In keeping with yesterday’s post about Goal Post Stickies (and thanks to all who shared their goal-keeping tricks), I thought I’d share my writing ritual.
A typical day, Monday through Friday (and sometimes weekends, though not always) goes like this:
- Wake up, feed cats, eat breakfast, and start worrying about the manuscript.
- Concoct a caffeinated beverage (usually coffee, sometimes green tea).
- Turn on computer. Sip caffeinated concoction while it boots up.
- Resist the urge to check Facebook, Twitter, or other people’s blogs.
- Open up my Chapter Summary file (where I summarize each chapter after I write it).
- Figure out where I am in the book and what scene I need to write next.
- Open up main WIP file.
- Check my goal post sticky. Panic at the thought of adding 2,000 words to it.
- Start writing.
On a really good day, I’ll hit my word count goal in 90 minutes (this hardly ever happens.) On a really bad day, it’ll be 6 hours later and I’ll be stuck somewhere around 1,300 words and trying not to panic (this hardly ever happens).
Most days, thankfully, I’m done in three hours. After patting myself on the back (and I do physically pat myself on the back, because it just feels nice – if you don’t believe me, try it), I reward myself by sifting and responding to emails, writing tomorrow’s blog post, gallivanting through Facebook updates, catching up on other people’s blogs, and killing my brain cells by reading PerezHilton.com.
What’s your writing ritual? Or, if you’re not a writer, what’s your work ritual?
Here's my work/writing ritual:
5:00 Rise & shine. Shower, dress, clean kitchen, scarf down breakfast bar, head to work.
6:00 At work. Coffee!! Work. Coffee!! Work. (I'll also read blogs off and on during the day…like right now)
11:30 Home for a bowl of oatmeal for lunch. Chat with wife.
12:30 Back at work. More coffee!!
4:30 Leave work and head to healthclub (MWF). Do weights for 30 minutes and then run for 30 minutes. 10 min of sauna + 10 min of hot tub.
6:00 Back home. Make dinner for me and my son.
7:00 Finally sit down to write/edit.
9:00 Watch a little TV.
10:00 Bed-time!
A good portion of the weekends are devoted to writing.
🙂
Jenny — now that you're not querying and you're not on submission (since you sold your awesome book!) is it easier to stick to your writing schedule?
I hate to admit it, but since I'm querying one book (and waiting to hear about requested revisions on another)I check my email compulsively.
I envy your schedule, Jenny! That sounds fabulous. For me it's:
5:45: up, shower, cat greetings, breakfast, make my lunch, watch some MTV (only time they play actual music videos anymore), hair, makeup
7:45: out the door (hopefully), drop Hubby off, get to work
8:15: work, black chai coconut tea (mmmm), work, work, work, sneak some emails, sneak some blog reading, work, work, work
Noon: food and Mockingjay or whatever novel I'm reading now
Rest of the afternoon: same as the morning, minus the tea
5:00: pick up the Hubster, head home
5:30 – 7:00: write/edit
7:00 – 7:30: Dinner
7:30 – 9:00-ish: write/edit, do blog post for next day (hopefully)
9:00 – 9:30: TV
9:30: kitty goodnights/playtime, then to bed
Like DL, my weekends are mostly for writing, but also reading and movies!
I like vacations. A lot.
Rituals?
Goals?
Maybe that's why I've never been published.
Hats off to you- 2000 words a day! That's pretty awesome.
Wake up. Walk dog.
Start brewing coffee, grab a muffin and sit down at the computer.
Sort through email, post on blogs while eating breakfast.
Coffee's done! Light candles, open windows for breeze, put on music.
Start writing.
I have good days and bad days. At the moment, instead of writing, it's been PowerPoint as I'm trying to finish up a new presentation for next week. It's taking longer than expected. I have to present to the teens next Wednesday evening so I haven't got much time left! If I can finish it today, it's back to writing. Maybe even tonight!
My goal is to produce a consistent 1,000 words a day. But I'm often distracted by the three R's (rejections/revisions/resubmissions) — so on those days, I'm content with at least 500 words. My hat is off to you @ 2,000 words. Nice!
Coffee, work, write, talk on phone, cigar.
Depending on the day, the work schedule, and the alignment of the moon with the northern star the order of the above activities changes.
My schedule is truly spurious.
Greg
4:48 Baby up for bottle, provide bottle
5:00 down for extra hour of sleep
6:00 up, get ready for work, get baby ready for daycare
6:45 drive to daycare, drop baby off (but not without a fight, because he has to make sure I sit down so he can show me the toys he plays with)
7:00 driving to work
7:35 arrive at work (this is either 5 minutes or 35 minutes late depending on my choice of schedule)
7:45 set up laptop, boot computer, fill water bottle
7:50 check work email to prepare my day (of training), check Jenny's blog – if not overcome by email requests
8:00 ready training manuals for trainees
8:30-1:00 Train employees!
1:00-2:00 (supposed to eat lunch) check work emails again, look at Jenny's blog if I didn't get to in the morning
2:00-3:30 Train employees!
3:30 leave work
4:05 pick up baby (Adam)
4:15 at home, give Adam bottle
4:45 begin dinner preparations
5:45 eat dinner (but not really, because I’m feeding Adam dinner)
6:15 get Adam cleaned up and in the playroom, or watching Wiggles
6:20 eat (cold) dinner
6:45 kitchen clean up
7:30 playtime with Adam
8:00 Adam’s bedtime
8:30 prepare Adam’s bag for daycare tomorrow
8:45 prepare lunches for tomorrow
9:15 prepare bottles
9:30 clean playroom
9:50 finished! Sit down and read & write.
10:30 bedtime
It's amazing I find anytime to write at all?!
DL: Yes, coffee! And I love you make time for the gym… something I'm horrible at.
JB: It's much easier. Querying and submitting was not good for my mental state. I feel like I'm finding my groove again, slowly, but it's there.
Joann: That's a long but really productive day. Love the sounds of black chai coconut tea. Also applaud the kitty time. Can't ignore them. It just makes them angry.
Milo: 1,000 words is fabulous! Most days that's where my brain screams "Stop!" It's a huge effort to keep writing beyond that, and trust me, I don't always make it.
G3: I was like "Yes, yes, yes, yes, OH." You're such a guy. 🙂
Mel: Your schedule makes me dizzy. I don't know how you manage it all! I am in awe.