A typical writing day
The thing I've learned in the last few years is that there is no typical writing day. The best intentions don't always translate to the best work. But, I do find that having a routine really helps me to focus. I always look forward to the days set aside for working on my latest manuscript.
I spend my commute to and from work during the week listening to music and thinking about my characters. This is my composting time, and it's every bit as important as the time I spend in front of a computer. Threads of stories, bits of character background, and, if I'm lucky, entire plots can unfold in my head while I drive.
Not surprisingly, my actual writing day, Saturday, starts with a drive. Well, technically it starts with a Saint Bernard jumping on the bed and drooling in my face, but that's probably too much information.
The first stop in my writing day is non-negotiable:
And I usually have company:
Once I've been suitably caffeinated, then it's home to the comfort of a perfectly-worn leather couch with my laptop. I plug in a pair of headphones and pop in the playlist for whatever project I'm working on, and open the manuscript. Once again, I usually have company:
Then I hang out on Twitter for a while. I might even start writing. If I do, I'll keep writing until it's time to take my son to his guitar lesson, but I don't sweat it if my morning session is spent online reading craft blogs or catching up with friends. I bring my ipad to my son's lesson and use the time to catch up on whatever book I'm reading.
The afternoon is when the real work happens. I don't know why, but my prime writing time seems to be between the hours of 1:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. It's not unusual for me to sit down at one and not get up again for six hours, when I realize I'm sitting in the dark or my husband comes home from work.
The non-typical part of my day comes from the writing itself. I've had days where I've gotten as few as 200 words in that six hour stretch and one magical day where I hit 7000. If it's a "typical" day, I'll get between 2000 and 3500 words.
If I'm lucky, I get to do it all over again on Sunday.
I spend my commute to and from work during the week listening to music and thinking about my characters. This is my composting time, and it's every bit as important as the time I spend in front of a computer. Threads of stories, bits of character background, and, if I'm lucky, entire plots can unfold in my head while I drive.
Not surprisingly, my actual writing day, Saturday, starts with a drive. Well, technically it starts with a Saint Bernard jumping on the bed and drooling in my face, but that's probably too much information.
The first stop in my writing day is non-negotiable:
And I usually have company:
Once I've been suitably caffeinated, then it's home to the comfort of a perfectly-worn leather couch with my laptop. I plug in a pair of headphones and pop in the playlist for whatever project I'm working on, and open the manuscript. Once again, I usually have company:
Then I hang out on Twitter for a while. I might even start writing. If I do, I'll keep writing until it's time to take my son to his guitar lesson, but I don't sweat it if my morning session is spent online reading craft blogs or catching up with friends. I bring my ipad to my son's lesson and use the time to catch up on whatever book I'm reading.
The afternoon is when the real work happens. I don't know why, but my prime writing time seems to be between the hours of 1:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. It's not unusual for me to sit down at one and not get up again for six hours, when I realize I'm sitting in the dark or my husband comes home from work.
The non-typical part of my day comes from the writing itself. I've had days where I've gotten as few as 200 words in that six hour stretch and one magical day where I hit 7000. If it's a "typical" day, I'll get between 2000 and 3500 words.
If I'm lucky, I get to do it all over again on Sunday.
1 comments
Hahaha! Oh my goodness, what a cute dog! Reminds me a bit of my German shepherd, Dora. :3
Thanks for sharing your typical writing day! I love these little insights into an author's process. :)
-Amelia
The Authoress
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