Day in the Life

In my first blog of this series, I shared a romanticized version of what a writer’s life looks like, oftentimes from stereotypes or an outside view: easy mornings of drinking coffee, dedicated writing time, loads of progress, thousands of words added to the manuscript. And if I’m being honest, that sounds so wonderful. Yet not entirely true, especially for me on an average day.  

Let me walk you through a day in MY life as I’ve dedicated my time to writing. Remember, as always, that this looks different for every writer and author. This is just my own experience and a glimpse into my world.  

5:18am: Wake up. Yes, I know that’s a completely random time. I have my morning routine down to a science and know exactly how long it takes me to get ready.  

6am: Workout.  I’ve found that a solid morning sweat-sesh gets my brain – and my body – moving and ready for a day of progress, whether that’s in the office or around my home. Plus, I love my gym and the progress I have made, and I have no intentions of giving that up.  

7am: Mom tasks.  Wake the kids up for school, get some laundry started, unload the dishwasher, drink a protein shake, and some other random morning things before kids head off to school.  

On a perfect day, I spend the remaining hours in what I call EHOTH: Every Hour On The Hour, a phrase I tweaked for my own use from the workout studio I attend.  

It’s exhausting to stare at the computer or a manuscript for hours on end, and the more I try to push for that, the more likely I am to make mistakes or skip over areas I need to fix in my writing. So here’s what I mean by spending my day in EHOTH: I work on writing for one uninterrupted hour, then go do something else: read a novel I’m enjoying, fold some laundry, meal prep, do horse chores, walk on the treadmill, get some cleaning done, run errands, whatever I need to do. And when that hour is up, I’m feeling refreshed and ready to get back to my writing work. During my time away from the screen, I’m oftentimes thinking about my scenes and characters or even my next blog or journal entry. EHOTH continues until I go to pick up my kids from school or need to attend an event or activity. While my family is so very understanding and supportive, I try to be fully present for them. Very rarely do I go and spend time alone in my office working on writing tasksduring the evenings and weekends – unless I’m trying to meet a deadline – so we spend dedicated time together when they are home.  

Of course, not all days are perfect examples of this schedule and structure, and clearly my kids are not in school all year long. Many days during the summer months look like absolute chaos and I plug in writing time wherever I can get it to fit in my day, sometimes even for just five minutes. (Right now, as I type this, I’m at a riding arena where my daughter is working with her horse.) The goal, however, is to do some form of writing work every single day. That’s hard, I admit. Things come up that make it a challenge to write: time constraints, kid activities, writing blocks, lack of motivation or ideas, and the list goes on. And in the summer months, I try to enjoy time boating, traveling, riding horses, working in the garden, all the things that I love about summer and being with my kids.  

Last summer, I was deep into the experience of finishing my very rough first draft and beginning the editing process, so this year looks a lot different. I’ve been able to take the time to begin other projects while also focusing on the next stages of my first book. 

In the midst of my publication journey this summer, a lot of my writing time actually looks like administrative work. I’ve been working with a team to hold auditions for my audiobook, talking with attorneys about the legal parts of publishing, discussing final details with my typesetter and cover designer, talking with beta readers and those who have received advance copies of the book, and making plans for marketing and promoting the novel, which includes a launch party and book signing. I’m trying to soak up all the knowledge I can about this process so I can learn as much as absolutely possible about the industry, but also about myself as a writer and publisher.  

I really feel so lucky to be doing this work, and I am grateful that it fits well into my lifestyle as a mom and wife first and foremost. I love writing, despite the vulnerability it presents, and I plan to continue this passion for years to come.  

In my next blog post, I’ll be sharing with you some fun facts and the timeline of writing my novel, as well as some information about other writers out there. Stay tuned for this and other details about the upcoming launch of my book. Thank you, as always, from the bottom of but heart for the love and support I continue to receive.