Summer isn't Fun for Online Writers

As I write, I've got a drill blasting from one of the neighbouring gardens. People have weeks off work.  The children have the summer holidays off school stretching out before them. They're screaming in their play outside.

Even without the noise, as the temperature soars, it becomes so much harder to concentrate.

Anyone else struggling to research and/or write in the summer time?

/whinge over

Yep!  Me too.  Here on the Isle of Wight where I live I have not only the local kids on holiday but the visitors (and long may they continue to come because we do need them!) and their children too.  Yesterday we had a 'fun day' in the local park for the children and although it is some distance from me, the disco music pounded through my place all day. 

This isn't a moan because as I said, we need more people on 'staycations' and it is lovely to see the beaches being used and our miles of bridle paths and rights of way being used by walkers (not to mention the cyclists we attract), but at times when I'm trying to do something that requires a bit of quiet, it is a problem.

That's not my excuse for not publishing more.  That is sheer laziness.

I think summer must be my hiatus, as I didn't put out much material last summer either.

This summer I have more to blame than just sheer laziness. I am enrolled in online classes this summer, and that takes up most of my free time. Between that and my job, my brain's kind of like jelly. Hopefully after August I'll be able to step it up.

I have started an article. Well, two actually. Just haven't finished them. Does that count? 

Yes JoHarrington, the summer months are quite busy here in southern Indiana. Thankfully, the kids will be going back to school in a couple of weeks.

After a summer filled with weekend centered on our girls’ travel softball team’s tournaments, the two boy’s summer camp adventures and house full of preteen girls and their sleep over, pool parties and other such distractions serve to keep me from doing much research / writing.

Then there is that whole lack of motivation or summer malaise thing to contend with.

I use Bose noise cancelling headphones and feed white noise into them. Wonderful for all kinds of noise and distractions. Hugely expensive and worth every penny.

'Course it counts, Abbey.    All excuses are valid during summer months - even some winter ones.

Just had another thought.  The title of your comment is "Summer isn't Fun for Online Writers".  I agreed in my reply, but have just thought how much worse it can be for print writers who are maybe trying to meet deadlines and finding the noise levels working against it.  At least here on Wizzley we have no deadlines to meet, apart from those we set ourselves.  Come to think of it, that might be a good idea, to set a deadline - rather like a slimming target!

Online freelance writers have to meet all kinds of deadlines. Plus, this is my full-time work and not a hobby. The bills have to get paid. 

Pleased to meet you Digby-Adams.  I've never before met an online writer who managed to make enough consistently to pay the bills.  It's nice to know it can be done, so I'll keep on trying.

The summer slump might be coming to an end. On another forum, there are reports of back-to-school sales.

Maritravel most of my income does come from affiliate marketing and not freelance writing. It's a hard slog every month.

Affiliate marketing is another skill I'm rubbish at.   I'm better at selling myself when I can ring someone up and chat to them about an article - doesn't always work, in fact it's getting more and more difficult to even get to speak to new editors.

ologsinquito: 07/28/2014 - 12:47 PM

---

The summer slump might be coming to an end. On another forum, there are reports of back-to-school sales.

I've already sold some Halloween stuff. O.O

Tourists.

Chinese and Japanese students.

EFL language school students from Europe.

I swear I'm the only native Brit on the bus some days!

At least the heat has moderated somewhat here, as I was about to melt yesterday. And yes, I'll second, third and fourth the screaming children. I am certain I never screamed like that when I was younger!

Digby, you remind me I need to put new batteries in my noise cancelling cans. They are indeed sanity preservers.

Do not mention back-to-school sales. I can't afford and do not need more stationery!

I guess some people really like to plan ahead.

If it makes you feel any better, reading this thread this morning motivated me to finish another section on one of my still unfinished articles.

At this rate I'll maybe finish it by Christmas.

I'll just say one word: commonwealth games...(okay two)

For those who don't know I live just outside of Glasgow and my husband works in the city centre so we're constantly being disrupted. I had to drive out 10 minutes to pick him up after three trains in a row were cancelled. Oh and we do have tickets for some of the games too...

I envy you at the moment.  I've been watching the games nightly (a real displacement activity), having recorded the daytime events I want to see.  What a great bonus for Glasgow, and Scotland, that the weather is so wonderful.  Hope it lasts out the Games.  My last trip to Glasgow was seven years ago, it's really time I made another venture north of the border!

I think I live in the quietest place in the world.  The only noise comes from my son's guitar - so we are the noise-makers!

Noise and kids don't keep me from working, but yard work, gardening does.  I have drainage issues and heavy rains create holes in the yard that must be filled.  My beans, zucchini, and cukes are coming in and must be picked daily - then cook something using them.  Oh the stress... 

When it's hot I suffer too... no central AC, just lots of fan action.

From someone in Old Hampshire, UK, your beans and cucumbers are about 2 weeks ahead of mine!  I can't wait for the cues, just love picking them when they are still small enough to hand hold, put them in the 'fridge for an hour or so and then peal and eat them like an ice-lolly, (I learned this trick in Turkey).  With the beans I don't think they can be bettered if you just steam them and add butter (liberally) and pepper.  I can make a meal of them just like this.