they may get the drift. [/qb]

Thanks for the advice, I have tried to sit with them after school to help with their homework, but because I have six of children it becomes a battle for my attention, they all ask me for advice on their homework at the same time, and I often end up feeling as though I can't hear myself think.
Hopefully things will change when my son starts school this year, maybe then I will be able to get some sort of routine going.

I feared that would be the downfall of my advice. I have only one daughter and she is 13. That is about the age they really don't want your help with their homework, until it is too late. I still help but, I have only one vying for my attention.

quote:

Originally posted by tess31:
[qb]

quote:

Originally posted by tess31:
[qb] Any advice is much appreciated,

thank you
Tess [/qb]

[/qb]

I'm counting down the weeks until my book comes out, only fifteen weeks to go.
I still haven't managed to get any writing done, but I hope to get some time over the Easter Holidays when the children got to stay with their dad.

Do you take a notebook with you everywhere you go?

Its hard to sit and squeeze your brain for a pressured writing. As a suggestion, whebever anything pops up in your mind, write it down. It doesnt have to be a sentence...it can be a phrase or word that comes from the heart.

Wdhen you get time to write...it will be easy and fast to review and rewrite them.