I thought now is the time for me to pursue my writing ambition. It might be late - considering my age - to even harbour an ambition. But, as long as I am fit in mind and body, why not? Didn't George Eliot say "It's never too late to be what you might have been"? Back in 2014, I had decided that I would not take on any more translation assignments once 2015 set in so that I could focus on writing for myself. What that essentially means is that I would set about embarking on a vocation that revolves around writing, and see what and how far that would get me. Don't get me wrong; it wasn't a spur of the moment decision, nor was it a 'whim and fancy' thingy. I admit it wasn't a childhood ambition. It was something I was drawn to and considered upon leaving university. But I had allowed other demands to derail my pursuit of a writing life. Until now.
Virginia Woolfe said: "A woman must have money and a room of her own if she is to write fiction". Well, at this point in my life, I still don't have money, but with a husband, thankfully, I know where my next meal is coming from. What I do have is a 'room'. By the latter, I think Woolfe meant that a writer must have a place to write - be it a room or a corner in the house, or a cafe even (remember J.K Rowling?) - where she would be most comfortable writing. I have created my own work space in the house. I need quiet to read and write, but that really is not a problem since there's only my husband and I at home. Most times, for a greater part of the day, I am on my own. So, conducive to writing, right? But, don't forget - I still have the housekeeping chores and cooking which demand my time (and energy). I simply have to be smart about balancing my time. I don't need to clean house every day, and some days, I find an excuse not to cook!
With time on my hands now, it is only right that I should use it to awaken my dormant dream and not fritter it away. Having time alone won't cut it - as I've discovered. What you need more is self-discipline. When I was doing translations, I had deadlines to meet - which in a way kept me watching the time. When you find that time is at your disposal, it is so easy to get distracted. There's the TV, for instance. Although I'm not a TV addict, I do like watching documentaries on Discovery and Nat. Geo channels, so my excuse is to watch them when I need a break. The worst is of course the phone and the Internet. When I'm trying to write, I put my phone on silent mode although it is only an arm's length away. I also mute all notifications on my WhatsApp Groups except for my family chat group - in case of emergencies that need my immediate attention. I'm also easily tempted to surf the Net for info or research, so I try to manage this by allotting a certain day or time for it without it interfering with my writing time.
As a newbie in writing, I tend to read a lot about the craft which keeps me from actually writing. I'm beginning to realize that there's only so much that I can read, and the simple fact of the matter is to just sit down and WRITE. Which is what I'm doing (even if it's just a blog post!).
