5 Reasons Becoming a Parent Makes You a Better Writer

It’s easy to make excuses as a new parent. There’s no time to write. You’re too tired. Or your child is sick. Writer Abroad understands all of them. But she refuses to give in to any of them. Instead, she pushes herself to make the best of the time, energy, and enthusiasm she does have, and therefore, she has found that her writing career has only improved since her daughter was born. Here are five reasons why.

Don't let becoming a parent stop you
from writing–or from hiking.

You have more material to write about

           

They say, “Write what you know,” and becoming a mother opens up a whole new world for your writing. Writer Abroad never set out to write about parenting, but becoming a mother has only helped her writing career, landing pieces about mothering in the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, Brain Child, and others.

You use your time more wisely

Writer Abroad has three days a week to write while her daughter is in preschool. Is she sitting around wasting time on Facebook? Rarely. She appreciates her writing time all the more since it is limited. So she works hard to accomplish as much as she can.

There are more outlets to consider

Becoming a parent opens up many new publications to contribute to. Brain, Child Magazine, New York Times’ Motherlode, Washington Post’s On Parenting, and many more. Often, thanks to the broad parenting topic, these outlets have huge readerships, helping you get the attention your writing deserves.

You develop more patience

This morning Writer Abroad waited for 10 minutes while her daughter watched for birds to possibly take a nibble of birdseed from her homemade bird feeder. The patience Writer Abroad uses with her daughter she also has learned to use with her writing. The fact that some pieces and books take longer to write than others is somehow ok now. And she barely even notices how long it takes an editor to get back to her sometimes. Her daughter keeps her pleasantly distracted.

You see the world through new eyes

Just as moving abroad helped Writer Abroad see the world in new ways, having a child does the same thing in a different way. Who knew stones and sticks were so amazing and had so many uses? Writer Abroad’s daughter reminds her daily how amazing the world can be when you’re seeing bits and pieces of it for the first time.

Do you think parenting makes you a better writer?