Comments on: Kristin Billerbeck on Writing Rituals

By: Angela

Angela — Mon, 28 Jul 2008 06:43:02 +0000

A big thanks from me to you for participating, Kristin! I’ll have to have you over again since you’re such a great guest.

Now don’t be sad if I tell all my other guests the same thing!

By: Angela

Angela — Mon, 28 Jul 2008 06:39:44 +0000

I’m going to have to try the headphones since I’ve never met an electronic gadget that I could resist.

By: Kristin

Kristin — Sat, 26 Jul 2008 05:52:28 +0000

So I forgot to add I have a daughter too, and she talks constantly. So it’s not the same as the boys. I can get thru their giggles, fights and bathroom noises, but she’s just a constant stream of verbiage. I also write in my church’s coffee shop and the headphones tell people I’m working. Rude, perhaps, but it works.

By: Kristin

Kristin — Sat, 26 Jul 2008 05:50:58 +0000

Hi gals, first of all, you will never be a writer/mother and be without guilt. It’s impossible. Actually, I think take off writer, being a mother invites guilt. We’re doing everything wrong, they’ll grow up to harm puppies, etc. My boys have grown up with me writing, so they are very accustomed to mommy holding up “the hand” and they know to walk away. I come find them when my brain is back, and I really do try to shut down when I need to spend time with them. They know the deadlines are when I’m weird.

I got the headphones at Fry’s (do y’all have those everywhere?) It’s a Silicon Valley mainstay and you have to hit it once a month to wander. They’re JVC, but they hurt my head. My DH was too cheap to buy me the Bose that I wanted. They are lighter and better made, if I had to do it again… They turn on and have a white noise that blocks out excess noise, but you can hear people talk to you, it’s meant to get rid of background noise. : )

By: sarah w

sarah w — Sat, 26 Jul 2008 00:27:37 +0000

Kristen’s books are on my mental ‘to read’ shelf. My sister read one of her books and really enjoyed it (she’s picky about what she reads). Now she’s begging me to get some other books from Kristen. Interesting post.

By: Veronica Johnson

Veronica Johnson — Sat, 26 Jul 2008 00:05:33 +0000

I’d like to know more about those headphones too! I’ve got a 3-year-old in my lap right now, so it’s good that she doesn’t know how to read just yet, but she’s on the way.

I started out as a seat-of-the-pants writer, resisting the advice of my writer friends to do character charts and an outline, but all that did was keep me on the same book for years. I still do write scenes by inspiration, but I need the structure to keep me focused.

Thanks for sharing!

By: Angela

Angela — Fri, 25 Jul 2008 05:44:44 +0000

The Comment contest is not over yet. You still have until Friday afternoon to comment on one of the Writing Rituals posts.

By: PatriciaW

PatriciaW — Fri, 25 Jul 2008 03:20:21 +0000

Now that’s a laugh I needed!

Never fails that my 3 yo wants to climb into my lap when I’m writing and interrupt in some form or fashion. Today it was drawing happy faces–one per page–in my notebook, including on the page where I was writing.

I feel badly and have to force myself to take time out for them, since I’m not with them most of the day anyway.

So it’s good to know how many writers struggle, and in so many different ways.

By: Charlotte Hyatt

Charlotte Hyatt — Fri, 25 Jul 2008 00:57:50 +0000

Wow, I can not stick to a synopsis and I thought ‘no organization’ is what’s holding me back but you and Miss Marilyn have given me a lot of hope.

I’m going to get it together so I can get my book ‘out there’, instead of ‘in me.’ Only God knows how many books are ‘in me.’

By: Marilynn

Marilynn — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 16:56:16 +0000

Kristin,

You are hilarious as usual and all too true. Though you may think your process is inefficient, it works and gives us great books, so keep going to the bowling alley with the headphones! LOL I may have to join you. Starbucks is too small here. A bowling alley would sound just like home. LOL Thanks for the blog.

blessings,
marilynn