What do you DO all day?
Writers always want to know how other writers spend their day. The answer is really quite mundane I think, for most of us. But if anyone cares, here's an average writing day for me.
7 a.m. Wake up, put on makeup and clothes. If jeans fit, it's a good day.
8 a.m. Kids go to school with Dad. Ah, peace -- fool around on email and answer letters, interview requests, etc., for an hour. Make coffee, or wait for hubby to bring it home if he's going into town.
9 a.m. I start to write. I generally write between 2k and 3k per day. At this time, I'm getting the gist of what my chapter for the day will be, and it has a lot of false starts, and there's a lot of hyper emailing with my writing group while we procrastinate, I mean, brainstorm.
11:30 -- Go pick up my daughter from kindergarten.
12 to 1 -- Lunch with Elle (daughter)
1 p.m. to 3 p.m. Edit the morning's work. Elle chatters in my office, and plays with dolls, or watches a movie.
3 p.m., My husband and three boys come home from work/school. They play outside, and I finish up the day's work.
4 p.m. Watch mindless TV until 5 p.m.
5 p.m. Dinner
If I'm on deadline, I actually write at night too. All laundry/cleaning, etc. is done in ten minute increments. I get to a spot where I'm useless, and so I clean something while I think of where to go next. I can't clean when the family is home, it's a mental thing. I also have to have a clean house (with the exception of my office, which is always a pigsty) to start writing. There's a lot more "busywork" to writing once publishing is on a cycle. There's interviews/editing/brainstorming the next book. It really does fill up an eight hour day plus, very quickly. The hard part is when you're not making enough, you really have to fit it in around other things. When my kids were young, from 1 to 3 was "Mommy Time" and once they stopped napping, they had to keep themselves busy during that time so I could write. Also, I have MS, so sometimes, I am just not here brainwise, on those days, I've learned to cut my losses and relax, because sitting at the computer will only frustrate me. As I said, it's a boring day, but there it is.
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7 Comments:
Hi Kristin,
I'm glad you wrote this, because I was curious about how you accomplished so much with 4 children. I mean, FOUR children! I only have 3, and I don't get quiet time until after 10:30, sometimes 11:30-midnight if my husbands feeling chatty. Out of curiosity, how much time do you actually spend writing vs. writing-related activities?
Hi, Kristin!
Thank you for sharing. I think people not-in-the-know assume writers live glamorous lives. I like how you do housework in ten minute spots. I do mine in fifteen. Avoids burnout that way :D
I care for children and write in ten or fifteen minute segments while they're doing an activity that doesn't require my attention. I'm so thankful God wired me to be a multi-tasker! Otherwise, I wouldn't get anything done!
I'm not kidding, but I always thought that writing should be this gloriously solitary activity done while gazing out at the sea from my second story home office. (Not that I have one. I saw that in a Chevy Chase movie--anyone recall the name? I don't.)
Anyway, I quit my full time job when my son was born, and pictured myself caring for the little darling while quietly writing away the day. Yeah, right. Now I know better, and your post confirmed that life with kids, plus writing, make for often frenetic days.
Good thing we love what we do though :-)
I dont think its boring one bit. It sounds like a great day to me. If only I had a family or keep up on writing. :)
DANG! You rock. You're so disciplined. With kids, no less!
Camy
Hey Kristin,
Jean Kincaid says to tell you she's reading WHAT A GIRL WANTS and laughing her head. She would like to know how many books you write a year? and is chicklit the only genre you will contine to write in?
She thanks you for traveling with her today...
Rhonda and Jean
Two books a year from here on out?!!! How will I survive the dry spells when there isn't a new book out?!! I may be a SLLLOOOOOOOWWWW reader, but I'm not that slow. I see a bleak future of reading 7th grade essays ahead of me.
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