Interesting Writing Link Roundup: 8/10/16

The last few weeks have been busy ones in the writing world! Here are some recent stories and articles I found particularly interesting.

1. How to Get Yourself Blacklisted

If you've ever worried that you haven't been quite polite enough to agents, this cautionary tale will put things in perspective.

2. Monsters and Magic Can Help Kids Through Tough Times

Since I'm due to have my second child in the next few weeks, I've been thinking a lot about the scary things out there in the world and how to help them cope with the challenges they'll face in the future. This awesome article, written by authors Kate Milford and Fran Wilde for the Washington Post, really resonated with me.

3. The Merits of Reading Real Books to Your Children

Continuing the children theme, I love this NYT article about the benefits of reading real, paper books to your young children. (Part of the reason I feel good about this might be that it justifies the literal hundreds of board and picture books scattered around our house.)

4. Author Promoting Book Gives It Her All Whether It's Just 3 People Or A Crowd Of 9 People

And to end on a lighter note, this story from The Onion is good for a laugh (and maybe just a leeetle bit of reflection on whether there are better ways to promote than those bookstore author events—I'm not a fan, personally!).

Did you see any interesting articles or stories about writing recently?

Writing and Small Children: Making it Work

I had my first child a little more than a year and a half ago. I read a ton of pregnancy and baby books and thought I was pretty well prepared, but I didn't consider the enormous impact having a child would have on my writing.

I'm just gonna come out and say it. Writing with a small child around is hard. (I'd imagine it's even harder with multiple small children. We're expecting a second at the end of the summer, so I guess I'll find out!)

Hard doesn't mean impossible. Since my son was born, I've done major edits on one manuscript and finished two others that were languishing in first-draft land. It has taken some major determination, though, and a willingness to drop everything and write whenever the opportunity presents itself. Sleep schedules become vitally important (this post is being written during nap time, for example). I used to be picky about creating just the right atmosphere for a long writing session, but now I snag fifteen or twenty minutes wherever I can.

Since many writers are parents, there are some great resources for commiseration and help around the web. Here are some of my favorites:

• Striking the Write Life Balance: Melanie Jacobson has some good tips in this post, as well as reminders of why it's so important to take the time to write.
• Storysplosion: Making Time: This look at motherhood as a writer (with plenty of comic illustration) never fails to make me giggle.
• Parenting Tips for Writers: If you want straight-up practical advice, this is the post for you. Janet Fitch has some great tips here!

Are you a parent? How do you carve out your writing time?