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Jessica Ferguson

Author, Writing Coach, Speaker

F is for Fun, Family and Finances

April 6, 2016 By Jessica Ferguson 10 Comments

FWe just got back from church a little while ago. Now it’s 9:05 and I’m sitting down to blog. I look at my husband and say, “Okay, give me an F word.”

“Fun,” he said.

“No, it has to do with writing—oh, yeah, writing is fun,” I answer.

“Family,” Hubby says.

“Writing!” I repeat.

“Writing affects the family. Okay, Finances,” he says, before I can respond to family.

“Okay—quit with the F-words.”

I’m sitting on the sofa, typing like crazy because those are good words, and they all relate to writing. At least, in our household they do.

When I began my writing career, I had so much fun. I was learning—chasing poetry and filler markets, writing shorts as fast as I could, drinking coffee and hanging out with other new writers, talking the talk and dreaming the dream.

When I married, I didn’t want that to end. I’m sure most husbands (in the beginning) think, “This too shall pass” and sometimes it does. But if we truly have writing in our heart—it won’t. It’s ingrained in our soul; it’s a gift. And there’s nothing more satisfying except maybe being a parent.

The expense of writing sort of slips up on us, doesn’t it? After all, we purchased all those how-to books over a period of time. We have to have Internet, special programs for that new laptop. The dent in our finances really shows up once we discover conferences and contests. Those fees get pretty steep.

Suddenly, hubby wants to know what’s going on. Aren’t writers supposed to make money?  Kiddos want to know why we aren’t listening to them anymore and why we’re writing in a notebook at their soccer games/dance recitals/science fair. We can say writing is our job—even before we sell that first novel, but how can our family really understand?

Hubby and I went to conferences together before daughter was born. We read John D. MacDonald and Ed McBain, plotted stories Jim_devotogether, and talked ideas. From the number of rejections that hit our mailbox, he learned that publishing wasn’t easy. Eventually, Hubby sent out his own submission–a devotional that was accepted in Gary Chapman’s Love is a Verb. Well, maybe publishing was easy for him!

When daughter came along, we plopped a typewriter on her high high chairchair and let her write her own stories. It worked. As a junior in high school she won first place in a writer’s conference contest—YA category. When she was 26 she became my editor; we wrote for a local magazine.

I realize all families are different, but if you don’t have support from hubby and kids, it may be that they feel they’re competing for your attention. Try making them a part of your writing life.  Let them name the characters in your short stories, or suggest titles for your book. Have a plotting party with them. Create a fictional murder and ask them to make a list of clues that will solve the crime. You’ll be surprised at the fun you’ll have… and your hubby might better understand what conference fees are all about if he’s invited to that  conference with you.

My writing is fun because my family is part of it. They understand that writing is who I am because, well… I’m pretty fanatical about it, and about them. 

How about you? What do you think of getting your family involved in your writing life? Would it work for you? How? Why not?

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Filed Under: A to Z 2016 Tagged With: family, fun, writing expenses, writing life

Comments

  1. Michelle Wallace says

    April 7, 2016 at 1:23 am

    Your daughter became your editor? That’s so cool!
    A great way to bond.

    Reply
    • Jessica Ferguson says

      April 7, 2016 at 10:03 am

      Michelle, I’ve always been involved in writing groups so our daughter was involved too. She grew up stuffing folders, stapling hand-outs and later, helping at the registration table of a conference. She’s always been a huge reader across the board–the classics, popular fiction, everything. And that made her a great critique partner and good editor. When we got a job with The Times of SW Louisiana, we were both writers but she moved up to editor. She doesn’t write any more. She’s in marketing with a big health care company, but guess what! her husband writes, and so does her stepson. I love it! 🙂 Family is so much fun!

      Reply
      • Michelle Wallace says

        April 8, 2016 at 3:12 am

        Please swing by my blog to see what you’ve won!

        Reply
        • Jessica Ferguson says

          April 8, 2016 at 8:10 am

          Will do, Michelle. 🙂 Thanks!

          Reply
  2. Jessica Triana says

    April 7, 2016 at 2:12 am

    That’s a wonderful story. Writing is sometimes fun for me, but usually I find it is vast range of emotions as well. Whatever my characters feel I feel! But being a writer makes me happy and content in myself, there’s nothing else that gives me the feelings of joy like writing does, well except playing with my children! x

    Reply
    • Jessica Ferguson says

      April 7, 2016 at 10:10 am

      I don’t usually get that emotional with my characters–maybe once or twice. My novella, The Last Daughter, I got pretty emotionally involved with but only once have I cried when I wrote a scene.

      Reply
  3. Charles Gramlich says

    April 7, 2016 at 8:41 am

    Writing for me was fun but didn’t involve family much. My son has written a couple of stories but not much

    Reply
    • Jessica Ferguson says

      April 7, 2016 at 10:07 am

      Charles, I think you must have a lot of fun writing because of all your weird dreams. 🙂 I don’t dream much. 🙁 At least, not while I’m asleep.

      Reply
  4. Heather Duff says

    April 7, 2016 at 9:34 pm

    Way to tie this one together, Jess. I enjoyed reading it and seeing how writing has been woven into your life…and your family. Oh, that sweet photo. Too cute!

    Reply
    • Jessica Ferguson says

      April 7, 2016 at 11:06 pm

      Thanks Heather. 🙂 It all seemed so natural, but it’s a little shocking to look back and see just how important writing has always been in my life…and how involved the family was.

      Reply

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