When do you write? - A writer's life

Each writer has his or her own routines. Some are larks up before the dawn to scribble away or pound a keyboard. Others are owls writing late into the night.  When and how much you write can also depend on your family or work commitments.  For many years while I was running my marketing and training company I could only write at weekends and during holidays so I used to write every Saturday afternoon and frequently all day Sunday. Now I have the luxury of being able to write every day.

My writing routine varies, but I do write every day and usually every evening from about 5pm to 7.30pm. I still also write every Saturday and Sunday afternoon.


And when I am not writing what do I do?  Well a lot of thinking, often while taking long walks by the sea on Hayling Island or in the countryside of the Isle of Wight. Then, when wrestling with a plot, I might pick up the knitting needles and think and knit. I could be mapping out a character or a plot outline, which I do in pencil.  And aside from the writing and thinking there are other things to be done such as keeping up to date with book news and what is happening in the world of publishing; writing my blogs and spending time on my social networks sites, answering e mails. I might also be preparing for a radio interview or talk, or reviewing a press release or attending a book signing/talk.  I could be undertaking research for my novels, visiting a location, or talking to people who can help me.

My writing regime often depends on the stage of the novel and deadlines.  When writing a first draft I always want to crack on with it as quickly as possible and have been known to write for seven hours non stop over many days to get it on to the computer.  It's almost as though I need to get as much down as quickly as possible in case my mind dries up.  I will also work non stop on very final revisions when I need to read the novel through in one hit.

At other times I will take a more leisurely approach. Are there days off?  Rarely and even then I am usually thinking about the novel or project I'm working on or getting ideas for the next book.  No complaints though. It's a pleasure and a privilege to be living, breathing, thinking writing, oh and writing.

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