The other evening I was on the computer (no wonder my elbow's still hurting) when a mini-kerfuffle broke out by the door as the Teens were instructed by Lovely Husband to vamoose. "Stop pestering your mother and let her get on with her writing," he said firmly.
He's very supportive and takes what I do seriously, which is wonderful, but dear reader I was actually on E-bay at the time. Sourcing a new toilet-seat to replace the one that's broken, while simultaneously tracking down a top I'd seen in a magazine. I was planning to follow this up with a raid on the BBC Good Food website in search of a no-bake cheesecake recipe. Not that I couldn't be bothered to bake one, I just fancied one there and then.
Thing is I felt so guilty as everyone shuffled off talking in exaggerated stage whispers, that I shiftily opened a document at random and discovered a short story I'd abandoned a while back. I read it through and it wasn't bad, but I'd clearly lost it half-way through. I'd actually typed "Blah, blah, so WHAT??" in brackets at the bottom.
Spurred on by my family's faith in me I racked my addled brain and shiftily finished it off and after double-checking it wasn't complete cobblers I sent it to a magazine this morning.
And there was I thinking that guilt was completely unproductive.
Maybe if I stand next to the washing-up and squeeze out a tear or two it'll have a similar effect on the Teens.
24 comments:
Ooh, I'm always getting caught doing something other than writing!
Wishing your story lots of luck!!
Oh,and.... has your blog changed or am I going mad?
Ms Clarkey, Has gone pea green. Hmmmm, very spring like. Good luck with the short story m'dear Tommox.
Word verification is ARMEND :)
Karen, what a brilliant post! This is such a gem. I am sometimes on BBCI watching a program when Himself comes in to see how I am doing! I do feel terribly guilty but it usually something that I want to watch before it gets erazed from the site. I sometimes get inspiration from whatever I am watching so I call it research!
Thanks for the smile and downright honesty that you were skiving! Priceless!
When your story is accepted you'll have to buy something special for hubby and the Teens.
Puppy woofs and tail wags to Molly from T&T
Good luck with the story and gettomg the teens to do the washing up.
The washing up thing is has got to be worth a try x
That made melaugh.....We've all done it haven't we? I am sure the story will be a success!
Wow. That is a result! Good luck with the story. Now, back to E-bay with you!
well done to the hubby and to you!!!
sorry teens... Mum's busy!! hee hee...
Hilarious!!
Guilty of skiving? Oh, Karen. How naughty!
Fabulous when you discover an old story and can buff it up a bit - hope it wows them and that you get your bog seat :0)
Ha! Writer's guilt...the worst kind! Well done for turning it around :-)
This did make me chuckle - I think we've all been there. I'm particularly prone to being caught reading blogs ... ahem. I'm delighted that something positive came out of it though: the Muse has to be ambushed by devious means sometimes!
As for teenagers and washing-up ... sigh. :)
Well done for converting guilt into action. The washing-up idea is worth a try, if nothing else you'll probably get another story out of it!
Well, to be fair, the toilet seat wasn't just for you, was it? And that cheesecake - you weren't going to eat it all on your own, were you? (You weren't, were you??)So you were actually engaged on family business and not really skiving at all. And it spurred you on to finish the story. So, a good day's work, one way or another.
Your hubby sounds like a right sweetie. Good for you re that submission!
When my mother wants to disturb me she asks: Are you doing something serious or playing with blogs? (I'm usually 'playing with blogs'.) My sister asks: What are you doing - looking for men on the Internet again? (No, I don't! I'm not that kind of girl!)
Best of luck with your sub.
Your hubby sounds lovely - every writer should have support like that.
Hope you found the top - and the cheescake recipe
:-)
oh Karen, if I ate any more than a part of that brownie, the heartburn woulda killed me... :)))
pretty good solution, in hindsight!
ta for the support... on pins and needles as is!
What a thoroughly nice husband you have.
Tracking and sourcing things on the internet are very good 'writerly' skills to hone. Research and all that:-)
Did you find that top?
happy Easter m'dear x
I've managed to get the tea cooked; the stairs hoovered and the beds changed just by playing that very card myself! Lets go for it girl!
Love the book titles Karen...gave me a giggle. I always seem to get caught doing something I had not planned and then feel guilty that i am not writing more instead of frequenting Ebay and the Book People websites!
Michelle
x
amanda - Thankyou, and yes I have been fiddling I'm afraid! I really like the colour though :o))
tommo - Springlike - that's the word! I like peas too now I come to think about it. Maybe I should write a story about them?
mob - Inspiration and Research sound much better than skiving! Those are my new buzzwords :o)
pat p - Thanks T & T :o) I will buy them something special, but I don't know what yet!
gonna be a writer - I've a feeling I've more chance of having the story published!
helenmh - It's never worked in the past!!
cait o' connor - I'm glad I'm not the only one :o)
ladybird - E-bay is dangerously addictive, I think I need help!
anna - They don't think writing is busy I'm afraid - just me 'on the computer as usual' !!
bfs - It was worth it in the end :o)
spiralskies - I quite like buffing when it come to old stories, and the toilet seat is spiffing :o)
tam - I like to put a positive spin on things :o)
lorna f - That's what I was doing of course - teasing the Muse :o) Least said the better re: the washing up ...
queenie - I think I've actually incorporated reluctant teens and washing up in a story before! Sad really.
honeysuckle - Well I feel much better after reading that! So much so, I might do it again quite soon :o)
wordtryst - Playing with blogs is the most fun, but I haven't tried looking for men! Don't need to, obviously :o)
suzanne - Thankyou! Having a lovely husband and cheesecake to hand really helps :o)
anna - Ooh, heartburn. Not good. I get that too sometimes, usually after too much tea :o(
lane - Tracking, Sourcing and Research sound infinitely better than Slacking :o)
I found the top, but it didn't look the same on the website. I might have to organise a trip to look for it :o)
annieye - Blimey, you need to come round here and work your magic on mine :o)
mickmouse - But you never know, we might find some writerly inspiration whilst browsing. That's my excuse anyway!
LOL! Good luck with the submission. Fx
Oh God, I do this all the time. Send children packing, or have them packed on my behalf, when all I'm doing is commenting on other people's blogs... oh.
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