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Write At Home Moms - October - Page 2

post #21 of 70
10/7/10 at 2:23pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by rainbowvalleymama View Post

Anyone else have book recommendations for ages 9, 13, or adult? I tend to get the best book recommendations from writers!
There's a series called The Roman Mysteries, about four young detectives in Ancient Rome that your 9yo may enjoy. I've read quite a few of them.

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post #22 of 70
10/7/10 at 3:59pm
I am jumping over to this thread from September's, where I promised myself 4 hours lsat week and a budget. Well, I did get at least four hours in because I was working on the paid copy editor for a nutrition newsletter gig. I almost feel like it's cheating to count that, but, hey, it's my WAHM stuff and it's a priority! I did the budget so now I am trying to come up with a new goal for November maybe. For this coming week, I finally finished my profile for Demand so I am ready to roll!

We pay our babysitter $6/hr. If I had a guaranteed income on that hour, it would be worth it. Not so much if I exhibit my usual lack of focus.

I really like Maprilynne how you compartmentalize your time. Working on that...
post #23 of 70
10/7/10 at 6:43pm
I stay at home and homeschool my son, but my entire day is so scheduled that I don't have time to write (and I absolutely CANNOT write with my ds coming in and out of the house every five seconds, which he does after school when he's playing outside with his friends). So my 108K novel was written entirely from midnight-2 am. Took me just over a year to write and edit the heck out of it, and now we'll see what happens to it. Starting #2, but I've been sleeping better lately so not much has gotten done.
post #24 of 70
10/7/10 at 8:39pm
i am fortunate that my husband gets home from work around 3:00 and he and DD go out for a few hours while i work. of course, now i have a new baby who stays with me, but at this point he's taking a long late afternoon nap, so i'm still getting a couple hours each afternoon (with him in a carrier). and sometimes after DD goes to bed (which is not early) i work some more with baby in a carrier.

we (will) also homeschool, so i will not have the kids-off-to-school time some folks might look forward to. but i know it will work out.

anyway, i'm looking forward to cheering on the NaNoWriMo participants. i want to keep moving with what i'm working on and not stop for something fresh, but maybe next year.
post #25 of 70
10/8/10 at 4:21pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Crafty View Post
I stay at home and homeschool my son, but my entire day is so scheduled that I don't have time to write (and I absolutely CANNOT write with my ds coming in and out of the house every five seconds, which he does after school when he's playing outside with his friends). So my 108K novel was written entirely from midnight-2 am. Took me just over a year to write and edit the heck out of it, and now we'll see what happens to it. Starting #2, but I've been sleeping better lately so not much has gotten done.
*applauds* That's how you have to do it sometimes!! Go you!!!
post #26 of 70
10/8/10 at 7:09pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by rainbowvalleymama View Post
starling&diesel I would love to check out your books if you don't mind sharing a title or two--I have a voracious 13-yr-old reader in my life. Sorry you're being pigeon-holed though. Hope you get to work on other things as well.

Anyone else have book recommendations for ages 9, 13, or adult? I tend to get the best book recommendations from writers!
I spent a couple of days wondering if I wanted to 'out' myself ... and have decided to, but not so that this post would show up in Google. So, here's my pen name in a riddle. First name: Stephen King character who has pig's blood dumped on her in the prom, or Laura's older sister in the Little House on the Prairie books, or the main diva in Sex in the City. Last name: brand name of a famous computer, three letters, starts with M, ends with C.

Does that make sense?

Thanks to everyone who's been chiming in about how to make time to write. So helpful! I've been talking with DP about her working later, so that I can get more work done in the am. She's a chef, so it would be totally doable, except that we have a sit-down dinner together as a family every night.

Off the top of my head for a 9 year old ... Diary of a Wimpy Kid, all of the Gordon Korman books, the Redwall series, Rats of NIHM, Witch Week by Dianna Wynne-Jones (or anything by her), Choose Your Own Adventure, Holes, the Roald Dahl books, illustrated myths and legends, the stinky history books, anything at all by Nancy Farmer (The Ear, the Eye and the Nose, or The Scorpion).

For a 13 year old, again off the top of my head ... The Hunger Games (and the rest of the trilogy too ... WOW!!!), Chris Crutcher books, John Marsden books (Tomorrow When the War Began, The Ellie Chronicles), Kit Pearson's books,

Oh, and that's the baby waking up ... more later.
post #27 of 70
10/8/10 at 9:32pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by starling&diesel View Post
So, here's my pen name in a riddle. First name: Stephen King character who has pig's blood dumped on her in the prom, or Laura's older sister in the Little House on the Prairie books, or the main diva in Sex in the City. Last name: brand name of a famous computer, three letters, starts with M, ends with C.

Does that make sense?
Laura's older sister was Mary. But I think it's pretty clear from your other clues. You hit a nice, broad spectrum of references.

I'm having so much fun with my writing-for-hire gig. I'm also trying to get work in on my own novel, hoping to have the first draft done by the end of the year at the latest. That's my goal; I've said it here for all of you. Ask me around December, if anyone remembers.
post #28 of 70
10/8/10 at 9:46pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by JoyMC View Post
Laura's older sister was Mary. But I think it's pretty clear from your other clues. You hit a nice, broad spectrum of references.
Doh! Of course!
post #29 of 70
10/9/10 at 1:28am
Maprilynne I have been meaning to try Peter and the Starcatchers for quite some time. Is it too intense for a bedtime read?

Bella Catalina "Seven toga'd sleuths uncover wit and mystery in ancient Rome" Who can resist that?

starling&diesel Thanks for choosing to out yourself in a way that still protects some privacy. I enjoyed perusing your website and was cheered to see your mention of Jacqueline Woodson. I love JW and have written academic papers examining her writings. We tried to borrow a few of your titles from our local library but they are all checked out--so they are being shipped through my university instead. We've read most of the books you recommend, but haven't yet checked out Diana Wynne Jones.

Thanks for all of the recommendations! Has anyone read any of the Daniel Pinkwater books? I think I might finally give the Neddiad a try.
post #30 of 70
10/9/10 at 11:39pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by rainbowvalleymama View Post
Maprilynne I have been meaning to try Peter and the Starcatchers for quite some time. Is it too intense for a bedtime read?
\
It's adventurous, but I don't know that I'd call it too intense. It is my bedtime read with my 5 yo and 7 yo. But I read it to them and then they read on their own after that. It has a lot of sailing terminology that i have to explain. I have just really enjoyed it!
post #31 of 70
10/10/10 at 11:45pm
Thread Starter 
Oooh, I'm jealous of everyone who's doing NaNo this year. I would desperately love to join you, especially since I have a book trying to get itself out of me already, but I'm sure I can't possibly manage 50k this year. I could maybe manage a half-Nano.

Quote:
Originally Posted by sunnygir1 View Post
I have a BA in Spanish and a certificate in Technical Writing (which I completed while pregnant). I would love to do copy editing of technical documents, or maybe even write them. Bilingual product manuals would be awesome. Nerdy, I know.

Any suggestions about how to get there would be welcome, including resources to help hone my editing skills.
Do you have any technical documents you could use as portfolio pieces? If you do, you might be able to find gigs on Guru.com or eLance -- I've seen technical writing and web content writing projects on both. I've seen translations projects, too.

Quote:
Originally Posted by BabyMae09 View Post
Has anyone ever done NaNoWriMo? Does anyone ever get published from doing that? Cause, you know, if I were a publisher looking for talent, I'd go there and read the novels....
I've done it twice (2001 and 2008) and it's a good way to draft a book, especially if you find you have trouble staying motivated. I'm sure lots of people have gotten their NaNo books published, but not until they've done a bunch of revising. I doubt any reputable publishers are trolling NaNoWriMo for books, though, 'cause most publishers get more than enough submissions of finished novels. They don't really need to go wading through a bunch of raw first drafts.

Quote:
Originally Posted by starling&diesel View Post
How do you mamas do it?
Will it be harder with two? I work well under pressure, so maybe two would get me in high gear?
I like the idea of hiring mother's helpers. What do you pay them? Do you leave the house? Lock yourself in your office?
YES, it is definitely MUCH harder with two. Though how much harder will probably depend a lot on your kids' personalities. My youngest is very intense and mommy-oriented. My first was more independent! I find it nearly impossible to get anything done when I'm at home by myself. By "anything" I don't mean just writing.

I pay my mother's helper $5/hr. I don't leave the house (if I did, they'd be a babysitter and I'd have to pay them more). When the weather's nice, my helper does like to take my kids outside, where the older one rides her tricycle and the younger one hangs out in the stroller.

Depending on where you live, you might be able to pay less for a mother's helper. We live in a high COL area; minimum wage in this state is $8.55 so they're making less than the lowest-paid regular worker. Though that's still probably pretty good for an 11-year-old.
post #32 of 70
10/11/10 at 6:17pm
I shudder to think what I'd have to pay for a mother's helper. We pay sitters upwards of $12 an hour here! Maybe I could look into hiring a homeschooling teenager to take DD out on weekday mornings?
post #33 of 70
10/12/10 at 12:13am
Those sound like great ideas p2p... I have a 3yr.old and I'm looking to get some care for her a couple days a week, and also need someone to help me with my 6 week old about 2 days a week, but while I'm still there.

I do some writing on odesk, occassionally AC and also Examiner. I sometimes find things on craigslist. I'm working on self-help type manuals/guidebooks, and I have a few blogs and a website I'm trying to monetize, that corresponds with DH and I starting a nonprofit business together, that we've been working on for years. As for my creative writing, I have been slacking for quite awhile, the last thing I sub'd was in July before I moved, I've hardly even written anything in that genre. I write poetry and fiction, mostly fantasy/sci-fi, quite a bit of variety though.

I definitely want to do Nano... I do a little more each time I try, so maybe I'll actually get all the way through it this time... I'm thinking I should stop picking up freelance stuff online and just really get my blogs, website and self-publishing together.

A major goal is to also sub a book proposal to an agent I almost worked with years ago. She wanted me to be an intern for her, but then realized she didn't have the time/availability to handle an intern, but she publishes self-help type writing and I have such a great book, that I've been working on and intending to send a proposal to her for a few years. Since I've moved back to town, I realize it is a great time to do it... and hope I can get some funding to finish parts of it I can't do with a little more $$$
post #34 of 70
10/12/10 at 11:15am
re-subscribing. no writing news from me.
post #35 of 70
10/12/10 at 10:34pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by starling&diesel View Post
I spent a couple of days wondering if I wanted to 'out' myself ... and have decided to, but not so that this post would show up in Google. So, here's my pen name in a riddle. First name: Stephen King character who has pig's blood dumped on her in the prom, or Laura's older sister in the Little House on the Prairie books, or the main diva in Sex in the City. Last name: brand name of a famous computer, three letters, starts with M, ends with C.
Figured you out, mama . Spent some time on your site and think your books sound great
post #36 of 70
10/13/10 at 5:39am
Anyone NaNoMo'ing next month??

I just joined - for real this time - and put up my synopsis for the novel I'll be working on.

Can't wait
post #37 of 70
10/13/10 at 5:42am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Crafty View Post
I stay at home and homeschool my son, but my entire day is so scheduled that I don't have time to write (and I absolutely CANNOT write with my ds coming in and out of the house every five seconds, which he does after school when he's playing outside with his friends). So my 108K novel was written entirely from midnight-2 am. Took me just over a year to write and edit the heck out of it, and now we'll see what happens to it. Starting #2, but I've been sleeping better lately so not much has gotten done.
have you started the query process for novel #1 yet? how's that going if so?
post #38 of 70
10/13/10 at 5:46am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Aufilia View Post
I pay my mother's helper $5/hr. I don't leave the house (if I did, they'd be a babysitter and I'd have to pay them more). When the weather's nice, my helper does like to take my kids outside, where the older one rides her tricycle and the younger one hangs out in the stroller.

Depending on where you live, you might be able to pay less for a mother's helper. We live in a high COL area; minimum wage in this state is $8.55 so they're making less than the lowest-paid regular worker. Though that's still probably pretty good for an 11-year-old.
what exactly does a mother's helper do? housework? or take care of the kids?
post #39 of 70
10/13/10 at 2:28pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by MommyHawk View Post
have you started the query process for novel #1 yet? how's that going if so?

Three rejections so far. But I'm keeping on keeping on...
post #40 of 70
10/13/10 at 6:35pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by MommyHawk View Post
Anyone NaNoMo'ing next month??

I just joined - for real this time - and put up my synopsis for the novel I'll be working on.

Can't wait
Me!!! I had my synopsis up but then took it down. Maybe I'll put it back up...
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You may also like:

Sitting or Squatting: What's Really Best in the Bathroom?
There Is Not Always a "Fix" For the Difficult Child
10 Things You Don't Need For a New Baby
Mothering › Mothering Discussion Forums › The Kitchen Sink › Work at home moms › Write At Home Moms - October