Heather Ellis's Blog
June 19, 2016
The Two-Wheeled Writer
How to find time to write in our very busy lives
I've just spent the weekend at the Emerging Writers Festival. An inspiring weekend. As well as making new writing friends and gaining lots of writing advice, the NUMBER ONE thing gained was just how to find those extra hours to write.
I remember those long days of uninterrupted time, before my first book was published, days while my three boys were at school. I'd drop them off at 8:30am be home by 9am and write until 2:55pm. Yes, six hours of bliss to get lost in my words plus a little bit of paid part-time writing gigs. What a luxury that was. I miss those days.
Since February, just before Ubuntu: One Woman's Motorcycle Odyssey Across Africa was released, those hours are now gone. Taken up by countless emails, purchase of signed copies, requests to do author talks and writing festivals, promotion to media and online (I love all this attention and I've been very fortunate to have reviews/features in most of Australia's motorcycle magazines).
Then, of course, there's my three boys so by 8:00pm when they're in bed and I've had a full day at the computer, I'm exhausted. The computer is switched off and then it's MY TIME. And this is reading. I have two glorious hours to escape but at the same time analysing just how that talented writer has strung those words together and taken me into their world (after writing my first book, reading will never be quite the same again).
So over the past few months. Well since January really, when I started organising my book launch, which was an outstanding success (video will be posted soon), I've suffered anxiety about FINDING TIME. After all, I am writing the sequel to Ubuntu, but have only managed 25,000 words and haven't touched it since January.
I wake up every morning about 4am and lay tossing and turning, worrying about finding this all important TIME. Yes, I'd thought of getting out of bed and heading to the computer but I'm a single mum of three boys, I need my sleep to get through the day and early evening. Surely, I'd be shattered by 2pm and need a 'nanna nap'. Then this weekend 18-19 June 2016 at the Emerging Writers Festival, I realised I was not alone. Quite a few of the authors speaking on the panels all spoke about how they wake up at 3am and 4am and get in a few hours of writing before their world wakes up.
During this, quiet undisturbed peace, something magical happens, they said. The mind is sharp, words flow and all that anxiety is gone. Inspired by these authors, this morning I woke up at 3am, tossed and turned until my alarm went off at 4am. Stoked up the log fire in my lounge, did 15 mins of floor exercises with my 7kg weights, 10 mins of mindfulness and breathing meditation using the Sattva app, then with a cup of peppermint tea, began work my mind buzzing with ideas.
The writer has returned, long live the writer. www.heather-elllis.com
I've just spent the weekend at the Emerging Writers Festival. An inspiring weekend. As well as making new writing friends and gaining lots of writing advice, the NUMBER ONE thing gained was just how to find those extra hours to write.
I remember those long days of uninterrupted time, before my first book was published, days while my three boys were at school. I'd drop them off at 8:30am be home by 9am and write until 2:55pm. Yes, six hours of bliss to get lost in my words plus a little bit of paid part-time writing gigs. What a luxury that was. I miss those days.
Since February, just before Ubuntu: One Woman's Motorcycle Odyssey Across Africa was released, those hours are now gone. Taken up by countless emails, purchase of signed copies, requests to do author talks and writing festivals, promotion to media and online (I love all this attention and I've been very fortunate to have reviews/features in most of Australia's motorcycle magazines).
Then, of course, there's my three boys so by 8:00pm when they're in bed and I've had a full day at the computer, I'm exhausted. The computer is switched off and then it's MY TIME. And this is reading. I have two glorious hours to escape but at the same time analysing just how that talented writer has strung those words together and taken me into their world (after writing my first book, reading will never be quite the same again).
So over the past few months. Well since January really, when I started organising my book launch, which was an outstanding success (video will be posted soon), I've suffered anxiety about FINDING TIME. After all, I am writing the sequel to Ubuntu, but have only managed 25,000 words and haven't touched it since January.
I wake up every morning about 4am and lay tossing and turning, worrying about finding this all important TIME. Yes, I'd thought of getting out of bed and heading to the computer but I'm a single mum of three boys, I need my sleep to get through the day and early evening. Surely, I'd be shattered by 2pm and need a 'nanna nap'. Then this weekend 18-19 June 2016 at the Emerging Writers Festival, I realised I was not alone. Quite a few of the authors speaking on the panels all spoke about how they wake up at 3am and 4am and get in a few hours of writing before their world wakes up.
During this, quiet undisturbed peace, something magical happens, they said. The mind is sharp, words flow and all that anxiety is gone. Inspired by these authors, this morning I woke up at 3am, tossed and turned until my alarm went off at 4am. Stoked up the log fire in my lounge, did 15 mins of floor exercises with my 7kg weights, 10 mins of mindfulness and breathing meditation using the Sattva app, then with a cup of peppermint tea, began work my mind buzzing with ideas.
The writer has returned, long live the writer. www.heather-elllis.com
