I love when authors I admire share writing schedules/non-schedules. Most seem to have a set routine–which I marvel at as I tend to ricochet around the hours–or the hours ricochet around me when I’m at my computer.

I’m most focused and creative early mornings instead of at night, lately. However, since we’ve had the puppy I’ve had to fit writing in whenever I can, whether mornings, or 10pm’s when the puppy finally conks out, or increments between puppy-naps and being Minivan-Mom.

Writing mornings go something like this:

1. Drop the teen at school
2. Hit the grocery store
3. Make dinner/refrigerate it (better this way than cooking at 5pm, I’ve discovered–something to do with the relief of just knowing dinner is good to go and instead of cooking I can be Tutor Mom or throw the ball for the puppy)
4. Pour a cup of coffee and gigantic tumbler of sparkling water
5. Write/revise/create for 1 – 3, sometimes 4 hrs

And somewhere in there I swim laps for 45 mins…not every day, though, and not now in Winter, despite investing in a wetsuit. Waiting for my xmas rowing machine to arrive.

I work by the kitchen window. Hummingbird feeders hang in front of it. My feeders are popular and I’ve learned that hummers make writer’s block smashable.

If I get up for any reason, I return to find a cat curled in my chair. Either I switch chairs or gently transfer kitty to the chair next to mine.

Sometimes I don’t get up to refill my coffee mug because the puppy is on my feet and she’s so relaxed and quiet.

I remember reading about a writer who writes for 1 hr/day, period, and is a successful novelist.

I know a poet/novelist who doesn’t leave her writing office until 3am M-F.

A writer with numerous prestigious awards for her work once told me: Chill, it happens when it happens.

Yours in writing however it floats your schedule,

PB