My life recently has been a steady juggle of balancing day work with literary time and family life. Since family life takes priority, I tend to squeeze in writing and editing time on breaks at work or for half an hour after school ends (I work in a grammar school – although I’m currently on Easter break) and reading time while I’m having breakfast or after my wee bookworm has gone to bed. Simply put, there aren’t enough hours in the day to do everything I’d like to do – but I make the most of the time I have.
Reading time:
I subscribe to Kindle Unlimited, so I try to read as much as I can and I’ve been getting into writing more reviews lately too. Although I prefer reading paperbacks, ebooks are handy as I can read on my phone, which is helpful in bed at night or if I have a moment to spare during the day. Of course, I make reading with the little literary lad a priority too. Thankfully he loves books as much as we do, and has even hoarded many of our books, which he stuffs onto his own book shelf.
Writing time:
I’m chipping away at novel WIP#5, which is currently at around 26.5k words. Anyone at work who sees me in the staffroom after school always comments on how industrious I am. I try my best…
Editing:
My next novel is due for release later this year, so I’m in between editing projects at the moment. I’ll be busy again soon though with Bindweed Magazine, the literary journal that my hubby and I run. Submissions will close at the end of April for our forthcoming anthology, Midsummer Madness 2022, so I’ll have a lot on my plate with editing and formatting the ebook and (if time permits) typesetting the paperback version.
Repeat:
Besides all of the above, did you know I’m a fan of bad movies? My hubby and I love Mystery Science Theatre 3000 and Rifftrax. There is much to be learned from watching terrible, cheesy B movies as a writer – I find it helps sharpen my editing skills, particularly in finding plot holes in my own work. And so, the cycle of read, write, edit continues. ☺️
Leilanie Stewart 