My wife is generally wonderful about "this whole writing thing." We both work full time, and so the only time I have to write is time I have to take away from being together because, let's face it, I just can't do both at once. So she sits and occupies herself while I poke and prod my mind and push thoughts out through my fingers. Last night I typed 2,025 words in my new book after she went to bed.
But every once in a while she'll show a hint of impatience. Like today. I told her I was coming up to do another blog post and that I would be down in 20 or 30 minutes. She said "Yeah right. It's never 20 or 30 minutes."
The sad fact is she's not wrong. I often lose track of time when I write. I attribute this to the fact that my mind is no longer in this world, but in that other, more ethereal universe where my characters interract. Time there passes much slower. I'm sure of it. I can watch Pete McKee (my latest antag) have a cup of coffee in the same amount of time it takes my wife to take a shower, put on her PJs, watch a little TV, read 40 or 50 pages, and fall asleep. This could be a good thing. Maybe if I spend enough time there the gray hairs will start to go away, eh?
Nah, probably not.
So I'm just curious. Do any of you other writers find that you neglect your significant other while you are doing your writerly duty? How do they take it? I tend to think that it takes a very special type of person to put up with someone who spends so much of their time tuned in to a whole other reality. For me, it just makes me want to succeed all the more so her own sacrifices will be worth something.
Maybe I'll take her to dinner tomorrow night.
I gotta go. It's been over 20 minutes.
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6 comments:
I think you'll find you're not alone in 'neglecting' your partner at times, David. I can hear mine snoring on the couch. I should be out there making intelligent conversation with him. Instead, I'm in here 'doing the blog round'. Like you, I'm new to blogging and it does require some committment in getting it up and running. Good luck with the novels.
My hubby and i have found a good balance because we have two computers and he is a total computer geek. So now we both sit in the office otgether after the kids go to bed and do the computer thing together. It's worked out quite well for us.
You are definitely not alone in this!
I can tell the hubby "Be outta here in 1 hour" and then its 3 hours later.
He really is a saint when it comes to me getting lost in another world.
I don't have a significant other, but I do sometimes neglect family.
(Psst...maybe you should take her out to dinner...)
And what is even more time consuming than attending to your own blog is racing round to see what everyone else is saying.
Love it!
Heh, I know just how you feel. Yeah, my other half often feels "neglected" when I head to the computer to write or blog. I try to do most of my writing late at night, before going to sleep, so it won't interfere with our time together. Mostly she's a good trooper, though.
And besides, I could give her just as much (if not more) grief about sitting in front of the television for hours upon hours. Doesn't matter what is on, she will watch it, and to me that's not quality time together.
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