Episode 46: Happier Parent, Happier Writer
with KJ Dell’Antonia
IN THIS EPISODE
We welcome KJ Dell'Antonia, former NYT parenting writer/editor and cohost of the #AmWriting podcast! Her book, How To Be A Happier Parent, comes out in August 2018.
Here are the highlights!
We discuss how to shifting your perspective from the mom guilt of putting your writing first, to setting an example for your kids with your writing.
If you're going to write about parenting, whether it be essays or journalism or stories, it's important to balance the respect for your kids' privacy while still being cognizant of the fact that parents have a need to commiserate over the common aspects of parenting that everyone deals with (KJ sites a favorite essay by Naomi Shulman, linked below). Universal truths speak volumes to your readers.
When you sign up for something like NaNoWriMo, one of the challenges is to keep going after you get to the end. It's great to finish, and it's great to win, but don't put it down for too long! According to KJ, forming the habit is the hardest part. It's okay to put your writing first most of the time. While family comes first for all moms and dads, you're still allowed to be yourself, to have this part of yourself to nurture and maintain. And sometimes you have to get up early to get that time, but it's not permanent. One day the kids will sleep later than you! "
“If you’re working on a long-form project, make sure you open the file every day. Touch it every day, give it thought every day, and most of the time you’ll do more.”
Having your work right in front of your, every single day, is paramount - out of sight is really out of mind.
Another great way to hold yourself accountable is to set goals with writer friends for a particular word count or writing goal, and send each other updates. It's not competitive as much as it is motivating!
If you parent with a partner, split up your responsibilities if you can. If you go to two hockey performances, the partner gets the orchestra concert, and when you get a night off you get to spend that time writing. If you're solo that day – or every day –bring your laptop! Ten words are better than nothing. In regards to watching your kids play sports, according to research, "The least-favorite part of the sport is the ride home." They don't need to be watched and don't want to be watched 100% of the time, and you can use that time to your advantage. And it's OK to say no to all the activities. Your kids can pick and choose their passions, and it's healthy to have to prioritize and make choices. It's OK to tell your kids no sometimes, that you will take care of whatever when you finish what you're doing, it's OK to let them figure things out for themselves (we're talking about getting themselves a glass of milk, not asking your 3-year-old to walk themselves to school).
“What stops most people from getting paid to write isn’t failure, it’s failure to do it.”
Further Reading
Naomi Shulman, Requiem for A Minivan:
https://parenting.blogs.nytimes.com/2014/01/24/requiem-for-a-minivan/
