Writer blocking are the various things in my life that distract me from dedicating time to actually writing or any other filmmaking activity. It has always been my contention, in the past, that I should not have to find a quiet location away from home to write. I mean, why should I when, I can comfortably write in the privacy of my home. In theory, this should work right? In practice, this would never work in my house. As soon as I walk into the house, my mere presence creates chaos. The 70 lb. dog barks, my 7 yr. old needs my immediate attention for something (like an imaginary splinter embedded in her finger that is invisible to the naked eye), everyone asks what's for dinner or the total attention getter question, can you drive me and my friend to the mall? It doesn't help when my family members indicate that everything is quiet until I came home.
Yet, I continue to strive to become a better writer and filmmaker. Recently, I attended a workshop sponsored by New York Chapter of Women in Film & Television. It was absolutely wonderful. I had the opportunity to network with others in the film industry. Most of the women in attendance looked as though they "had it going on". I bet I'm not the only woman splitting hairs by managing a household, full time job, writing, producing and/or directing.
The good news is that I've discovered a cure for what ails me. I've made a decision to do my personal best as a filmmaker. With that in mind, I will dedicate two days per week to writing or perfecting my craft. This will include workshops, meeting with the production company, or anything that will enhance my skills. I will no longer explain to my spouse, I'm going to write (or whatever the case may be) but I will be home in time to make dinner, feed the dog, etc., etc. I'm choosing to stop splitting hairs. In other words, I will organize my time to include being a successful filmmaker that is also a happy mom.
