Christa R. McCauley

Wake up, get kids dressed and to school, work full time job, pick kids up from school, make dinner and help with homework, work on finishing up college program to graduate, put kids to bed, try to maintain social media platforms, and find any spare moment to work on second novel before crashing into bed, then repeat!

This sounds like pure chaos, and really it is. Very structured chaos. But this is the reality for a single mom trying to raise her kids and chase her dream of being a fulltime author, all while still trying to manage the bills, give the kids a great childhood, and not drown under all the pressure that comes with single parenthood. I wish I could say I had a routine for my writing, a time every day that I had set aside to work on my books like so many accomplished authors whose interviews I have read, but really, it is a lot of little moments throughout the day where I can spare a minute to jot down a few sentences. And let’s face it, being an author isn’t just about writing, which is a beast all its own. You also must be a proofreader/editor, marketing team, content creator/social media guru, therapist to yourself (because writing is an emotional journey, let me tell you), and project director, all while trying to make sure you have the time to write the book you are talking about to everyone else. Throw fulltime working mom and fulltime college student into that mix and you have what sounds like a train speeding off the rails. Did I mention I almost have a teenager on my hands? Pray for me.

So, you are probably wondering, why in the heck would you put yourself through all that then? Truth be told, it is a lot to deal with, but storytelling is so deeply ingrained in me that without carving out the time to do it I would be ignoring a large part of myself. Like any artist, I am willing to sacrifice for my craft because other than raising my children, it is where I find my purpose. It is my essence and even if I were to never sell another book ever again, it would always be something I put my time into. It is not an easy passion, but how fortunate I consider myself to have always known what called to my heart. So many people struggle trying to figure out what they are passionate about, what drives them, but from the time I could make up a story I had something that belonged to me, that made me excited to get out of bed in the morning.

So, for anyone out there wondering if they have the time to work towards their dream, if they can handle the added chaos, take it from this hot mess of a mama. If I can do it, so can you!