Today I have fellow Wild Rose Press author Cara Marsi as my guest. Manging a job, home, children and a writing career can be a a juggling act. Cara gives us a little insight into the truth behind the author life and how you too can make time for it all.

Ah, the life of an author. Writing from the terrace of your house overlooking the Caribbean, like Robert Ludlum, the late author of mega-selling spy novels. Or a socialite, making millions, like Danielle Steele. Her daughters are social butterflies who wear couture and attend celebrity-packed parties. This is the glamorous life of writers, right?

            Wrong. Most writers, including me, can’t afford to quit their day jobs. So what is life really like for the majority of us, and how do we fit

writing into lives with full time jobs?

            I like to describe myself as a cubicle dweller and corporate drone with a romantic soul. Writing is my escape from the life-sucking corporate world. I’ve wanted to be a published author since I first learned to read. Years ago, I won’t say how many, I decided to pursue my dream. But the darn day job interfered. I had to find a way to do both.

            Sometimes I feel I’m the only one among my writer friends who holds down a full time job. Then I hear about successful, multi-published

authors who manage to work full time, take care of small children and write several books a year. I’m in awe of them. They come home from a full day’s work, cook dinner, put the children to bed, then write three to four hours, stopping at midnight or one o’clock. With just a few hours sleep, they start all over again.

            After beating myself up because I don’t have the stamina to write till midnight every day, I realized the important thing is to have balance in my life and do what works for me. I love writing and wish I could spend all day, every day, writing, but that’s not possible. After much trial and error, I’ve settled into a routine that works.  

            Because I have so little time in my day to write, I’ve learned to make the most of every minute and get in as much writing as I can in short segments. I write every lunch hour at my desk. I’ve had to give up lunches with my friends, but if I want to get my stories out, I have to make some sacrifices. When I’m at my desk writing, I block out everything around me. If the fire alarm were to go off in the building, I doubt I’d hear it. One lunch hour a co-worker had a stress-related meltdown and caused a ruckus. I heard nothing. I once wrote a whole chapter in longhand while sitting in the stands waiting for my son to compete in a track meet.

Having to write in small segments of time forces you to economize. It’s amazing what you can do when you put your mind to it. I’ve heard others say they don’t write much because they can’t free up large blocks of time. If you want to write books, you’ll find a way. I’ve trained myself to write in fifteen minute and half hour segments. You can too. I get so wrapped up in my characters and plot that I’m transported to other times and places. That’s a good thing, except if the house is burning around you and you don’t notice.

            Here’s my basic writing routine: Write Sunday afternoons before dinner. Try to squeeze in writing Monday evenings, but I’m really tired on Mondays. Quick meals on Tuesdays so I can write a few hours. My wonderful critique group meets every Wednesday evening. Thursday, Friday and Saturday are usually devoted to housework and shopping. I take vacation days from work to write, and I write whenever I find time, even fifteen minutes. As all writers know, the housework gets left in the dust, to my husband’s dismay. I do only what is necessary so the house doesn’t fall down around us. I’ve given up some TV, but not my very favorite shows. I’ve also gotten far behind in reading my monthly magazines. My to-be-read pile of books is multiplying faster than the dust bunnies under the beds. And my husband actually expects me to talk to him once in a while.

            Despite all the stress of trying to maintain balance while pursuing my dream, I can’t stop writing. There are so many stories I want to tell, so many characters I want to bring to life. Someday I’ll quit my job, but I won’t quit writing.

             The joy I get from writing offsets the sacrifices I have to make. If you really want to write, if you crave sharing your stories with readers, you can do it, even with the day job. I’ve found what works for me. You can find your own way to carve writing time into your life. Just don’t expect a couture wardrobe or that house in the Caribbean.

            My first book, A CATERED AFFAIR, is a traditional romance from Avalon Books. My second book, LOGAN’S REDEMPTION, is a romantic suspense from The Wild Rose Press. LOGAN’S REDEMPTION is available in e-book at The Wild Rose Press and in Kindle from Amazon and in print from online booksellers. I have a short romance story, CHEF’S CHOICE, about two chefs reuniting, that will be published in a print magazine next year. I’m currently finishing a very dark paranormal. Now that I’ve gone to the dark side, I may never go back.

            Please visit me at www.caramarsi.com. You can read excerpts from A CATERED AFFAIR and LOGAN’S REDEMPTION and read my reviews. Look for CHEF’S CHOICE in New Love Stories Magazine, on newsstands March 2009. I hope to have good news soon on my dark paranormal, CURSED MATES.

            I want to thank Cindy for inviting me to participate in her blog today. 

Thanks for being here today Cara.