Book Bling-Elizabeth Alsobrooks

#MFRW Author 52-Week Blog Hop Challenge: How My Family Survives My Writing . . .

1/13/2017

My family would probably disagree with the above quote. My husband in particular thinks my writing is absolute torture, especially in November. Why November? NANOWRIMO (National Novel Writing Month, in which one is expected to write a complete novel of 50,000 plus words in at least rough form), for which I have my husband trained to respond to "Not now, please, it's NANO!" with silence and walking away.

He has asked me why I can't just write during his working hours, when he's not home, and doesn't understand that sometimes I'm in the middle of a brainstorm or the muses are flowing like crazy and I just have to get down a scene or a chapter while it's sparking in my head.

And during brainstorming I may look like I'm vacuuming, dusting, or out for a run, but I am actually hard at work, so a distruption sometimes makes me lose my train of thought, that thought that was becoming a brilliant ending or plot twist!

So how does my husband survive my crazy writerly behavior? He complains. He goes outside to do some yard work. He comes up with spontaneous compromises like write later when I'm at work or sleeping and I'll ..... Or, "Okay, 20 more minutes, tops, and then you're all mine the rest of the night." His imagination is fairly good too. After all, he's Irish!

The best undistrubed writing time in my house? During a Packer's game!

16 Comments

Alina K. Field link

1/13/2017 09:27:48 am

Thank God for football, right?!

Elizabeth Alsobrooks

1/13/2017 07:54:28 pm

Yes, since he watches ALL the Packer's games it's usually perfect. Though I did want to go on a crying jag when his team beat my Lions! LOL!

Tina Gayle link

1/13/2017 10:17:34 am

love the saying...writing can be a challenge

Elizabeth Alsobrooks

1/13/2017 07:55:32 pm

Yes, it certanly is a challenge, and not for the faint of heart!

susan coryell link

1/13/2017 12:07:52 pm

I know what you mean! I am an absolute zombie when writing--responding illogically (if at all) to any question posed...sigh.

Elizabeth Alsobrooks

1/13/2017 07:56:26 pm

My favorite is when he says, "Well? What do you think?" and I have NO idea that he had even said anything to me! LOL!

Diane Burton

1/13/2017 01:21:37 pm

Elizabeth, you are so funny! Football is wonderful. I zone out completely and can write and write. I know what you mean about losing your train of thought. My guy doesn't get that. After so many years of hearing me go "arrghh" when he interrupts, he's getting better. But when they're supportive, it makes all the difference.

Elizabeth Alsobrooks

1/13/2017 08:27:18 pm

Sounds like we all get in the football "zone"! LOL!

Heather Boyd link

1/13/2017 03:31:02 pm

It can take time to adjust to the writing life (us and family). Nanowrimo taught me I could write fast but past work life proved that I'm more focussed in the mornings when everyone is out. However, I'm always thinking and keep a notepad with me when not actually writing. I'm lucky my family accepts I'm almost always distracted by a story.

Elizabeth Alsobrooks

1/13/2017 08:29:08 pm

Yes, I think I give "air head" a whole new meaning!

Adriana Kraft link

1/13/2017 05:16:41 pm

the Packers ploy would never work at our house - we're both Packers fans!! Great post.

Elizabeth Alsobrooks

1/13/2017 08:30:43 pm

LOL! There was 1 Packers game I wanted to see...but then I got to experience the agony of defeat, when my husband's team beat my Lion's.

Alicia Dean

1/13/2017 05:20:28 pm

Fun post! I don't have a husband around to interrupt me, but my adult daughter lives with me, and she's pretty good at it. :) People truly don't understand that when they stop us to ask us 'real quick' - it still takes us totally out of the moment, the zone. Sigh... LOL. I'm like you, Adriana. During the Packers is NOT a good time for me to write, because I love them too! Although, if I'm watching a team I'm not that into, it can be a good time to edit. I need no distractions at all when writing.

Elizabeth Alsobrooks

1/13/2017 08:34:41 pm

I can't believe how many Packers fans there are, Alicia! He keeps insisting they're Packer Backers whenever I call him a cheesehead! LOL!