I am really pleased to be able to welcome the amazing Amy Engel to my blog
today to share a guest post with us on how she Balances Writing and Life.
Amy Engel is the author of The
Book of Ivy duology published by Entangled Teen, the second book in the
series The Revolution of Ivy is due
to be released on the 3rd November! It is amazing.
Author: Amy Engel
Series: The Book of Ivy
Publisher: Entangled Teen
Pages: 400
Release date: 3rd November 2015
Synopsis (Goodreads) Ivy
Westfall is beyond the fence and she is alone. Abandoned by her family and
separated from Bishop Lattimer, Ivy must find a way to survive on her own in a
land filled with countless dangers, both human and natural. She has traded a
more civilized type of cruelty--forced marriages and murder plots--for the
bare-knuckled brutality required to survive outside Westfall's borders.
But there is hope beyond the fence, as well. And when Bishop reappears in Ivy's life, she must decide if returning to Westfall to take a final stand for what she believes is right is worth losing everything she's fought for.
But there is hope beyond the fence, as well. And when Bishop reappears in Ivy's life, she must decide if returning to Westfall to take a final stand for what she believes is right is worth losing everything she's fought for.
Balancing Writing and Life
Balancing writing and life can be tricky, but I am
luckier than many because writing is my full time job. It would be much more
difficult to achieve the necessary balance if I also had another career. Having
said that, I do have a family (husband and two kids) and there are only so many
hours in a day. What works for me is to try and get my writing done while my
kids are at school, but there are times that’s just not possible and on those
days (or months during the summer), I fit in the writing when and where I can.
I’m not too particular about noise levels, etc. when I’m writing. If I always
waited for a quiet, peaceful house, I’d rarely get any writing done.
I think, for me, the biggest challenge in balancing
writing and life is that there is rarely a moment in the day when my brain isn’t
churning, thinking about what I’m writing or about to write. I sometimes feel
guilty about this when my kids are talking to me and I realize I haven’t been
actively listening because I’m lost inside my own head. At those moments I have
to make a conscious effort to pull myself back and really be present. Sometimes
it feels like I’m living two lives: my actual one and then the one that goes on
inside my head and often feels just as real.
People sometimes say to me that they would like to
write a book if only they could find the time. The truth is if writing is
important enough to you, you’ll find the time. I wrote my first YA novel
(trunked) when my children were very small and needed almost constant
attention. It required sacrificing sleep, my favorite television shows, time
with friends, and sometimes even showers, but I managed to get it done. I make
my writing a priority, along with spending time with and taking care of my
family, going for a run most days of the week, and reading in the late evening.
Those four activities are the ones I won’t give up or compromise on; everything
else has to be worked in around them. That’s my secret to balance: figure out
what’s most important to you and go from there. You can’t necessarily have it
all, but you can find a way to have what’s necessary for you.
Amy
Engel is the author of THE BOOK OF IVY (out now) and its sequel, THE REVOLUTION
OF IVY, which will be available on November 3, 2015. In addition, her debut
adult novel (gothic suspense), THE ROANOKE GIRLS, is forthcoming from Crown in
early 2017. Amy lives in Missouri with her husband and two children.
All images/blurb/author details etc. have been
copied from GoodReads
Great guest post and great advice :)
ReplyDeleteOh congrats on the new book and for being able to write full time. Great post!
ReplyDeleteLovely post, and I agree when you find your passion you willingly cut out other things to make time
ReplyDelete