Finding Balance

As human beings, we are always striving to find balance in our lives. It’s a life-long pursuit, beginning with the first tottering steps a baby takes (balancing body and gravity) to balancing the budget, work and family, healthy snacks and junk food, and exercise vs. being a couch potato. Then there’s too much TV, too much internet, too much sleep or not enough, balancing needs with wants. The list goes on and on.

If that’s not enough, as writers we have another whole dimension to take into account. Our alter-ego, our secret life, dealing with the voices, dealing with the muse. Balancing our writing life with our ordinary life is a constant uphill battle for most of us. And it can go either way, to both extremes.

We can become so submerged in our own little worlds with our characters and their problems, with getting words on the page, we sometimes neglect other aspects of life. Instead of enjoying time with family and friends, we resent being taken away from our writing. Instead of taking an interest in other things, such as gardening, dancing, or camping, we become hermits–only happy being alone with our computers and our stories. Some writers forget to live and enjoy the simple pleasures of life.

The flip side for writers is we can always put off our writing—we are the world’s greatest procrastinators. We may think we’re writing, but somehow never find the time to sit down and actually write. The smallest thing can be an excuse to avoid the computer and writing. There’s always something that needs to be done, something that needs our attention. Life always seems to get in the way. These writers forget the pleasure and satisfaction of having written.

Then there’s all the baggage associated with the process of writing, from the creation of the first draft to the final product. Writers must constantly deal with the inner critic, the internal editor, the perfectionist and the doubt demons. Some have trouble getting beyond that first chapter, wanting the words to be perfect before moving on. Some get that first draft down, but then spend an inordinate amount of time polishing, until they destroy the freshness and wipe their voice right off the page. Some finish the story, but never publish it or submit it to an editor, because they don’t think it’s good enough.

It’s not easy being a writer. There’s no end to that constant uphill battle of finding the right balance, whether it’s in the big picture of life or the smaller arena of the actual writing. But don’t worry, there’s hope for us. Because as romance writers, we always strive for that happy ending, don’t we?

Happy Writing!!! Anne Marie ☺

About AnneMarie

I enjoy writing old-fashioned romance with a whole lot of sizzle ~~~ Favorite Books: All of Georgette Heyer's wonderful Regency Romances; Gone With the Wind; The Little House Books; Harry Potter; Anne of Green Gables; This Heart of Mine by Susan Elizabeth Phillips ~~~ Favorite Movies: Return to Me; An Affair to Remember; Sebrina (newer version); Sarah Plain and Tall; Roman Holiday; Pretty Woman ~~~ Favorite Music: Moody Blues, Beatles, Simon & Garfunkel, Jim Croce, Elton John, Seals & Crofts, Chicago, John Denver ~~~ Favorite Quotation: "Love Conquers All" ~~~~ AnneMarie Trivia: I love hummingbirds :) ~~~~ ABOUT MY LONE STAR ROMANCES: When people think of Texas, they usually think about cowboys, ranches and horses. But Texas is more than that. It’s not just a place; it’s an attitude, a state of mind. Everything is bigger and better in Texas, or so it seems to those of us living here. My favorite kind of hero is tall, dark and Texan. Whether a rugged sexy cowboy or a single-dad teaching at the local high school, these heroes are strong men waiting for strong women to call their own—no matter how hard they fight it, no matter how loudly they deny it. I hope you enjoy reading about my Lone Star Heroes and the women they fall in love with. There are those who say life’s too short not to live it as a Texan. I say LIFE'S TOO SHORT NOT TO LOVE A TEXAN!!! Happy Reading!!!
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