As the final weeks of my writing sabbatical dwindle to ever-shorter days, I find myself thinking more and more about balance. How do we find it? And what does it even look like?
It seems to me that finding any balance as a person and a writer has to involve making peace with the fact that the elements of my life that inspire my writing are often the exact same ones that seem to keep me from my keyboard for days or even months at a time (there was also that one year I didn't write at all, after I had a child, although some people--okay, male people--suggested this would be the easiest time of all for me to write, since I would have so much time on my hands while "not working").
On the note of embracing--or, at least, identifying--the chaos between the pages, here is a piece I wrote for rob mclennan's Ottawa Poetry Newsletter a few years ago:
On Writing #1: A little less inspiration, please
(Or, What ever happened to patrons, anyway?)
Published in 2013, my ramblings had the privilege of marking the first essay in mclennan's On Writing series. Three years later, the series is quickly approaching the 100-essay mark, and has included a huge array of writers saying some very smart things on nearly every subject related to writing, editing, publishing, and how to live with such tragic afflictions.
I highly suggest you check it out. If, of course, you can find the time.
It seems to me that finding any balance as a person and a writer has to involve making peace with the fact that the elements of my life that inspire my writing are often the exact same ones that seem to keep me from my keyboard for days or even months at a time (there was also that one year I didn't write at all, after I had a child, although some people--okay, male people--suggested this would be the easiest time of all for me to write, since I would have so much time on my hands while "not working").
On the note of embracing--or, at least, identifying--the chaos between the pages, here is a piece I wrote for rob mclennan's Ottawa Poetry Newsletter a few years ago:
On Writing #1: A little less inspiration, please
(Or, What ever happened to patrons, anyway?)
Published in 2013, my ramblings had the privilege of marking the first essay in mclennan's On Writing series. Three years later, the series is quickly approaching the 100-essay mark, and has included a huge array of writers saying some very smart things on nearly every subject related to writing, editing, publishing, and how to live with such tragic afflictions.
I highly suggest you check it out. If, of course, you can find the time.
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