Goals and Deadlines

Okay, so I had set a rough goal of June to August for the completion of my next novel.

Methinks I bit off more than I can chew. For one, I started working on two novels at once. While wildly amusing and entertaining, it nonetheless put me far behind schedule. Instead of being 2/3 done with one book, I'm 1/3 done with two.

Ouch.

Add to that the 2.5 kids (one on the way in September), chores, job, etc... etc... etc... and it's tough for me to even squeak out an hour a night. And it's not avoidance - any time I manage to sit down I can dive in and re-populate the universe of characters and plotlines with ease. Writing comes naturally. It's what I love to do. So why am I having such a hard time doing it?

As is often the case, I'm sure, I sacrifice a little of my professional career to write. I'm sure joining this organization or that club would really help me along in my current career. People constantly ask me to freelance or join their professional organization... and I decline.

Which always begs the question... Is it worth it? Am I wasting my time?

Which always begs the answer... No. I love to write. I'd do it for nothing. Writing brings me entertainment, peace, and balance.

So the question is this: Do you have any hobbies that you'd like to do professionally? Have you crossed the boundary from hobbiest to professional? Any hindsight to share?