I started writing a children’s story a few months ago. A rhyming one. It’s so much harder than it seems! I’ve always wanted to give it a try, and if writing doesn’t challenge you to stretch yourself in this craft, you’re not doing it properly. It was a prompt I gave my writing group right before the UK went into lockdown. I couldn’t manage working on it at all as the world went into pandemic-mode. But recently, I’ve been knocking at it little by little. It’s coming out slower than I thought it would, but it feels good to be working those muscles.
The idea of the story came to me last year during a time I randomly made up a story for my eldest daughter. I liked what came out, so I quickly took down some notes in my phone afterward. I made up another story like this once, but didn’t bother to write it down afterwards thinking I would remember it later, but it’s long gone and lost forever. Quick tip here: write everything down!
It’d be lovely to have it finished by the end of the summer, but I haven’t made a schedule of writing for that. Deadlines are useful, but in my current season of life nearing the birth of my third baby, I know it would be ironically setting myself to fail.
Knowing your season as a writer is key. It will give you the freedom to play with ideas and simply rest in your potential or build momentum and accomplish a goal. Healthy writing energy comes from inspiration not pressure. When you’re a writer in the middle of motherhood, inspiration feels scarce, and pressure will make you feel guilty. But identifying and understanding your season will give you space. A work in progress is just that, however slow the process.
Tell me, what are you working on now, or what would you like to be working on?
Christie Drozdowski 