Half-term hiatus
Hi, not much time for writing this week so I've been doing other things instead. I'm attending the small presses fair at Huddersfield library on 18th March so I'm hoping to be able to give out some copies of my manuscript. I know small presses don't have the wherewithall to offer anything so luxurious as an advance, but it's an opportunity I can't afford to miss. I've ordered printable CD labels and paper sleeves and I'll take half a dozen discs with me on the day.
I've also been in the process of applying for a job. I used to be a library assistant before I went to university and, for a while, I've been thinking I'd rather go back to that part-time than my other career. My other career, although well-paid, had become increasingly depressing - so depressing in fact that I didn't request maternity leave, I just handed in my notice. I didn't feel that I could enjoy my time at home with the thought of that place hanging over me: my awful, thankless job still there, waiting for me. I know I could have taken maternity leave and then not gone back at the end of it, and I'm sure I'd have been better off financially but I just couldn't bear it. Anyway, the interview was two days ago, I've had a call saying I made their short-list and they're just waiting for the last few references to come in before they make their final decision. It's only 15 hours a week, and they're funny hours so childcare is going to be difficult, but at the moment I'm writing for an hour a day (when T takes her nap) 4-5 days a week, and I'm not getting anywhere fast. I can't produce anything worthwhile in the evenings - I've tried, and I can't continue a train of thought for long enough in the daytime to really get to grips with the plot. If I work 15 hours, then I can afford to pay for childcare for the 21 hours (across 2 children) that it'll take me to work and travel back and forth, and an extra 3 hours on a Tuesday morning just for writing. It doesn't sound like a lot but I ought to get 2 or 3 more 'nap hours' each week on top of that and I'm hoping that this block of time will make all the difference. And, oh the excitement, I'll actually have about £20 a week left over! There, I've counted my chickens now so I expect I won't get it.
A
I've also been in the process of applying for a job. I used to be a library assistant before I went to university and, for a while, I've been thinking I'd rather go back to that part-time than my other career. My other career, although well-paid, had become increasingly depressing - so depressing in fact that I didn't request maternity leave, I just handed in my notice. I didn't feel that I could enjoy my time at home with the thought of that place hanging over me: my awful, thankless job still there, waiting for me. I know I could have taken maternity leave and then not gone back at the end of it, and I'm sure I'd have been better off financially but I just couldn't bear it. Anyway, the interview was two days ago, I've had a call saying I made their short-list and they're just waiting for the last few references to come in before they make their final decision. It's only 15 hours a week, and they're funny hours so childcare is going to be difficult, but at the moment I'm writing for an hour a day (when T takes her nap) 4-5 days a week, and I'm not getting anywhere fast. I can't produce anything worthwhile in the evenings - I've tried, and I can't continue a train of thought for long enough in the daytime to really get to grips with the plot. If I work 15 hours, then I can afford to pay for childcare for the 21 hours (across 2 children) that it'll take me to work and travel back and forth, and an extra 3 hours on a Tuesday morning just for writing. It doesn't sound like a lot but I ought to get 2 or 3 more 'nap hours' each week on top of that and I'm hoping that this block of time will make all the difference. And, oh the excitement, I'll actually have about £20 a week left over! There, I've counted my chickens now so I expect I won't get it.
A
posted by WorkingOnABook at 2:20 pm
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