Ever wonder how writers get their writing done, muse on strike, kids to take care of, and a multitude of other issues that come up in a normal day? Jami Alden is about to give you a look at that and how she handles — and sometimes doesn’t handle! — those pesky issues that play havoc with her time management and interrupt her writing.
Switching Gears
With all the genre hopping, pseudonym spouting, and reinvention that goes on in romance writing, it’s no secret that most writers have to embrace change in order to keep growing their careers. You know why they’re so good at it? Because most writers switch gears every single day, several times a day, fitting in the writing around everything else life demands.
When I tell people I write romance, their first reaction is usually, “Wow! How exciting! That must be so fun.” I know what they’re envisioning – it’s the same scenario I envisioned when I first dreamt of becoming a writer. I wake fully rested, emerge from my boudoir in my silk peignoir set. Later, impeccably but comfortably dressed, I enter my office, nay, writing sanctuary. Perhaps I set a cup of herbal tea at my side. Completely private and expertly feng shui-ed to foster maximum creativity. My muse is in attendance and in masterful form. I poise my hands above the keyboard of my state-of-the-art, top-of-the-line computer. Over the course of several uninterrupted hours, my story, my characters take over, and the words flow like water.
Another bestseller is born!
I’m sure you’re all shocked, absolutely stunned when I confess that this, sadly, is not my reality. This is more like it: I wake up groggy, because invariably one of my two small children woke up in the middle of the night. Like last night, when I found my four year old whimpering outside my door at 3:00 a.m. because his leg hurt. Poor little dude. I knew I shouldn’t have made him do that last set of walking lunges…
Depending on the day, I spend the next several hours getting everyone fed, dressed and out the door. Three days a week the little one goes to daycare in the morning, but my older boy is home with me until after lunch. I drop him off at 1:00, impatiently tap my foot waiting for the classroom door to open which always seems to be five or ten minutes past 1:00 p.m. AND DON’T YOU PEOPLE REALIZE THE NEXT THREE HOURS ARE THE ONLY TIME I HAVE TO GET ANYTHING DONE TODAY AND YOU’VE JUST SHAVED FIFTEEN MINUTES OFF MY WORKDAY???
On the short drive home I switch to writer mode and try to get my mind around the scenes I plan to write that day. I sit behind my cluttered desk, fire up the most ghetto can’t run more than one app at a time laptop, and wait for the creativity to flow. Because it has to. Right there. Right then. Sometimes my muse is present. Other days it seems she’s gone off for a pedicure. On days like that…I like to quote Nora Roberts. (and I’m sorry if I don’t get this totally right):
“If your muse makes a run for it, grab that fickle bitch by the hair and wrestle her to the ground.”
That skank and I tussle at least twice a week. But more often than not I’m the one emerging victorious from the octagon.
My writing right now is all about switching gears. In order to get work done, I have to turn on a dime, switching from mommy mode to writer mode in the space of five minutes. Case in point – a couple of weeks ago, I dropped my son off, went home, and in the next two and a half hours wrote the grisliest murder scene I’ve ever written.
It was weird. But kind of cool. Do I wish I had more time to work? Absolutely. But I’m proud of my ability to maximize the time I have to get the work done.
How about you? What do you do to make switching gears easier? Can you flow seamlessly from one role to the next, or are you more like me, dividing your time into discreet lumps where you know you’ll be focusing mainly on one role or task over another?
Jami is giving away copies of Kept, the second book in her Gemini Men series, to three lucky commenters today!
Hi Jami! Congratulations on the release of your new book. I’ve heard so many good things about the Gemini Men series. Having trouble finding them at the book store at home, but I’ll keep on checking.
Best wishes, Amber
Just reading about your day makes me tired. But it works for you because your books are awesome. So thrilled Unleashed is out!!!!!!
I don’t have a silk peignoir set, but I do have a velvet lounging robe, does that count? And you forgot the bonbons.
But you are so right about switching gears. I think it’s one of the most challenging parts about being a writer. The hardest thing for me is when you are on that roll at 2:30, and you know you have to stop to go pick up the kids at 2:45, fully aware that by time you come back it will be gone. I love the part about tapping toes waiting for the teachers–been there many times.
HI Jami
I’ve read all your books & totally loved them (so don’t enter me). I’m so looking forward to Unleashed. Your Gemini book plots are awesome & hot. Best wishes.
LOVED Caught – and am really looking forward to digging into KEPT.
Thanks so much for the insight into the real life of a novelist. I know that some writers plot their books out ahead of time in outline form or on index cards; do you use a system like this or do you let your fingers do the talking?
Frankly I don’t know how you do it. On the days that I babysit my grandkids I do well to get to the bathroom while they are here. On the bright side, I am up on all the cartoons and current trendy toys. Sometimes their mom (my youngest daughter) has to ask me what they are talking about. I have Direct TV so they see a lot more toys advertised on the cartoon networks.
Just read some more about your series, Jami, sounds great, think my mother would like them, too.
You must be an expert by now switching gears, I know from watching my sister with kids (hers, daycare and extras, too, lol) every time I go over – I get tired just watching her.
Happy Release Day, Jami. It takes me a while to switch from one role to another. Sometimes my brain needs to rewire itself before anything can get done.
So unrelated to your post, just saw you spell your first name the same way I do mine, and thought it was awesome!!!
Actually related:
I have a job where I take incoming calls for insurance customer service, and we’re open on Saturdays, but not many people seem to realize this. So whenever I work a Saturday, I often go over 10 minutes with no calls coming in. Needless to say, I try to get writing done in there, or if not writing, at least I usually use the time to read. Even without kids, it’s always about maximizing the free time we all have… And it seems the times when I have the least free time, I get the most done.
I love your Gemini Men and wait patiently for Unleashed to arrive at my bookstore.
As for switching gears, I’m sort of related. Maybe not to the degree of yours. I have a full time job and work part-time for a bookstore, a job I really don’t need but very happy to do since reading is my passion and working around books relax me. Those 2 jobs are completely different so sometime I have to remind myself which roles I am playing right now.
Love the Nora Roberts quote. So try. I am an aspiring and very amateur writer also and can relate!
Congrats on your new book, it sounds like something I would enjoy!
Hey everyone – sorry I’ve been AWOL – I’ve had a day like I wrote about, right down to the ghetto ass computer that froze and lost my comment where I responded to all of your questions. JOY! Now I have to go find something to eat before I chew off my own foot. So I’ll get back to everyone later, I promise! and I’m not picking a winner until tomorrow morning, so keep commenting to win 🙂
Switching gears is difficult for me. Going from work mode to Mom mode is not smooth. I will stop in the middle of cooking/homework help/laundry and suddenly wonder if I had made that last important phone call/passed on the relevant details to a colleague/completed documentation of some oddity. Likewise, at work I will stop in the middle of whatever I am doing and wonder if a permission slip was signed for school, panic that the kids have forgotten their sack lunches, or wonder if they dressed warmly enough.
Okay, attempt number 2!
Amber – try online! Amazon, Borders, Barnes & Noble, all have my books available for a substantial discount
Lynn, glad you’re enjoying the books!
Monica, I’m still waiting for you to update your author photo.
Mary, so glad you’ve enjoyed the books – I really hope you like Danny’s story
Cursingmama – I tend to alternate – I plot out a few chapters, write them, then plot out a few more chapters. when I’ve tried to plot out the books in detail up front, I’ve always gone in a totally different direction. But when I try to totally go by the seat of my pants, I write myself into a corner. I have to think and plan ahead, but I also have to leave room for the writing to take me in a different direction, if that makes sense.
Lisa, I credit my survival to a steady diet of coffee and red wine. and lots, and lots, and lots of Noggin.
Hi Pam, I hope both you and your mom enjoy the books. I don’t know that I’m an expert at switching gears, but I’ve certainly adapted to it 🙂
Hi Jane, I totally hear you – I sometimes wonder if I could use a dog shock collar to hold myself into one mode or another.
Jami – awesome spelling! until I met another Jami with an “i” I always thought my mom made it up. And kudos on squeezing in the writing whenever you can – and you’re right, sometimes when you know time is so limited, it forces you to get a lot done.
Hi May – how cool for you to have another job that actually relaxes you. I need to get one of those 🙂
Marial – that Nora quote totally spoke to me. I used to wait for “creativity to strike” before I wrote, and it took me four years to write a book!then I started writing like it was a job, with set hours and set goals, and that second book took me six months.
Hi Jami, I have been hearing a lot of good things about this series, can’t wait to read it.
This series sounds very interesting, I’ll look for the books! Your Gemini men can have a place on my keeper shelf.
HI Jami,
I have to seperate my time in order for me to give my best at what I am currently doing. I find it’s what works best for me 🙂
I’ve never read one of you books before but I would love to win Kept and start reading the Gemini series.
cldivineATyahooDOTcom
Hey everyone – thanks so much for stopping by. Just popping in to post the winners of autographed copies of KEPT and a surprise pick from my Aphrodisia Archives:
Amber E
Pam Pellini
Eva S
please email me at jami@jamialden.com with your mailing address and I’ll get the books out to you!
I am so sorry I missed your day Jami! I have been offline most of the week dying in a dark room. For anyone wondering if you have standing orders at a clinic or ER make sure they are updated every six months or they expire just like a prescription – thinking on that now – makes sense, on Tuesday (wasn’t in the mood).
Anyhoo you are welcome to take it out in blood later if you like. I do have an excerpt Jami so kindly gave me to post years ago.