I saw this bloghop and I cheered. What an awesome idea from our wonderful host Sharon Bayliss. Parenting is difficult enough alone, but to be a writer mama/papa? It can be crazy.
Today, writer parents share secrets and support each other. The post can be anything related to writing while juggling the responsibilities of parenting. Sharon has even supplied a list of topics for those of us who have very limited time online. Plus, a random poster will win a Writer Mama Care Package (US) or a $25 Amazon gift card (INTL).
Be sure to visit all the participants for great advice, encouragement, and funny stories.
I have so many things to say on the topic of being a writer mama. I'm going to share the greatest misconception people have of me when I tell them I'm an author.
"You're a writer? I bet your son loves it when you read your stories to him. How many children's books do you have published?"
None. Zero. Zilch. Nada.
Just because I have a small child does not mean I write for children. I write for adults. Bloody, scary, intense, and sometimes naughty tales. It never seems to sink in. Usually the next question I'm asked is if I'll write a children's book. Nope. At this point in my life, I have no interest.
"But... you have a child. Don't you read to him?"
Yes. All the time. He loves it when we read books together. In fact, he just turned five and he's reading at a third grade level. We appreciate and love the authors who give us all these fantastic children's stories, but I am not one of them.
My husband and I nurtured a love for reading in our son, and he has a great imagination. I would love it if he decided to follow in my footsteps, but the main thing I want him to see is that his mama is following her dreams. So if he wants to be a chef, an astronaut, or a superhero, I hope he feels that he can do whatever he wants and follow his own dreams.
How awesome your son is such a great reader. And those times reading together are so precious. I can still remember all the time sitting reading to my daughter. Those times were so precious.
ReplyDeleteThis is a great idea for a blogfest. I love the button. :)
ReplyDeleteI've always loved that term "Writing Mama." I know there's a bunch of blogs out there with that theme. And over the years, I've come across several of them.
ReplyDeleteIt's not easy being a writer/parent/career person...all at the same time. Awesome!
Natalie, I love sitting with my little guy and getting absorbed in a story. More so that he loves it too. :)
ReplyDeleteMelissa, Sharon did a great job!
Jay, not at all easy, but hopefully an inspiration to our children.
I'm a writer but not a writer mama...unless my cats count. ;P I know that so many expect writer mamas to write children's books. That's an annoying stereotype!
ReplyDeleteThat is awesome, Christine. You are an excellent mother.
ReplyDeleteWeird how they assume you write kids' books.
Looks like a fun hop! Enjoy. Have they seen the vampires you create? :-)
ReplyDeleteWeird how they assume you write kids books indeed.
ReplyDeleteSomeday, I know my kids are going to read the books I write. The idea makes me gulp, but it doesn't stop me from writing the stories I know I need to write.
ReplyDeleteI have the same thing as well. When I start teaching new classes and they find out I write, I let them guess my genre. Because I'm a teacher and a mother I get "children's books" or "non-fiction" a lot. When they hear horror and urban fantasy, well, I wish I had a camera in my classroom for their faces.
ReplyDeleteReading is so important for our mini-mes. With our son, we've read to him every night since we came home from the hospital. People are surprised that he is 7 and about to finish the last of the Harry Potters, but he really does love it.
Keep up the great work!
I've noticed how people think mom/writers with young children always assume the woman is writing children's books. Strange.
ReplyDeleteI used to write between innings at my kids' baseball games. Got a lot done that way.
That's really interesting how people would assume you write children's books! I actually wouldn't have expected it. Would we assume all adult writers don't have children??
ReplyDeleteChrys, cats totally count! :)
ReplyDeleteAlex, maybe I give off an innocent vibe.
Lee, not yet!
Pat, I don't know why. It's strange.
Shelli, me too.
Courtney, yeah, their reactions are priceless! I can't wait until my son is old enough to read the Harry Potter books.
Susan, great use of time!
Sarah, that's a good point.
Great blogpost! I can see we feel the same way about wanting our kids to follow their dreams like we did/are trying to do every day. :)
ReplyDeleteOh man- I wish my love for books would rub off on my 5 year old son! He loves being read to....but not wanting to read yet! Hopefully, he'll get a great teacher in kindergarten who speaks his interest!
ReplyDeleteToo funny people think you write for kids!
LOL, yeah, your stories definitely aren't aimed toward children. Sorry you have to deal with misconceptions like that! I'm not a parent, but people still make random assumptions about my writing/art, too. So annoying, for sure!
ReplyDeleteGood for you. Writing for children is hard. I wrote one story for my grand daughters. Just for them alone. They may be 30 something before they are allowed to read my usual writing :)
ReplyDeleteI love that you've nurtured a love for reading in your son. (and I giggled a little at people expecting you to write for children just because you have one).
ReplyDeleteaberthot, we certainly do! I'm pleased to have met you this bloghop.
ReplyDeleteKterrette, it's a good thing your little guy likes to be read to. Get the love for stories in his blood!
Kimber, so true! :)
Heather, I'm curious as to what people mistake about you.
Donna, most definitely. I applaud children's authors and their talent to make such magical stories for our children.
Lynda, thank you.
This is an awesome idea for a bloghop.
ReplyDeleteInteresting that everyone thinks you write for children - I have 4 and when I tell people I write, they usually think it's romance. Go figure.
if only authors who had no kids wrote adult books, there'd be very few adult books!
ReplyDeleteyay for your adult selections! we need stuff to read too =)
and thanks for all your visits in april!
I get that a lot too, although it's also because my series is about wizards. Some people who aren't big readers simply do not understand how a wizard book could be for adults, and I simply do not understand how they don't understand that! Thank you for participating!!
ReplyDeleteI, too, get the children's writer assumption. Maybe double since my day job is teaching middle school. I am working on a middle grades novel now, but none of the rest of my writing is appropriate for children. My response is usually, "No. I get enough kids in the mom and teacher parts of life."
ReplyDelete