I sincerely believe that you should always do something for yourself. It is hard sometimes to set aside time to do this, especially when there is so much going on in our lives. My mother sacrificed herself totally for her family and, as a result, we came to expect her to always be there for us at the drop of a hat. I think it's important that my children see that I have something I enjoy doing and that there are times when this takes precedence over what they want to do.
Writing is a difficult occupation because it is so solitary. Unless you ask for advice on a character or a plot, it's not something that you can involve other people in. The total self-absorption breeds resentment at times. I know that Sian and Ellie are far more likely to leave me alone if I am marking essays than if I am writing my book. Perhaps it's because they know I don't like marking essays, but enjoy writing.
Today, I am pleasantly surprised as I manage to do a lot of writing and am very happy to note that I have completed twenty-five chapters. It took me ten years to get This September Sun completed and another ten years to finish All Come to Dust so the fact that it has taken me two years to get this far with my third book is a sign that I may actually be working faster and being more focused.
One thing I have been grateful for about the lockdown is that it has given me time to spend writing. I'd like to challenge myself to finish it by the time we go back to school, but that might be pushing things a little too far.
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