Defer, stall, temporise…
I need to be dressed to have a good go at my day. Unlike some writers, who seem to be able to function well all day in a pair of pyjamas, I’d feel as if I should be in bed, reading good fiction. And along with clothes, makeup and hair are de rigeur. For me it sets the scene for the day. It wakes me up and makes me feel better –therefore I’m more likely to write more smoothly. As long as…
…I have that first cup of tea for the day at about 10. It’s like being at the starting gates. I have a herbal tea and usually a sweet biscuit of some sort or other. It gives me a very gentle sugar hit. The tea settles my mind and body. I should be set to go…
…Except for the dog. He’s what we would call at the dog’s home at which I used to volunteer, a ‘T-dog’, meaning ‘Toilet-Dog’. It means he won’t soil his yard and must be walked in order to have his morning wee and poo. Would you let your dog sit with a pain in the belly whilst you write a book? Of course you wouldn’t.
So we go for a lovely walk to a park, a beach – wherever. He’s vastly relieved when we get home, I can tell you! And I can switch on my computer, locate the WIP, open that and…
…But wait! I forgot to see how everyone is this morning. Just quickly. Won’t take a minute and who knows what helpful links I might find. Oh look! There’s an email just popped up from the designer…
…with a mock-up for the cover for the new book. I look for additional images, we talk via email. As I walk to the kitchen to make another cup of tea with dog at my heels, my foot hurts, as it often does. So…
… I try on other shoes and fit new padding onto flexi-sole from the Sports Medicine specialist…
… and walk back to the computer. That feels better.
I begin to read what I wrote 3 days ago, getting back into the narrative, changing a word here, a comma there. And suddenly, after what seems like hours of self-inflicted delay, I’m away! But wait…
…it’s lunchtime!
So much like my day, except for the fact i don’t have the dog to deal with. I think having B&B guests for so many years definitely made sure I got dressed before heading downstairs. Not so many B&B’s at the moment, but still too many distractions (builders, gardening, and trying to sell husband’s Africana Books) to get to writing. Must change that.
You’ll get back to it all, eventually. It takes time. Distractions? Gardening’s a fabulous one!
Agreed Prue, gardening is a great distraction, will be glad when the weather is better and can get into the garden
Different sort of weather but the same applies. It was wonderful doing a little gardening this last week. Made me realise hugely what I’m missing. Just looked out the window at the coast garden though and everything has a look of exhaustion from this past month and a half.
Oh this did make me smile, it sounds so similar to my days! And then I wonder where the day went!
Exactly. Time flies way too fast!!!