Writing with Children

[Jessiqua]

Does anyone else have young children that share their workplace? Does anyone else have stories to share of messy diapers or school drama interrupting the "creative process"? Share your stories!
(Only good or silly ones please. Despite how frustrating they can be, you really do love those little tykes!)
Jessiqua Wittman

[Lynnann]

Being a homeschool mom, I've dealt with it for years and years! That is probably why I only have one book and a companion novella written. Haha! My children are a bit older now. My youngest 10. So they understand that Mom needs some "quiet time." But before if I happened to have an idea I just scribbled it down quickly and went on with my teaching or playing. Also, making a strict schedule in those early days was invaluable! I always scheduled in 45min. of "quiet room time" where we would all, even me, separate to our rooms to play, or my my case write. This works when the kids hit about five years old. When they were babies, I kept a pad and pen, or book by the chair that I nursed them in. You can always find time to do what you love if you get creative, and children are just too wonderful to ignore. Bottom line...it's been quite a trip and a blessing.

[Jessiqua]

Ha! Yes! The ever-handy pad and pen. I have two young toddlers, so designating quiet time just isn't possible yet. I'm sure you're much more proud of those kiddos than your finished pieces of writing though; I know I feel that way about mine! :)
It was kind of funny yesterday because Thing 1 and Thing 2 (my little ones) got into my homemade pan of brownies while I was busy with writing-related stuff. I was mildly frustrated at them at first, but then couldn't stay that way when I looked at their messy little faces. At least they had good taste about their mess-making this time! :)
Jessiqua Wittman
A Memoir of Love

[Lynnann]

Kids make us laugh so much. They really are wonderful frustrations. Their antics fuel our writing more than deter it.

[Graham]

I am an author and also house-husband to three lovely boys. I am lucky in that I don't need a special place or a routine to write in. I mostly write on my laptop on the sofa.

It is all a bit random, usually I write in the mornings when all the boys are out (they're 4, 7 and 11 so one pre-school, two in school). But then there is shopping and chores to do as well.

They tend to stay up quite late and I'm not a morning person, so I can't do the archetypal writer's thing of waking up early and writing before anyone else wakes up. What I do tend to do is write in my head while doing mindless things like housework or driving around. Then, when I get a minute I can get it written down.

We've got the six week summer holidays coming up so my writing is structured around that. I know I need to get the bulk of words done now, and then just have some light work in the evenings over the holidays. The other thing that helps is a supportive wife who'll take the boys out on the weekend so I can get a bit of writing done.

Today is a case in point, youngest DS woke up in the night with a temperature and sore throat, so he's off pre-school today... no writing this morning then!

Graham

[Jessiqua]

I probably couldn't get NEAR as much done as I do without my laptop. I typed up most of my book on my sofa with it. I hope your little guy starts feeling better soon! My little one just got over a nasty fever. It was kind of amusing because only one of the kids was sick, but both of them wanted to stay on my lap at all times. Sibling rivalry I guess. So although just one was sick, both acted like it. Glad that's finally over... :)
Jessiqua Wittman

[Jenelle]

I'm a stay-at-home mom/author with two daughters (3-yr old and a 4-month old). Thought I'd just pop over here to inform y'all that my 4-month old just sneezed all over my laptop. :) It made me laugh.

Most of the time I only write when they're both napping/having "quiet time" so I don't have many funny stories about trying to write while they're up and about...

[Jessiqua]

Jenelle wrote: " Thought I'd just pop over here to inform y'all that my 4-month old just sneezed all over my laptop. :)"

Oh my goodness... that's so funny! My potty training boy likes to take off his diaper and pee in the fans on our floor.It makes such a nice "razzing" sound! :)

Jessiqua Wittman