You out can tell that winter’s setting in because it’s all about hibernating in our house: hiding away from the world, feeling the comfort of a small space to cosy up in. We made a sofa fort one particularly rainy day last week, but Arthur’s just as happy with simpler residences: cardboard boxes, suitcases, laundry bags… Especially laundry bags.
I can totally see where he’s coming from. And it’s not just the chill in the air, or the increasing amounts of rain, or the fact it seems to get dark soon after lunchtime. As I watch Arthur taking such pleasure in climbing or crawling into tiny spaces, I find myself longing for a cave. Preferably one far away from anywhere with no phone line, and most definitely no wifi. Somewhere I could block out the world, work on my novel uninterrupted, and get this redraft finished.
I’m still managing to snatch an hour a day – sometimes two. And it’s going pretty well. Very well, even. So much so that it’s an an almighty wrench to tear myself away when my time is up. I find myself clinging to the keyboard as Arthur tugs on my jumper after his nap, desperate to finish my train of though, or at least one more sentence, one more word…
It’s not really Arthur though, if I’m honest. He is so much fun at the moment, and it’s hard to begrudge time spent with him. But all the other demands on my time seem to be piling up, just as I want to hunker down and write!
Council meetings, securing the future of our local lido, researching education provision for the Neighbourhood Plan, deciphering the impact of the mayoral budget, Governor meetings, presenting certificates at prize giving, helping to raise funds for refugees. Then there’s all the normal household stuff. And December, with Christmas and Arthur’s birthday, rearing up over the horizon.
All that has to be dealt with too, but as I try to focus on it I have the niggling voices of my characters in my head, imploring me to decide their fate, to put them out of their misery, to free them from the conflicting prose that I am in the midst of untangling.
I’m not complaining, not really.
I know that I’m privileged to have so much going on – so much that is stretching me and challenging me and (hopefully) making a difference in my community.
But still sometimes, selfishly, I just want to shut it all out. To lose myself completely in the world of my novel. To write.
And it is then that I hanker after that cave – with no wifi.
Sophie is... 
I know exactly how you feel honey! I also crave that kind of solitude every once in a while… Sounds like you’re having a lot of fun with Arthur at the moment, but also that you have tons going on. If there is a chance to step back from something just do it, even for a few days as often it leads to more productivity. Hope you get some writing done soon xxx
Oh that den in the first pic looks so lovely and cosy! And I also long for a cave sometimes – I’m hardly finding any time to write at the moment now R has dropped his nap, and there are so many things I need to do that sometimes I do just want to hide somewhere. Hope you manage to find some more time and feel wrenched away less often (I know that feeling too!) Thanks for linking to #WhatImWriting
Aww Arthur is so cute! As a mummy whose clearly got a lot on, it’s okay to just say, this or that can wait until tomorrow. One thing that the writing game has taught me is that no amount of forcing it is pleasant – patience is a virtue. And another cliche – good things always have a habit of coming to those who wait. I have definately reassessed my objectives and timelines lately. I’m so ambitious and impatient – a toxic mix that usually implodes if allowed to runaway with itself. You’re doing great. Try not to put too much pressure on yourself at what sounds like a busy time by anyone’s standards. You’re only human after all. Thanks for sharing, could really relate x
I think I’ve been in a virtual cave for most of the last two weeks, but doing anything but writing 🙂 I know exactly what you mean though, and sometimes you really do need time completely alone to sort through everything in your head, and then focus on getting something specific done. Hard to find that time though x