Rhiannon lives in Wisconsin with her husband and their children. When she isn't writing, cleaning house or chasing her kids around, she can most often be found curled up with her e-reader, taking pleasure in the many genres she loves. Rhiannon and her husband enjoy visiting casinos, are avid followers of politics, and are devoted fans of Wisconsin's basketball team--the Milwaukee Bucks. You may visit her blog at www.rhiannonellis.blogspot.com. Welcome Rhiannnon!
Thank you so much, Vonnie, for inviting me to guest blog. Today, I'd like to talk a little about being a mother who also aspires to be a writer.
Vonnie was so sweet when she invited me to guest blog for her. She told me I could use one of my past posts from my own blog, understanding how little time a mom with two little ones has. This got me thinking...with all I have to do, with all the hats I already wear, why add a big job like writing to my already long and ever-growing list?
It's not for the money. I'm very blessed to have a husband who works hard so that I can stay home with our children. We're not rich; we're cozy. Besides, the mass majority of authors don't make enough money to quit their day jobs. It is not a get-rich-quick scheme.
It's not because I'm bored. Have I mentioned my children? At ages 5 and 2, boredom (and silence) evades me. My home is a continuum of "things to do."
It's not for fame. Don't get me wrong, I love to read and have my favorite authors. But I never hear of the paparazzi stalking writers. Their faces are not plastered all over billboards, magazines or commercials. They're not being paid millions to endorse the latest athletic gear or soft drink. They're not getting offers to pose for Playboy. No, I don't write for fame. Few do.
So why do I write, if not for fame, fortune, or hobby?
Like most moms, I'm pretty sure 99% of what I do in a day's time is for someone else. When I sit down to write, it's not for my husband, my kids, my friends or other family members. After all, writing doesn't lessen the amount of dishes I have in the sink; it doesn't shine my hardwood floors or read bedtime stories. And, last I checked, writing does not firm my butt or tighten my waistline.
So why, why, WHY write?
I write for ME. Nothing in my life revolves around me, except this one little thing. It's my quiet time, it's my own private entertainment. Writing is a reminder that I am capable of effectively using words that are beyond a toddler's scope of understanding. It's also a way for me to feel like I'm doing something beyond the norm--that being a mother does not mean I have to stop achieving my goals or dreams.
And...I enjoy it. I think, as a busy mom with only a speck of free time, that's all the reason I need.
3 comments:
Hi, Rhiannon - great article! I ask myself the same question, except I'm at the other end of the child-rearing spectrum. My kids are out of the house and I work a stressful, demanding full-time job (believe me, much less fulfilling emotionally than being a mom), and can barely drag myself through the door at the end of the day. So I get up at 4:30 a.m. to write. People ask me "WHY??" all the time, and my answer is similar to yours: Because it's the only thing I do where I can actually hear myself think.
I'm putting your books on my Christmas list!
Have a great day. Enjoy your time with you little ones!
Leah
Thank you so much for stopping by, Leah. Keep writing and enjoy that empty nest!
Rhiannon :)
I commend you two for not using life as an excuse for not writing. I certainly did. I was going ot write after I got out of high school, then after my first baby started walking, then after the kids were in school, out of school, out of college, once I had a better. less demanding job...et al. Now I am retired. The excuses are gone. And so I have started, and all the storylines I developed in my mind over 40 plus years are demanding their equal time in my computer. Ladies, my fingers don't move that quickly. I'm proud of you for NOT allowing life to get in the way of your passion. You'll be happier for it, believe me.
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