WHAT WAS I THINKING???? I don't have time to write a book!
After a great night laughing and brainstorming with Denise in January 2010 about my idea to write a funny novel, I woke the next morning to reality. How on earth was I going to find time in my life to write a book?
I was working eleven short sale cases at the time, not knowing if the time and effort I was spending would pay off in a commission check in end. I was still trying to help my husband find a way for his company to survive the meltdown of the mortgage industry. We still had one daughter in high school and another in college - both still requiring mommy's time, attention and energy. And we had just found out our dog would suffer from seizures the rest of her life. My plate was full.
But my mind now cranked in a new way. I couldn't stop thinking about my story. The overall plot was there, just like that. And every day I would think of another funny scene I could create to fill in the blanks. I began to constantly think about the characters I could create: their names, personalities, back stories. It was all so exciting. Their stories were becoming real to me so I had to find time to write it all down.
Knowing I would now not stop until my story was in print, my husband bought me a small, 10-inch notebook computer (which I'm typing on right now) making it more convenient for me to write anywhere at any time. I started carrying it with me everywhere I went (and learned fairly quickly to carry the power cord too). I also learned very quickly that I WOULD NOT REMEMBER my ideas later when it was more convenient to write them down so I bought a small voice recorder and threw that into my purse along with my computer (I bought a new purse large enough to accommodate my new writing toys).
Over time, I developed a schedule that worked for me. Each night after dinner, kitchen clean-up, some family time with my husband and daughter, and real estate work, I would write. Some nights I may not even get to turn on the computer until midnight but I didn't care. The story was now thick in my brain and I had to get it out. I actually didn't care about - or pay attention to - the time.
"Gladys, do you realize it's two am?" Robert would often point out. (He calls me several different names and I answer to them all. Gladys seems to be his favorite). "We need to go to bed." Fortunately for me, Robert is a night owl as well so he would always stay up with me doing his own thing to pass the time until I ran out of speed. (BTW, it's now 1:06 am as I write this post.)
I didn't care about the time or place to write. I just wanted to write.
I was discovering a passion I never knew I had !!
I'm so thankful that The Great Recession of 2008 helped guide me to my new life path. Who knew? I guess the old saying "Where there's a will, there's a way" is actually a truism.
If you are passionate enough about something, you will find a way to make it happen!
