I live in a house. I am someone's wife. And occasionally, when Anthony works overnight, and the children are finally asleep, and the words begin to swim on the page, alerting me I may begin doing more harm than good, I sneak up to the guestroom and turn on Fiona or Tori or Tracy or Joni or Amy or Carly and end up looking something like this. I've never identified as a "housewife," but I'm thinking it's reasonable that these components [ house + wife + occasional throwback beauty habit ] fit me squarely in this demo, this demo that OUR White House's worst-ever tenant assumes supports his racist policy. But here's the thing, the "housewives" I know, you know, married women in houses who may also occasionally wear curlers -- this must be the definition, right? I'll ask Betty Friedan and Matthew Weiner later -- we are ambitious, critical-thinking, open-minded, big-hearted types with soft bellies and sharp talons. We read. We analyze. We feel. We DO. We contribute more value to the people in our care the first hour of any given morning than he has all term, and likely all his life. We don't like messes because we are the ones who do the picking up. What a monstrous deplorable mess this insecure toddler has made. I've always loved witches, in part because of their dope wheels (🧹), but now I'm thinking it's a powerful symbol witches and housewives share. I, generally and specifically, LOVE people and LOATHE politics. Because of this very dilemma, November can't come soon enough. Brooms up, ladies. 🧹🏛🧹
#broomsup #womenwritersofinstagram #whenweallvote #witchesunite #voteearly #abbeyclelandlopez #peacelovevote #writinglife #614artist #votingmatters #votevotevote ...

3 years ago today -- 3 weeks before meeting my darling Annie Girl -- I was headed, once again, back to L&D. ⚡️ Just looking at this, the stress was so consuming, I can actually FEEL it now. ⚡️ I did not enjoy being pregnant, and I do not believe I was very good at it. Heaps of gratitude and anticipatory joy bouyed me through the fear, miserable meds, prelabor paranoia, etc. I was entirely, deeply in love with my children before we met eyes; meanwhile, I found carrying them physically in my body entirely, deeply unnatural. [And yes, this word choice is intentional and true. It's just how it felt for me. Still, to this day, I'm shocked, genuinely, that I did that, grew like that, and not in any kind of pat-oneself-on-the-back kind of way, more like "Who possibly thought THAT was a reasonable idea!?" kind of way.] Anyway. For these reasons, I don't revisit my pregnancies. And really, why would I when the priceless gifts they provided are fully animated and autonomous now, just in front of my nose or clinging to my legs where they belong, requesting ice cubes, glue sticks, and 'squeezy Mama hugs?' [🤗] But, lately, unintentionally, some visceral pregnancy memories are flickering back, and I think I know why. Then and now are such different times, but hard times all the same. I used to have to repeat to Bewildered Pregnant Abbey, "You only need enough strength for today. Tomorrow's strength will arrive tomorrow." And it always did. And it always does. And it always will. I don't know if anyone at all may benefit from reading this, but just in case, there it is, here it is.... Tilt your head up to what I like to imagine are the heavens for a "Serenity now...! / For the love...! / WTF...! Whyyyy...?" exhale, then just keep hanging on. And if hanging on feels harder than you think it should, please message me. I'm here. I mean it. ❤️ [Squeezy virtual hugs.]
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#pregnancydiary #writingmotherhood #mamadiaries #womenwriters #pregnancysupport #womenwhowrite #writinglife #abbeyclelandlopez #preggolife #writeon #writersofig #abbeyclelandlopez #pregnantproblems #writerwoman #keepcalmcarryon #mamapower ...

So maybe you're a writer and you think you have friends. Here's how to check. Tell them you're on deadline and the electricity is out in your office. If they hand over the keys to their home without hesitation, congratulations! You have the best friend a writer can ever, ever have. Treat them like gold, acknowledge them in print when possible, and resist filling your Yeti with their high-end booze. (At least until you've hit "send.") @slipkin22 💋#abbeyclelandlopez ...

Every time I finish a story's outline I feel an incredible sense of accomplishment, immediately followed by the heavy acknowledgment that the real work is about to begin. People are about to inhabit the house I built, and I know only some of the faucets and light switches and fireplaces will work. If my premise doesn't hold up, they'll find water in the basement. And that charming scalloped chair molding? That will have to go. It's too cute, too clever to survive these rowdy tenants. I've learned all you can do is pray you built a pretty good house, and have the skills and stamina to make her truly livable. Welcome home, weirdos. 🙌📚🙌
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#write #writersofinstagram #writersofig #writeon #writinglife #writerslife #outline #bookstagram #bookish #author #creativewriting #writerwoman #writers #workworkwork #workilove #worklove #writewritewrite #creative #storytime #createon ...

End of a long day on set.
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#writersofinstagram #writer #screenwriting #screenwriter #amwriting #onset #writeon #abbeyclelandlopez writeon #womanwriter ...