November 15, 2006
We asked:
What is a typical day in the world of you, the author? And how different is that day from your ideal day as an author?
A typical day for me starts with getting dressed, then feeding the birds, squirrels and stray cat who hangs out around here. (He waits for me to feed him, but he won’t let me within ten feet of him.) Then I drink my coffee and read e-mail. Around eleven I start writing. And I try to write ten pages a day. (On Tuesday and Thursday I meet a friend at the Athletic Club in the afternoon.) I like it when I can stick to my schedule. But I have a lot of interruptions. (Mail to answer. Galleys. Copy edited manuscripts. Interviews. Web sites to check. Bulletin board questions to answer. Books that need to be sent various places.)
Nirvana for me is to go off with dh to a luxury hotel for a week. There are no interruptions and no duties. I write my ten pages–preferably looking out on gorgeous scenery. When I’m finished writing for the day, we can do anything we want for the rest of the day.
In the way of "interruptions," I am starting to do some radio programs to promote my cookbook, SNACK ATTACK, for Small Steps Press. Two of them are today. If you’re in the right area–check it out.
Station: WLTP AM (WV)
Host: John Chalfant
Date: Nov. 15, 2006
Time: 9:30 am EST
Length: 10-15 minutes
Station: WFRX AM (IL)
Host: April Ruebke
Date: Nov. 15, 2006
Time: noon CST
Length: 10-15 minutes
REBECCA YORK
 
Typical Day:
Roll out of bed at 6. Stumble bleary-eyed into the living room. Sit in complete silence while I check email etc. Wake the kids up at 6:30, get them ready for school, pack lunches etc. Leave with them at 7:25. Get back by 8am and sit down to address any emails, concerns etc. Figure out my mental "to do" list and get started.
Interspersed between bouts of writing genius and writing woes I try and remember to do laundry every once in a blue moon, make sure I can FIND the kitchen underneath all the dirty dishes, figure out how to work the washing machine since I use it so seldom, try to remember the last time I vacuumed, contemplate how long a kitchen floor can go without being mopped before it permanently changes color, have IM bitch sessions with my bestest writing pal, whine about my current project, ask myself why on earth I thought it would be cool to have a job I could do at home.
Ideal day?
Sleep until 10 and when I get up, the book that has been floating around in my head is magically written and saved on my
harddrive. Enjoy a meal I didn’t cook and a house I didn’t clean.
MAYA BANKS
Right now, with a December 1st deadline, a typical day is writing from 14 to 16 hours a day and sleeping in between. For example, I went to bed at 6 a.m. today and got up at noon, but it’ll be dawn before I get to bed again.
My ideal day would be to get up at eight, write for a few hours, do lunch with family or friends, or shop, write a couple more hours, have dinner, and spend the evening with family. Hopefully, those days are coming.
ANNETTE BLAIR
 Until a few months ago, I worked full time so my typical writing day was basically whatever time I could find around my job.
Now that I have more writing time, I’m trying to set up a routine, but I haven’t got it down completely. Usually, I start by quickly checking my emails and replying to any that can’t wait, updating my blog and catching up with ‘office’ work. After that, I try to get a couple of hours of writing done.
Break for lunch - sometimes I’ll read for half an hour then (reading is like food for me, just as important!). 
After lunch, I work for several more hours writing. Break for dinner. The time after dinner is very flexible. I might read or watch a bit of t.v., or if I’m feeling inspired, it’s back to the keyboard. During this time, I also catch up with my other emails etc.
It all sounds pretty structured, but basically this is what I TRY to do. When I’m writing a first draft and the words are just pouring out, I’ll write deep into the night, ignore everything else and do a massive catchup weeks later. Or sometimes I procrastinate in the morning and do all my work in the afternoon or vice versa. Part of what I love about writing is the freedom to work when I want.
As to my ideal work day - it’s having the whole day to write! What could be more ideal than that?!
Nalini Singh
I have no typical day. To begin with, I have a day job in accounting, working four days a week. Sometimes I try to write in the evenings, but I’m usually too tired to do much more than skim through what I wrote last time.
But on Wednesdays, Saturday, and Sunday, I stumble out of bed and head for the coffee maker. NOTE: I do not get out of my PJs, unless someone’s coming over or it’s cold. Then I go for sweats. I drink coffee and sharpen my senses on email (and maybe a game or two of solitare). Then I start writing. I’m a slow writer–not one of those who can "spew" the words on a page. No BIAW (book in a week) for me! I have to pull out every word one by one. It generally takes me all day to write ten pages (my current goal). I take frequent breaks to stretch, refill the coffee and graze in the kitchen (need to lose that last habit).
I find that I write faster as the day progressess. It seems my mind has to warm up. The more I write, the more the story begins to flow. Sometimes I’m still working on my pages late at night, especially if I stopped to walk the dogs with my husband, or have dinner with the family, or take a nap (another favorite pasttime). So I’m sloppy, slow, disorganized and non-methodical, but *somehow* the books always get written.
Catherine Spangler
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Great post! I identify most with Catherine. I work for an engineering firm from home, so usually tackle those duties first. But when I write, it’s agony — every word. I’m slow. Revision is fun for me — things really speed up then.
Comment by Jolie — November 15, 2006 @ 1:35 pm
Love the post!
My typical writing day starts with drinking two cups of tea while watching an hour of tv, and depending on what day of the week it is, I work out for an hour (again while catching up on a show I’ve tivo’d), pick-up the house, take a shower, make necessary phone calls, and then I sit down at the computer, check emails, respond to emails…and then I finally start writing.
.
When I’m on deadline I try for a chapter a day (chapters are normally anywhere from 10-15 pages), or I try for two chapters if I’m on a tight deadline. When I’m in edit mode, I work longer hours, just to get through it. Editing is my least favorite part of writing
I don’t beat myself up too much anymore when I don’t make my daily quota. I’m lucky that my kids are grown, (even if one still lives at home and goes to college). I can write anytime I want, but I need to adhere to a schedule…and the hours between noon-5pm seem to work best for me.
Comment by Julia Templeton — November 15, 2006 @ 2:41 pm
Julia, two chapters a day! Wow
I can sometimes get fifteen to eighteen pages. But that’s hard for me.
On the other hand, I’d rather edit than write. There’s nothing I hate more than the blank page.
Rebecca
Comment by Rebecca York — November 15, 2006 @ 5:16 pm
I’m like you, Annette. I also have a Dec 1st deadline, and all I do is writer eat and sleep. However, this month it’s working against me with trade shows, radio interviews and my birthday. LOL None of those being bad things, but still … I’d love to take some time to join you in your cave to write. LOL
Comment by Sasha — November 15, 2006 @ 5:25 pm
Love the post! I like to learn about the authors I read.
Comment by Estella — November 15, 2006 @ 6:14 pm
I’m on a Dec 1 deadline too and I’m breathing the book (anyone have a gas mask?). Usually, I start my day setting up Tivo, work out for about 15-20 minutes, eat breakfast, then do blogs, email etc. I might write somewhere around 10 or 11 until lunch, then I write from 1 to 3 and again from about 7 to 10. I agree with Nalini that the flexibility is one of the best parts of the job. I know I can go have lunch with my mom any time I want to, so long as I do the work later that day, or earlier. No one to time my bathroom breaks either!
Comment by Heather — November 15, 2006 @ 8:42 pm
Hum. I also have a December 1 deadline. Also a February 15 deadline. Also a novella due in February.
Rebecca
Comment by Rebecca York — November 15, 2006 @ 10:21 pm
Rebecca, you win! Three back to back deadlines. I envy you and I also empathize with you. Wow. Congratulations and Good Luck with those. There’s nothing I hate more than a blank page either, btw. I also LOVE editing & revising.
Nalini, you work very sensible hours. What am I doing wrong? I gave up the day job in April. I really did play too long after I retired. I also had to get over a serious case of pneumonia, but I so Loooooved being free.
Maya, congrats on doing it with kids. Wow. Awesome, girl.
Catherine, I don’t get out of my PJ’s unless someone’s coming over either!
Julia, two chapters a day. I’m impressed. I can do between 15 and 25 pages of fresh writing a day on a very good day. Not so good, 10 pages. I set a day aside to pack thing up and mail them out. When I get into my writing, I don’t want any distractions.
I find having a Dec 1st deadline for one book and a Dec 5th release for another very distracting, because I keep moving between writing and promo. But today is a package mailing day so I feel free. Tomorrow, back to the saltmines.
Comment by Annette Blair — November 15, 2006 @ 10:44 pm
Rebecca, you certainly win! I try for ten pages a day, too, but have to work up to that as the story gets going. I made five pages today, but what I really want is one of the magic quills from the Harry Potter movie that write the story for you!
No, actually I love creating the story, it’s just the problem of not enough hours in the day. I also find noon to five the best writing hours of the day, and sometimes I write till late at night, which means I get up very late, unless I’m traveling or at a conference…and email often takes too much time, which is why I get behind reading it and forgot to post this on time–sorry! And nobody is allowed to drop in on me, because the housework–ah–well, as my sweetie says, no one will know what the house looks like when they read the finished book. (Thank goodness
Nicole Byrd
Comment by Nicole Byrd — November 16, 2006 @ 1:02 am
Annette - now if I could only follow my schedule!
Comment by Nalini Singh — November 16, 2006 @ 1:06 am
My fantasy has always been the alternate time continuum, a la Narnia. You go in there and spend as much time as you want. But when you return to this world, it’s the second after you left. That would give me a whole lot more time to write. Of course, I’d have to take my laptop with me.
Rebecca
Comment by Rebecca York — November 16, 2006 @ 11:24 am
Wow, between us all we have enough books to write don’t we? LOL
YAY!!!
Comment by Sasha — November 17, 2006 @ 1:24 am