The Writing and Marketing Show

Writing in the Midst of Chaos

May 12, 2021 Wendy H. Jones/Maressa Mortimer Episode 69
The Writing and Marketing Show
Writing in the Midst of Chaos
Show Notes Transcript

Life seems to be increasingly frenzied and crazy and sometimes we. as writers, can wonder how we ever find time to write. Today I'm chatting to author  and mother of four, Maressa Mortimer,  about writing in the midst of chaos.

Unknown:

Hi, and

Wendy Jones:

welcome to the writing and Marketing Show brought to you by author Wendy H. Jones. This show does exactly what it says on the tin. It's jam packed with interviews, advice, hints, tips and news to help you with the business of writing. It's all wrapped up in one lively podcast. So it's time to get on with the show. And welcome to Episode 69 of the writing and market show with author entrepreneur, Wendy h. Jones. Now, this introduction is going to be quite short today because I've had a consultant speak to me this morning from the ear, nose and throat department. And I've been told that during the podcast, without video is causing problems with my voice to be strained. So I have to try and limit it but at least three months. So I can still do the podcast but the intros are going to get a little shorter. We're getting out and about here, which is always a good thing. And I'm still enjoying doing the podcast despite everything. So my before we go on to today's guest we're going to be talking about writing in the midst of chaos with maresa Mortimer I would like to say it's an absolute pleasure to bring you this. I've got issues with my throat and my voice. But I I do it willingly. Because I enjoy doing it. However it does take time out of my writing day. If you would like to support that time, you can do so by going to patreon.com forward slash Wendy h Jones and you can sponsor me for just $3 a month which is the price of a tea or a coffee a month. It's not a lot but it I would be eternally grateful because it means you're enjoying the show and I can carry on doing it. So what of maresa Well, Marissa grew up in the Netherlands, but then she moved to England and soon after finishing her teaching teacher training here. She married pastor Richard March Mortimer. They live in a Cotswold village with four children. She's also a homeschool mom and enjoys time spent with her family travelling, reading and turning life into stories. So with four children and home schooling, she's the ideal person to talk about writing in the midst of chaos. So without further ado, let's get on with the show and hear from maresa. And we have morasso with us welcome our assets and absolute pleasure to have you on the show.

Maressa Mortimer:

Hello, I'm really pleased to be here. I love your podcast to be part of it's just amazing.

Wendy Jones:

I'm glad you like it. Now you I know you're in England, but with an accent like that you're definitely not English.

Maressa Mortimer:

It's the Dutch trying to sort of quietly infiltrate England this time. So yeah, I'm in the Cotswolds. But yeah, hiding out lots of other Dutch people.

Wendy Jones:

Well, listen, we like the Dutch in Scotland and in Britain, obviously, because you're in England. But, but Welcome to Scotland for the podcast.

Maressa Mortimer:

Thank you.

Wendy Jones:

You're welcome. Right. Are you sitting comfortably in? Are you ready? interrogated?

Maressa Mortimer:

Absolutely. Have a nice, quiet, peaceful house. So already?

Wendy Jones:

All right. Okay, we'll find out why it's important to have a peaceful house in a minute, because we're going to be talking about writing in the midst of chaos today. So I need to start by asking why this is such an important topic for you. maresa are indeed one on which you're an expert.

Maressa Mortimer:

Probably Well, I've got four children. I cheated a bit because I adopted them. So I missed the sleepless nights and lots of other awkward starts something so. But it does make for a very busy, full of life day. And I started writing a couple of years ago, just as it was a fun, it was a fake blog really based on the Sims, which I did with some other online friends. And I think, you know, to sit down in the evening when it's quiet and all the kids are in bed. It's such a release to you know, make up stories, write things to process IDs. Often this is this is great fun. I'm going to do this a bit more. So yeah, but there was a lot of chaos in the day. So you have to work around that.

Wendy Jones:

Yeah, I have to say your four kids are great. And I always say to people. I've only got four fans and they all live in your house.

Maressa Mortimer:

My kids love it. I mean, my new Bertie arrived the other day. And as soon as the kids saw the envelope opened, they all pounced on it, and they sat there laughing and looking at all the pictures. They just love it.

Wendy Jones:

Oh, well that's good, because reading will give you a bit of time as well to, you know they're reading you could get time to do a bit of writing. So that's it. Exactly, exactly.

Maressa Mortimer:

That's how you, that's how you get your mind wins.

Wendy Jones:

So with four kids and being a homeschooling mom, as I said, in your introduction, what is a typical day look like for you?

Maressa Mortimer:

Well, you don't really have typical days. Everyday is chaos really, in a way, if you guess, four or five days, four days out of the workings of like school week, they one of them will have a class, or all of them or some of them. So I spent a lot of my time ferrying around, various amount of Little People are hanging around waiting for classes to finish or rushing back doing other things. So that needs to be incorporated. And obviously, there are lessons that need to be done, which they they did fairly independently. But obviously, there's still a lot of work that needs to be done with them. So most days, we don't get up that early because they do stuff before breakfast, and I get to do stuff before breakfast, so it's fine with me. And then usually after breakfast, the sort of Mayhem start over in a serious way. And then lunch can be normal lunch, or it can be a very rushed one because someone has to go to a lesson or it's money because I realised that I need to get pack lunch ready for four people. And we need to get out of the house like now. And of course, that's when shoes go missing socks go missing that sort of thing. So that's mayhem, and then we come back on from 430 onwards, they can watch Telly, which is my lifesaver, because it means I get to cook in peace, rather than have hungry kids hanging around the kitchen. And they are fortunately all in bed by 7.30. More or less at the latest. So it comes with being you know, I mean, they have a lot of early years trauma, so they're exhausted by the time it's 730. So all of them, including my 13 year old are in bed and in the dark and horizontal and quiet by 730. Gosh,

Wendy Jones:

that's pretty impressive, really. Most mothers would die for that, you know, to be able to have their kids in bed by seven and asleep by 730.

Maressa Mortimer:

It's been a massive, massive lifesaver.

Wendy Jones:

Yeah, I'm sure. So I'm curious, how do you fit in writing around all of that?

Maressa Mortimer:

Um, well, I tend to write in the evening. Because if I work on a book, I like to write in chapters. So I really want to sit down, write down the chapter number and then write the story and run out for inspiration by the end of the chapter. And obviously, if I do it in the daytime, it's harder because you have to fit it around little snippets sort of thing. So I do that in the evening. And because they're in bed so early, it works. And I now do a little bit in a day, like little reviews or something. Which helps.

Wendy Jones:

Yeah. And what are we one of the things I wanted to ask you about that as well as where you are right? Now? Yeah. Very often, if I'm sitting, you know, waiting for something, or I'm sitting in a not that you do much sitting around and doctor, because you know, like through the door, but let's pretend that life is normal. And you're sat around a doctor's surgery or you're sat in the car waiting for a kid to come out from a lesson. Do you write on your phone, do you use the Notes app and note things down and then copy and paste.

Maressa Mortimer:

I actually lug my laptop around if I know I'm going to be stuck in the car. So like one of my daughters goes to a class got circus skills, which is pretty hilarious. She does all sorts of juggling and tight rope and whatnot. But it's more than an hour lesson. So I just sit in the car with a snack and a drink. And my laptop and I have an hour to write whatever I want. One of my daughters has another class in town and I tend to sit in my car. And I might use it for reading, review books or are plotting things or writing things but I tend to use my laptop, I bring my laptop along. And I just make myself really really comfortable in my car. I'm hoping for cafes and things to open soon so I can actually sit in the warms and have a hot coffee and place to write

Wendy Jones:

to make you jealous. Now our coffee shops have been open for a while. I've actually been in a real coffee shop even though I have to drink decaf, but that's another story. But yeah, you're right. You can use time like that and sitting in a coffee shop and having a coffee at times like that can help your writing to move forward. I mean, you amaze me because you managed to write so many books. Sure. I mean you must be an extremely fast typist is all I can say

Maressa Mortimer:

Yeah, I don't know. I mean, like I said, I tend to do like an evening chapter. And if it's, if they're long chapters, they could be like 3000 words. So, you know, wants to get their own bed and I get myself, you know, sorted out, and I write the chapter, I get rid of all the little red lines in there and print off. Because I like to have on paper, so I can see what I've done. So yeah, I do a chapter in evening, if I if I have to. And I think that's just sort of helps. I do quite, you know, write quite fast, I think it helps. Because, you know, during the day, you can think about what you're going to do in the evening. And, you know, I mean, even with the kids, you get ideas or looking around. So by the time I sit down for a chapter, I have a sort of vague idea of what could possibly happen to my poor character. And I don't know, I've always been like that, even in school, you know, you sort of write down the title of your thing, and you just write, you know, I don't sit there staring at the blank page thinking, what should I write now? Yeah, there's no, I don't know, I don't do sort of writer's block that way. You know, you sit down, and I take the chapter number and, and we're off. And by the time I run out of steam, I'm like, oh, I've got 3000 words, well, that will be that will do that.

Wendy Jones:

I think it's great, because you're certainly managing to pack a lot into your day, I'm just wondering when you see your husband, because he doesn't seem to feature much in any of this.

Maressa Mortimer:

It's quite funny, because because he's a pastor, he, he works from home, mostly. And so he's helped it, if I needed to take one of the kids out, he's home with the other ones, probably spending their life squabbling, but I don't mind because I'm not there to hear all the fights and the freaks are holding the coffee cup, and

Wendy Jones:

I'm loving it. So what would be your top three tips for anyone who's listening to this, and they're in a similar situation.

Maressa Mortimer:

Um, probably my thing would be to just match your moments. You know, I know a lot of children go to bed maybe much later, or need a lot more in the evenings, or you're sort of two parts that I've added the first year that the kids came home, there was nothing I could do in the evenings, you know, I mean, they were in bed by six at that time, and a half by six hours, ready for bed to 18 hours, just completely past it. But you know, it's natural moments. And, you know, they often involve our kids in storytelling and reading or, you know, we all look at a book, so they know that I'm looking at a book, and they're looking at the book, and we share our story. So you know, you can snatch your moments, and make the most of it that I think, plan that out, you know, if you know, you're going to do it, I think that helps. Because, you know, once you sort of sink down on the sofa, once the kids are in bed, you don't want to move anymore, you certainly don't want to start up a laptop, start thinking about somebody else's problems. You know, you just want one to crash and have chocolate and something. Yeah. But if you know that, you know, from quarter past eight, till nine o'clock, you're going to work on a story, then then it's there, it's in your head and you're prepared for it. In a way you have the energy for it. Because Yeah, it's just something on your list. Whereas if it just happens on you, you're like, I really can't move. So I think that's my main thing is like planet, you know, whether you plan it in the day, whether you plan it in the evening, you can even if it's like 20 minutes plotting a story of or, you know, doing like flash fiction or a poem or something, you know, even if it's 10 minutes, you say, right, at that time, I'm going to sit down with a hot coffee. And I'm going to do it, I put a DVD on for the kids and you know, keep them entertained, or I tell them, it's like, you know, you go to do your book, I'm going to do my book. As long as I'm holding my coffee cup. I'm not there. And I mean, it works. I think it helps.

Wendy Jones:

These are really good tips? Because I mean, I can barely get my act together and I live in a house on my own. I mean, oh, that you can do it. I'm telling you. I mean, how do you go about managing your time, you must be extremely good at Time management is all I can say.

Maressa Mortimer:

I'm not sure. I mean, I like doing things fast. And I mean, yeah, no, it could probably be better. But But yeah, like I said, you know, my writing doesn't really take up a massive amount of time. I mean, I can make it take up a lot of time. It's not a problem. But it doesn't, it's just really a couple of hours in the evening. And, you know, when I'm sat in a car waiting for a class to finish, so you know, it's not sort of my like, nine I write from nine till 12 in the morning, because I'm not I'm walking around like a headless chicken that time. So, like, helping kids with various lessons and, and doing things and I think, you know, as a homeschool family, a lot of stuff is done together. So I'm not doing like six science lessons. You know, we're doing one science lesson and everyone's doing it or we have one history lesson and everyone's doing it. So you know that that frees up time. But yeah, mine is mainly in the evening, and you just have to have to make that time Really?

Wendy Jones:

Yeah. No again, answer say, I'm amazed that you can actually manage your time as well. I just I don't know what I'd do if I had one kid in the house, never mind. Your kids are delightful. So

Maressa Mortimer:

I always think it's easy with football, because they play together and they do stuff together, and they entertain each other. But if you have one, then you have to be your child's soul entertainer. Really?

Wendy Jones:

Yeah, that's true. Yes. Yeah. I'm really curious, do you involve your children in your writing? And if you do, how do you do it?

Maressa Mortimer:

I do. I mean, they, they're curious. And they want to copy us. Not always not a good thing, sadly, but you know, definitely writing they do want to copy it. So when we miss NaNoWriMo, in November, we all sign up for it, you know, I write my 50,000 words, and they just pick a random number. And the younger ones, I tend to type for them. Otherwise, it's it's so soul destroying, because their speed of typing or writing is so ridiculously slow, it would never get their words out. So I type for them. And it's just love it, because it's just storytelling. So we do a lot of storytelling, we have, like story, cubes or story, we have like a puzzle thing that you you connect the puzzle pieces together and they and they can do it in whatever order they want. And then they tell the story. And they think it's hilarious. So today, they had like a short story about a cloud dream. So they have like special books, they draw the picture. And then they write like a short thing. So it just sets them going. And then I often film them telling the rest of the story and they think is really, really funny because they like to be famous. So they're like going on film. So that all works. So we do we do NaNoWriMo together. And you know, sometimes, yeah, it's just sharing stories together, which is really nice. And it gets them to see how books are made, how stories work, you know, that you need to have a plot in a way and you need to have funny characters. And they really like it. And we often print out, you can print out. It's like cartoon sheets, like, like empty blocks that so you can just draw your own cartoon in there. And they love doing that. But you just draw your picture stories in a way. Yeah. And again, it's just a sort of help them to, you know, make a plotline in a way. And they really like doing that. And they're quite happy doing that, what I then type my thing, and then we compare notes at the end, which is really fun.

Wendy Jones:

Can I ask something? And this is only because I have to transcribe this? Are you saying cartoons?

Maressa Mortimer:

Yes, cartoon? Right.

Wendy Jones:

Sorry, I, I'm a bit Mutt and Jeff. And I couldn't pick up what you were saying. And I have to transcribe this. So I need to get it right.

Maressa Mortimer:

Yes, sorry.

Wendy Jones:

No worries at all. It's me, not you. But I think you know, I think that's great that you're encouraging their love of writing, and I mean, cartoons, and that leads to, you know, other things as well, you know, it's happened that imagination so much different ways, you know, because

Maressa Mortimer:

once you see a picture, it's, it's quite easy in a way to then imagine a whole story around that picture. Yeah, that's when we like with the sort of, you know, they draw their own picture, and they just sit there telling us about the story around the picture. And it just really helps them to see, you know, it has the next picture then has to make sense, it has to be part of the story, and it needs to be going somewhere. And that's been a really good help for them that it's not like you don't end up with six completely disconnected pictures, it has to link up and it has to build up to something. So that's, you know, yeah. And they just love it, and it comes really natural to them, then Really?

Wendy Jones:

No wonder I mean, I know you're a prolific author, we've already said this, and it's great. You know, you've got several books out already, you save all the been writing to two years. Tell us about your books,

Unknown:

I hope well, first off Sapphire beach, which really deals with the aftermath of domestic violence. And again, it was at a time when I just realised that you know, I could write in the evening, I could just sit down and, and tell a story to deal with things and problems or issues that I was thinking about. So we had friends who had come out that they had been living with domestic violence for more than 20 years are such a shock that that would happen within the church and and then you find out that, you know, a lot of Christians that have been living with that. So you look at domestic violence and and sort of, you know, it goes around your head of it and it can really drag you down. So I wrote a story about the aftermath of of domestic violence. And I was setting Crete because I love creed. And we've been on holiday a couple of times and it's just such an amazing place with really nice food and lovely Water sounds like that's just a perfect setting for a story. And, you know, there has to be a bit of crime and excitement in there. So I put that in. And it was just a really nice way to do that. And then I learned about world building now. It's like all worlds buildings. Sounds nice, you know, you make up your own world, and all its things and people and whatnot. So I was planning this world, and I was like, Oh, I could do a story of setting this world. So it's called walled city. Um, and then I really mean, the city is called a lobby. And I really liked allow, but I was like, well, I could do another story about one of the other characters also says in a lobby. So that's beyond the hills, which is about to come out. And then we travel on the ferry a lot. So I was like, I wonder what happened if you were like, wake up on the ferry. And it wasn't actually the place where you expected it to be. So I was like, what, what if there were some Vikings on the ferry carrying newer? It could happen. So. And then I was like, it started this like a short story. And I was like, I can't leave the poor girl sitting on the beach with a bunch of Vikings, that would just be too awful. I'm sure she wants to get back to her own time. So it sort of turned into a novella where she actually did get back. So yeah, so that's why there's there's four books and I'm, I love the Viking Age Shan I'm plotting another time travelling Viking one. But as someone who's purposely go to travel into the Viking Age, she's found a crack in the world where she can travel them. So I'm doing a lot of research now on Viking Age, because she's going to stay with him a couple of years. But she's going to be 18 and full of, you know, a bit naive, you know, thinking life's going to be amazing with these Vikings, and she's going to get a bit disappointed, I think

Wendy Jones:

Sounds good to me, I have to say. So my very final question is always, where can my listeners find out more about you and your books?

Maressa Mortimer:

The best place is probably my website, it says, vicarious home.com. But my books, you know, any bookshop around the world, they're, um, they're available everywhere. You can order them, and obviously, the Amazon does it. But yeah, my website also sells the book so you can find out what I'm up to and doing.

Wendy Jones:

Excellent. Well, it's been an absolute pleasure to chat to you. Thank you very much for joining me today.

Maressa Mortimer:

Thank you. I really enjoyed this.

Wendy Jones:

I had a great time. And even I know how to write in the midst of my chaos, and my chaos is caused by myself. So I'm going to be taking some of these tips on board. Thank you, and I look forward to your next book coming out.

Maressa Mortimer:

Oh, thank you.

Wendy Jones:

That brings us to the end of another show. It was really good to have you on the show with me today. I'm Wendy h Jones. And you can find me at Wendy H jones.com. You can also find me on Patreon where you can support me for as little as $3 a month which is less than the price of a tea or coffee. You go to patreon.com forward slash Wendy h Jones. I'm also went to h Jones on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest. Thank you for joining me today and I hope you've found it both useful and interesting. Join me next week when I will have another cracking guest for you. Until then, have a good week and keep writing. Keep reading and keep learning