Tuesday
Each day is different, but I do follow a schedule to keep the business going and get the writing done.
When I’m a guest on a podcast or appear at a bookstore, most readers ask where I get my ideas.
But writers? They usually ask about the process and schedule. They want to know what my schedule is like, and how I get the writing done. I’m fascinated by process too, how we do what we do and when we do it.
One thing I like about this job is that I’m the keeper of my schedule. It can flex and shift as needed around work and family. But, always there must be some BIC (butt-in-chair) time to get the writing done.
Day-in-the-Life
Tuesday.
5:30 a.m.
Coffee. Coffee. Coffee. Short meditation, which often looks like i’m just sitting in a stupor trying to stay awake, then I write three pages. Freehand. In a thick red notebook. It’s messy, often illegible scrawl. Mostly a mind dump. Julia Cameron wrote about the importance of this, and she calls them Morning Pages. I’m a believer. This short daily habit has been grounding and a good way to let go of the mental clutter and prime my creativity. No grammar, no rules, just write, three pages.
6:30 a.m.
Check on the teen, make sure she’s up, put out some cereal, feed the dog, and take her out. Then I’ll read the NYT or a craft book, or other nonfiction. This is my study/continuing ed part of the day. When I’m reading about writing, I often get inspired.
7:45 a.m.
House is quiet and I’m on the computer in my office, which is a bedroom 15 feet from the kitchen. It’s useful to go to the same space each day when it’s time to work or write.
7:50 a.m.
Warm-up and review notes for upcoming podcast interview.
8:00 a.m.
Simply Write interview with award-winning short story and novel writer Art Taylor. (It will drop next week and he offers so many great techniques for making the writing better).
8:50 a.m.
Load audio into editing and production software, set up intro and outro to produce Taylor interview. Coffee.
10:30 a.m.
Interview for the Simply Said podcast with Doc Swiner.
11 a.m.
Load audio into editing and production software for later editing. Uh, huh, you guessed it, coffee.
Noon.
Take the dog out—again. She’s older now, so this happens regularly, but a good reminder for me to get up from the desk and move around too.
Get a snack, go for a walk or fold laundry or do something aimless to give my mind a break.
12:30 p.m.
Writing, finally. On Tuesdays, I do a quick draft of this column, revise or write a new chapter for my novel, or sketch out, through loose notes, the piece I’ll work on next.
On other days, I begin writing deadline projects or other pieces by around 10 a.m.—which I prefer. But Tuesday mornings are usually about research and interviews and podcast research and development.
1:30 p.m.
More writing. Notes for new chapters and a new story idea. Quick draft of a nonfiction article. Research for the Psychology Today post I’m working on.
3:00 p.m.
Daughter is home. I hang out with her as long as she’ll hang with me. Then, I’ll do a couple of household chores—unload the dishwasher, fold towels, throw a salad together, or some nourishment. Read. Research upcoming podcast topics or writing projects.
4 p.m.
Husband arrives home, we talk through the day, and on Tuesdays, he takes over and I go back to work.
5 p.m.
Head back to office with salad (or wine) in tow, do some relaxed writing on the novel, quick draft ideas, revise pieces of what I’ve written today, no heavy push here.
6 p.m.
Zoom writer’s group to workshop newest work.
9 p.m.
Whew. Long day. Quick, two-minute journal exercise, then read if I feel like it and lights off.
Other Notes
Tuesdays are long days, but I don’t get much writing done. This is primarily the day for podcasting, project development, bill-payment and invoicing, and taking care of other business details.
Though how I spend my work hours varies, my morning routine remains the same nearly every day. Coffee, meditation, Morning Pages, and I always knock off or take a break when my daughter gets home from school.
I gain writing time as the week goes on.
Fridays, are almost exclusively BIC (butt-in-chair) writing days, developing or revising the stuff I’ve been planning or working on or thinking about, finishing up anything that is due the following week.
I set this day aside for writing when I realized, I was working hard during the week, but not making writing new material a priorty. Needed to build in some long hours for deep work. No matter what else happens in the week, I protect my writing time on this day.
Schedule your days to get the work of running a business (invoicing, marketing, correspondence, appearances, meetings) and the writing in.
Hit your deadlines—whether they are set by editors, or you—you want to create a schedule that allows you to make progress on the work.
We are creating a business and a life, after all.
Make sure your schedule supports both those things.
Soon, I’ll share how I structure my writing on a day that is more writing-heavy—Hello Thursday. In the meantime, how do you schedule your days to get your writing done?
Simply, Write.
-p
