Hello everyone. We're back today for the second part of our interview with the fabulous author, Laura Frantz. Today we'll be focusing on the business side of working from home. Be sure to check out yesterday's post, for more of the interview.
Laura, what jobs have you attempted while working at home? What are the pros and cons of these jobs? Would you do them again?
Publishing is my first work-at-home experience. I’ve always been in the work force outside the home before that.
How do you balance the demands of work and family?
It’s a daily dance. Praying and making a game plan helps. I plan menus in advance, only go to town to shop once a week, limit my social outings, rarely talk on the phone or watch TV, etc.
(Naomi adds:) I rarely watch TV as well. I wonder if that's common for authors. I find that even when I do watch a movie, it's not as rich or fulfilling an experience as reading. I normally end up ducking out of the movie halfway through to go read. :-)
Are there times you wish you worked outside of the home? How do you deal with those feelings?
Since I worked outside the home for 20 years or so before marrying in my 30’s and having children, I never wanted to return to the outside work world. Home is truly an oasis for me.
How do you arrange the physical space in your house so you have a place to work?
I have always had a little office sans laundry room with a big desk. But this year my oldest son moved to the garage apartment and gave up his room of 13 years. I was so delighted to turn that space into a little library/office with bookshelves and woodstove, etc. Our house is small so this was an unexpected treat.
(Naomi adds:) LOL! An office sans laundry room? I'm always delighted to hear of the places authors find to write. Lots of times I write at the kitchen table. There's not even room in our house for a desk right now. And our printer's at the church my husband pastors, so I have to drive 8 miles to print something off. But none of that prevents a writer from writing, does it? It sounds as though you really enjoy your new office space, and I bet your son loves being in the garage!
Do you have a schedule and always work at the same time every day, or is your work time random and haphazard? Why?
Last year the demands of writing became so great that I felt the Lord urging me/us to put the boys in public school. This was so difficult for me, but let me tell you, having them away from 8-3 makes a HUGE difference. It helps that they love school and were ready to go. I try to get as much done as possible when they’re at school and shut the computer off when they get home.
(Naomi adds:) I'm sure putting your boys in school was a difficult decision, but I'm glad the Lord gave you peace about it. It sounds as though you have a good balance.
What's your favorite aspect of working from home?
I often say to my family how thankful I am that I can get up and not even comb my hair or put on lipstick to go to work.
Any other words of wisdom you would like to share that you haven’t mentioned in the questions above?
When I’m facing deadlines and feeling especially overwhelmed with family busyness, I always pray that the Lord will give me uninterrupted writing time. He is so faithful!
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Thanks so much for taking time to be with us yesterday and today, Laura. If you missed yesterday's post, here's a little information about her current book. Laura is giving away a signed copy of The Colonel's Lady, so don't forget to leave a comment and your email address below. And if you have the time, Laura would love for you to stop by her blog at laurafrantz.blogspot.com.
Thanks so much for everyone's time, and without further ado, here's the fabulous Colonel's Lady once more:
Can love survive the secrets kept buried within a tormented heart?
Roxanna Rowan may be a genteel Virginia woman, but she is determined to brave the wilds of the untamed frontier to reach a remote Kentucky fort. Eager to reunite with her father, who serves under Colonel Cassius McLinn, Roxanna is devastated to find that her father has been killed on a campaign. Penniless and out of options, Roxanna is forced to remain at the fort. As she spends more and more time with the fiery Colonel McLinn, the fort is abuzz with intrigue and innuendo.
Can Roxanna truly know who the colonel is--and what he's done? Immerse yourself in this powerful story of love, faith, and forgiveness set in the tumultuous world of the frontier in 1779.
Hey Laura, thanks for being back with us again today! I really love your office sans laundry room. :-)
ReplyDeleteGreat two-part interview, Naomi. And, Laura, a visit to your blog tells me your writing career hasn't interfered at all with raising those two handsome boys. Thanks for letting us see how you've managed and organized your writing life. I hope to read one of your books soon.
ReplyDeleteWonderful interview, Laura. I'm always interested in how writers manage their time in order to keep priorities in the proper order.
ReplyDeleteI'm reading The Colonel's Lady now and love how you transport the reader to the time and place. Very vivid! I highly recommend it.
Naomi and Laura, how do you handle the inevitable comment from people who say, "I'd love to write, but I just don't have time!"
ReplyDeleteSo good to see you all this morning - that sure blesses me:) Naomi, you have such a unique blog ministry here!
ReplyDeleteSally, Thanks so much for stopping by my blog - you no doubt saw those beach and garden pics:) It was a wonderful summer and I'm so thankful (and a bit sad it's over). I really appreciate your thoughtful comments!
Christine, So glad you're enjoying Roxie's story:) It was a joy to write. Love the "vivid" word - bless you for that and happy reading!
ReplyDeleteSherri, I really do believe people make time for the things they love best. Writing a book is not easy when you think of all the hours spent in a chair glued to the screen (or in my case, a legal pad as I write my books in longhand first). In order to do it you have to really, really want to write. My mom looks at me and shakes her head and finds it all impossibly tedious and boring (she's all action and a voracious reader). My husband says the same. I think if you're gifted to write (and I feel real writers are hardwired to write), then you'll make time even if it's midnight and you can only do it for 30 minutes.
ReplyDeleteReal writers have to write, no matter what. For years I carried around a notebook in my purse so I could scribble stories in spare moments and also worked on stories at every job I ever had. NOT writing is a punishment to me so there's always time for it. Hope this helps. It's early yet and I may have told you way more than you wanted:) But thanks for your very thoughtful question.
Thanks for stopping by, Christine!
ReplyDeleteSally, I often find Laura's blog inspiring. One of my favorite posts was when she told younger women they needed to look for a man like George Whitfield to marry. :)
Laura, I'm so glad you're enjoying our blog. We hope it will grow into a really neat ministry for other mothers.
Sherri, that's a loaded question! My thoughts about writers making time to write are similar to Laura's. So what would I tell people? Well, I suppose the comment about not having time to write could be snarky or genuine, so to a degree, my response would depend on the attitude of the person asking.
ReplyDeleteIf the person was genuine, I would encourage him or her to set aside a little time every day and just start writing. I would maybe give a little advice about what helps you find time to write.
If the person was being rude, I would smile and say something about how writing is a sacrifice both for you and the whole family, and you're very honored to find the time to write.
Thanks for the question.
Excellent insight both of you! I'm president of my local RWA chapter and I'm always struggling to motivate people to write. I wish I could explain that no outside force, or spreadsheet, or goal yahoo loop can take the place of pure determination!
ReplyDeleteI usually tell people that it's not a matter of 'finding' time, you have to 'make' time.
Sherri, I didn't know you were president of your RWA chapter! How fun. :-)
ReplyDeleteI completely agree with you about "making time" to write. If it's important enough to you, you'll find the time. I get up at 5:30 in the morning and write for an hour and a half at the beginning of each day. That really helps, as sometimes my mid-morning writing time gets interrupted. I also have a post about finding time to work from home with several suggestions. However, I'm not computer savvy enough to know how to link to it from the comment section. Sorry!