17 November 2011

The muse has returned

I'm back! It's seemed like forever since I've been able to write, but my muse has finally returned...and, along with it, my procrastination. Hence this post when I probably only have half an hour in which to bang out some words.

Since having a baby eight weeks ago, life has pretty much turned upside down. Whenever I thought things might be evening out a little, it would all change again. But, dare I say it, Finn is pretty much sleeping through the night now, and after a challenging few weeks where he decided he didn't want to sleep for more than half an hour during the day, he seems to be settling much easier and sleeping for longer chunks.

Which means, of course, that not only do I have time for having a shower, going to the toilet and feeding myself, but now I've also got a few opportunities each day to do something just for me. Until this week, my brain has been mush and the idea of ever writing again seemed remote. But after a couple of weeks of a grumpy-crying-not-sleeping-constantly-feeding baby, the clouds have begun to clear and my creativity is slowly coming back.

On Tuesday, I began a working synopsis for a new book. There's still a lot missing - a plot, for instance - but I've got a very basic structure to work with. Yesterday, I started to write. Sure, 80 per cent of it was notes I'd already written months ago, but it's a start.

I think this experience is going to be very different from my previous manuscripts. I don't think I'll be writing a first draft in 70 days. But at least I'm writing again, and eight weeks into motherhood isn't a bad effort.

Now I must go, because I think Finn is waking up. And if he's not, I should be working on my manuscript anyway.

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