No, I’m Not Just 'Playing on My Laptop,' I’m Writing a Book, Aunt Carol.

How to write when everyone wants you to stop

Yesterday it was my daughter’s birthday. And it was brilliant, we had family visit, had friends over, we went out on adventures, had sleepovers and I even baked a cake that was more than edible.

So I’m writing this to you in a fog of tiredness and it’s Easter Weekend! A lovely long weekend.

I know this means different things to different people, but I’m guessing that chocolate and socialising is involved somewhere for most. And if you’re anything like how I’ve been these past few days, it might be accompanied by a low-level hum of anxiety because you haven’t worked.

And by ‘worked’ I mean writing, or posting on socials, or editing, or even thinking about your book.

Last week, I wrote about how I was off to Palma for a party and on the back of getting home from there, which was AMAZING by the way, and then visiting friends and family, the day job, and the birthday party, it’s been a full week since I even thought about looking at my book.

At one point, I mentioned to someone that I wish I’d taken my laptop on holiday and wrote in the airport, and they said, ‘Oh come on, you can’t work now. It’s a holiday!’

And I agreed and laughed and felt bad about it, both what I said and how I felt, because I did want to edit and write my book. But instead, I lied and agreed that I shouldn’t be on a screen on holiday.

But here’s the thing, I know that if I’m not in my story every day, it’ll get harder and harder to dive back in.

I’m really enjoying the editing process and looking forward to when the novel is finished so I can send it out to beta readers and start getting feedback.

And yet… because this book is being written out of contract, because it has no deadline, or boss breathing down my neck or HR department to report to, people assume it’s flexible. Optional. Like yoga. Or crochet. And it is flexible, that’s the joy of writing, but also, it’s not flexible at all.

I’m not making very much sense with this, am I? Told you I was tired, let me try and articulate it a bit better.

Writing is invisible work.

And because it’s invisible, it’s easy for other people to dismiss it. But worse than that, it’s easy for us to start dismissing it. To think, “Maybe I am being selfish. Maybe I shouldn’t be doing this at the airport, or whilst family are over, or whilst the kids are off school. I’ll leave it until next week. What’s a few more days?”

But you and I both know what happens.

One day becomes two. Two becomes the whole month. And suddenly the momentum we had is gone and we’re staring at our WIP like it betrayed us.

So, here’s the thing I want to say today, and remind you (and me) that…

Your writing time matters.

Even during the holidays. In fact, especially during the holidays.

And if the people around you don’t get it? That’s ok. They don’t need to. But you do. You need to value your time enough to protect it.

Which brings me to the good bit…

What to Say, Do, and Set Up So You Can Actually Write This Easter Weekend

I’m writing this for me as well as you, because even though all my family and friends have been and gone, I want to write down a list I can come back to for next time.

To remind myself what to do when it’s the holidays and I want to write.

So here’s five quick, tangible, totally doable solutions you can put in place this weekend, or any weekend really.

Whether you’ve got ten minutes or a full hour, these will help us guard our writing time like the literary legends we are.