Do You Stay at Home to Write?

[BarryDavidson]

A further discussion from another thread.

[quote="Celeste Stewart"]When I was on maternity leave with my son a couple years ago, CC really kicked in for me. It actually COST me money to go back to work. I kept extending my leave. When I finally went back, those three hours a day for the company cut into my time where I could have been making three times as much writing articles. It was a no-brainer to quit even though I loved the job.[/quote]


I only went back to work, as I said, to get out of the house. After being a househusband for six years, I was desperate for outside contact.

One of my children is home schooled, and let me tell you - the standards for home schooling your child are mountains above what they're required to teach in public schools. Basically, I had two children all day every day until my youngest started school last year. I don't go to bars, or go many places except the grocery store, so my social circle was limited.

Now though, I'm considering quitting my job to write full time. There's nothing like waking up to see over a hundred dollars worth of articles sold since you checked the night before. Well, I could think of a few, but most are out of my price range. I'm averaging over 40 an hour with this, and most of the articles haven't been that long. I can pop out 300 words in my sleep if I know the subject.

[BarryDavidson]

I think four articles this morning is adequate for the next few hours... heh

[Celeste Stewart]

I have worked from home since 2000, when I had my first daughter. I was going to be a stay-at-home-mom but my boss wouldn't hear of it. He said, "What if you worked from home 3 hours per day? Tell me how much you want to be paid and what you need and I'll make it happen." I gave myself a healthy raise and it was great. I would've gone insane without professional interaction and I was able to be with my daughter. Having two kids now makes it tough and there are days when I pine for an office where I can go for four or five hours and just jam before returning home and switching gears. Working from home is great but it's hard to know when "quitting time" is really "quitting time."

[BarryDavidson]

Quitting time... What's that?

I have a journal in almost every room in the house. Inspiration hits at odd times, and I always need paper close by to jot them down. As a parent you probably know - if you don't write it down immediately, it'll be gone in less than a minute. My oldest was easy. He just sat at his computer or game console most of the time, and was very quiet. My two girls however, fight from the time they wake up till the time they go to bed.

The reason I have nine working computers in the house is so that they have something to do no matter where they are. One is a backup system, three are laptops, and the rest are just PC's stationed in strategic locations.

[Celeste Stewart]

Working from home with the first was smooth sailing. With two, it's much more difficult. Someone always needs something. It's like a non-stop feeding frenzy around here too - then cleanup, then troubleshooting the bickering etc. Plus having a two-year-old in general has its challenges.

[BarryDavidson]

I miss my little babies to tell the truth. My youngest loved to sit in her swing beside my computer while I did whatever.

Now, with both my girls it's constant arguing, mess making, and daddy daddy daddy! I cook dinner and at least one hates it, usually both. I do a load of dishes, and there's not a single glass to drink from when I go to get one. Don't get me started on three women and laundry.

WHY!!! Can't they make women's clothes like men's? Noooooo... These are hand wash only, those dry clean only, these lay flat to dry, and those tumble dried on no heat. It's like trying to navigate a government bureaucracy.

[suzalicie]

Barry, you sound like a godsend!!! Three women and you stay home and take care of them all! Your wife is a lucky lucky woman! As the kids get older it gets a little easier, my two boys are also home schooled, ( 11 and 15) and once I go over the lessons and get them started on the actual work, I can work on articles and research at the same time. Then after that they tend to go off on their own somewhere and leave me to it. I also run a property management business from home so at times it can get a little busy, but the man in my life is wonderful as well and will gladly take calls and answer emails for me after he gets off work so that I can write more. In the lovely economy today I make more writing than I do renting houses, that is a sad fact.

[BarryDavidson]

Suzalicie,

I wish I could say that I was all that. I've become a poorer housekeeper in recent years.

It's ironic though. Our oldest, now 20 and in his 3rd year at college, was easy. I used to complain about his video game and computer habits because he hardly ever turned in his homework, even though he did it. He was a bit of a slob at times, but only in his own room (and it was never as bad as my two girls' rooms). He doesn't drink, smoke, do drugs, and I never once had to pick him up at the police station (like my father had to do for me many times).

My youngest, she specifically searches out clean places to make messes in. I thought just leaving the dishes, laundry, and other housework alone for a couple of weeks would make the children realize that dirty is bad. (You're probably laughing at me right now, as well you should. I might as well have asked the American government to fix its own problems without creating bigger ones, and without charging my family extra taxes in the process.)

[bwhite]

I stay home as I have a hard time working. I have mood swings that affect co-workers (no, I'm not bi-polar) and I have a hard time dealing with the increasing lack of work ethic that is emerging today. I have a lot of problems with staying home and writing as I have an issue with always being tired; my doctor is looking into this problem but it is taking soooo long.
When I write my best seems to be first thing after I get up when the boyfriend is sleeping or at work. I can get my thoughts down without being distracted by other demands other than the dogs. LOL My kids are older now (ages 19, 17 and 12) and really pose no problems once I tell them that I have to get something written.
I'm still waiting for the time to come when I'm selling enough to not have to work. I look forward to having that luxury again. :)

[JoHunley]

I work from home at the moment. For one, I'm one of the masses of unemployed. For two, I'm expecting and I've never noticed employers thinking much of, "Can't come in for more than a few hours today as I'm spewing like Old Faithful and can fall asleep standing up." Of course, actually going in to work and doing the aforementioned isn't thought too well of either. Yay, conundrum. So, Constant Content for me. Trying to build up my portfolio of articles so's to improve the odds of a steady revenue stream.

[Lizaj]

When I first started with C-C way back when, I was home taking care of an elderly woman plus three kids.

My life has changed substantially. Now I am home, running an emarketing business with my husband. A new business sucks up your money without giving a lot back at first. We need more income, but with the hours I put in with our business I just can't get excited about putting in hours somewhere else for less than I can make if I get serious about C-C.

C-C and I have had an on-again, off-again relationship over the years, depending on what was going on in my life. Now it is on-again and it's time for me to get serious!

This may be helpful to others: I've been trying to get back in the writing swing for a while but just couldn't seem to make it happen. This weekend, due to it being extremely cold where I normally work, I moved my laptop to another area of the house. Suddenly, I am much more comfortable sitting at the keyboard and am able to concentrate better to get to that place where the words begin to flow more smoothly. If you happen to be feeling blocked, maybe you can just move. It sure helped me.

I am so happy to be back (again) and the improvements to the site are so exciting! I've been raving about them to my husband today.

[Celeste Stewart]

Welcome back Liza!

[Lizaj]

Thanks Celeste!

[MarikaRamos]

I actually came back to this site because I couldn't find a "real job" (I hate that phrase, lol) that would allow my husband and I to switch shifts. We have an autistic four year old, so there ALWAYS has to be a parent at home with him. I'd much rather write than shuffle prescriptions all day anyway, lol!
-Marika

[HayleyWriter]

Marika,

Writing is a REAL job! I work just as hard on my writing as I do in my other job. Writing just has the benefits of being fun too, and easy to do when you want and where you want. A four year old autistic child would be a real challenge - but then every child offers unique challenges to parents. Welcome back to CC! I hope it works out for you!

Hayley