Trick #1: Write Longhand:
Even the most lightweight laptop is a tricky thing to take to the playground or gym. However, a notebook and pen fit easily into the most crowded diaper bag. (Always put an extra working pen in your purse, in case one does not work.)
“Write longhand while you’re sitting on a bench at the playground.”
Write longhand while you’re standing and rocking a stroller with your foot. Write longhand while waiting for your pasta to boil and while waiting outside of your first ballet class, for your 5 year old daughter. When entering your text onto the laptop later, will give you the chance to revaluate your work with a fresh eye, and fix the errors or edit what’s necessary. You’re that much closer now to a polished manuscript!
Trick #2: Get Your Kids Involved:
Experts say that reading to your children is the best thing any parent can do to bond, raise IQ and otherwise earn mommy or brownie points. Sure, toddlers and older children would probably rather hear “Winnie the Pooh” than “Mommy’s New Novel.” But, can an infant really tell the difference?
Nothing gives writers a better idea of whether a scene, especially one featuring lots of dialogue, is working, than reading it out loud. It can be an ego-crushing experience as you realize that the brilliance you heard in your head doesn’t quite match the nonsense you seemed to be articulating… but that which does not kill you, gets you ready for more editorial rejection later on. And that’s a good thing.
So grab that baby and that manuscript and read it out loud until the prose finally shines. Or your infant is old enough to start requesting a different title.