Writing is first of all simply about practice. It's one place where quantity leads to quality. Whether you write fiction or non-fiction, start with descriptions and work on writing clearly so that you convey no more and no less than what you want to say. When you feel that you are starting to do this well (and it may take you a day or it may take you a month), start to do other descriptions and link them together to make them into something more complex. So, first work on the descriptions, then work on the links. Do worry about the third step until you do the following:

You can start writing in the middle if you want and then work backwards and forwards.

For a non-fiction book or article you need no more than an outline of what you want to say. For a fiction book or article, you don't even need that. The important thing is to write as often as you can, even if you can only find time to write three sentences in a row. Do you put off writing until you have the perfect plan. This is the royal road to procrastination.

Put your writing in this thread for us to read. We do not know who you are. You do not need to feel afraid or embarrassed. Put out as little or as much as you want. Put out your work as little or as often as you want. If you want, put out something that you have written, even if it is ten years old, just to stick your toe in the water.

 

I would like to ask mothers where do they find the time? Between working, raising kids, cooking, cleaning (even w/dh help) where can the time come from to write?

And privacy?

 

Somerset,
I find time by:
A) letting things be imperfect, like a pile of dishes
B) pairing writing with my cup of tea in the morning, and whatever break I take at the coffee shop, waiting at the dentist office, etc
C) slacking on my so-called necessary obligations, which must not be so important cause they aren't getting done

Let your kids see you writing; making it important to yourself will foster the same respect from them.

To me, writing is as essential as eating, so it's on the non-negotiable list of "what Stella needs."

One other thing: for a long time I wouldn't use my 'puter to write, cause I have snoops in my house that would read it

and I like my stuff private (always hide my journal), and recently I discovered that you can put a password on Word Documents. Hallelujah!

Stella: Alaskan Mama to 2 wild boys 9 and 12, sweetie to DP and sort of stepping his 8 year old

 

one more thing: read "confessions of a slacker mom"