What is digging with a spoon? As a working mother who loves more than anything to write, I embraced Julianna Baggott's words: "Sometimes, I felt like a prisoner with a spoon. I could dig away, doing little bits at a time, hoping I would see the light." See my first blog for more on my first foray into spoon digging!
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Saturday, August 19, 2006

Hiatus

I woke at 5 and wandered in the dark between our bedroom and Gavin’s, patting every flat surface until I touched on my glasses. Husband and son breathed deeply, and I crept away to the basement to write.

Nearly every Saturday since November has begun in this same fashion. Starting this blog meant a concrete reason to get up and write. It meant I kept a promise to myself.

I learned the names of 2 Greek mythology figures this week. Scylla and Charybdis are the names of 2 sea monsters who flank a narrow strait, and the sailors passing must move carefully so as not to trigger either vicious threat. The expression between Scylla and Charybdis preceded between a rock and a hard place.

I have been evaluating my writing time, or lack of it. Working full time and mothering a 4-year-old fills my days, and then some. Work has picked up, both for me and Tom. The hourglass seems to be shrinking, and my book is in serious danger of neglect. I have also promised myself that I will have at least 4 freelance queries in circulation at any given time (borrowing from Hope Clark’s magic number of 13, which I hope to build up to over time).

I love my Saturday morning blog, the newness of it, the surprises, and I am guessing it will be resurrected in some fashion (perhaps an account on the journey of my book proposal!). I realized this morning that my blog has been a bit like dating: a good time, no heavy agenda, full of new possibility. My book is more like a marriage: a good time also, but subject to more ups and downs, requiring more thought and effort—something that offers a great return in the long haul but isn’t always exciting or romantic. But for now, even though the romance of the blog calls, I am taking a hiatus. I am encountering my own Scylla and Charybdis (so much I want to write, but threats on either side of my narrow writing strait).

If you come upon Digging with a Spoon, I hope that you find some encouragement here. I would love to hear from fellow readers, writers, parents, dreamers. Please drop me a line at khauswirth@sbcglobal.net.

1 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

I dunno if you would be interested but I've just started a site for authors. If you are interested, please see www.feelswrite.com
Thanks

2:15 AM  

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