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FEATURE What do you Really Do? By Shaunna Privratsky The title is the number one response I receive
when I tell someone I work fulltime from home. Number two is, “What did
you used to do?” Working from home still has negative connotations in today’s
hyper-busy, 24/7 society. People commonly brag about sixty-hour workweeks and
putting in extra time at the office. It is no wonder that the typical home worker
is viewed as lazy or less than productive. The best defense is proving those negative
vibes wrong. No matter what career you are pursuing, choosing your home as your
base of operations is a viable and rewarding decision. I did not entirely choose to stay at home. My career as an author was taking off with many freelance assignments, columns, books,
e-books, book signings and speaking engagements. Yet I still worked part time pursuing my first love; interior design. Then my husband went in for surgery, suffered severe brain damage from a medical mistake,
and wound up permanently disabled. I gave up my part time job to care for him
fulltime. This allowed me to pursue my writing on a fulltime basis as well. In between the daily duties of housework, cooking, caring for Wade and our two teens,
I delve into my writing. Many people view writing as a hobby, or something
fun to do when you have a spare moment. Writing can be a profitable and satisfying
career if you approach it like a business. Although you use your imagination
to create your work, you sell it to editors, hopefully creating a profit. Sounds
easy, right? The road to writing success can be rocky. You must dodge the potholes of rejections, criticism, little or no compensation and
unfair contracts. Yet your family could be your biggest obstacle. The kids must be fed,
the dishes lurk in the sink and dirty laundry multiplies like a freakish virus. Not
to mention housework, grocery shopping, hauling kids to the park, myriad sports and activities. Add all the tasks that you simply must do and it is no wonder that you throw up your hands and wail, “I
don’t have time to write!” Time is the most universally
sought-after commodity, yet it cannot be bought, sold, bribed, stretched or dodged.
It’s free, but we always seem to want or need more. The key to time
management is prioritizing. You already do this unconsciously; now take it to
another level. List everything you do
in a typical day. Put a star by the tasks you must accomplish. Then make another list, including the things you would like to do.
Compare your lists. Are there pockets of time you could use for writing? Do your kids typically take a forty-five minute nap at 1:15 pm? Could you forgo an hour or two of TV time? Is your writing
more important than a completely spotless house? It seems there is always
something more urgent or someone whining “Are you ever going to get off the computer?” I’ve discovered some timely tricks that work for me. I get up about an hour
earlier than my family. I love the early-morning hush in our household, cradling
a delicious cup of coffee while I type fast and furiously with the other hand. Mornings
are my best writing time, when I transpose rough drafts, create new pieces and revel in the written word. All too soon I hear a sleepy voice call, “Mom?” and I must put my work away for later. During our hectic day,
I jot down any ideas or fresh angles that pop into my head. When I get a few
minutes I enter them into my idea notebook. Sometimes a great line, unique name
or a fresh observation will clamor for my attention. If I have a deadline,
I’ll plant myself in front of the computer. If my family whines, I shamelessly
bribe them. If they let me work, we’ll do something extra-special a little
later. So far they feel they’re getting the best of the bargain. Other pockets of free
time may unexpectedly open up if my children are invited to a birthday party or if they are playing at a friend’s house. The key is to seize those moments and write your heart out. The words may sizzle across the page like lightning, igniting the spark of creativity. Other times the sentences must be carefully extracted from the granite encasing them. The important thing is to write, to get that first draft down when the time is right. At the end of the day,
once my children are sleeping, I creep downstairs to the computer and work on queries, submissions, tracking and organization
and research. Getting the most important tasks done first helps speed up my work. Writing is my passion. I have learned to prioritize the many areas of my life and writing has become a treasured
part of my schedule. My family is much more tolerant now that I have a growing
number of published and paid articles and stories. It’s surprising how
much credibility you gain when you hold a check in your hand. If you treat your writing
as a hobby, you’ll never have enough time to write. Give writing the importance
of a job, devote time to the necessary tasks and use your enthusiasm as a shield against the demands of life. If you truly want to
write, you’ll make the time. Keep your family happy while you write and
you’ll be well on your way to a productive and profitable career, working from home.
Now when someone asks what I do, I reply, “I am a writer. Really.” ********************* Shaunna Privratsky is a professional
writer with a decade of writing under her belt. She loves to read, snuggled up
with her four kitties, when she is not busy with her two teens or disabled husband. She is gearing up for her busiest season
of the year. Please visit The Writer Within at http://shaunna67.tripod.com and say hi. ********************************************************************** ***Mother’s
Day Gift Idea*** “The Silk Robe” is an
excellent gift! This beautiful print booklet comes with an envelope for easy mailing.
Signed copies of the inspirational, true story The Silk Robe are on sale for only $4.99 at The Discount Diva Show someone special how much you care. FREE s&h ************************************************************************ Want to save some
money this year? Then check out my dollar-stretching e-books at The Discount Diva http://shaunna67.tripod.com/id21.html ********************************************************************* LUCRATIVE LINKS Attention
Writers: Reach hundreds of writers with your writing-related ad or links to your website, blog, or Facebook page. $7 for a one-time ad $29 for a year’s subscription Please click here
for more information ************************************************************************ Copyright
2012 All
rights are reserved and no portion of this newsletter may be reprinted without permission.
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hope you’ll stay!!! ************************************************************************ 
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