I always find it interesting to read about other creatives' days. Particularly authors. Perhaps the thing I find most interesting is that they aren't as far out there as one might think. Authors lead pretty normal lives. They do "normal" things. But it's all still amazing to me. And I can learn from the routines and rituals of others. So, this was my day today.
Morning:
Woke up a little late for me. I actually woke up and then fell back to sleep. I think besides being hooked up to a machine during the night, this getting up late often has to do with my anxiety. (If you're looking for a different way of doing therapy, please see this article for more information on BetterHelp's online therapy.)
By around 12:30 I was all dressed and all that. I sat down to take my 12:00 medicine. I turned on YouTube videos while taking the pills and then brushing my hair and waiting for my medicine to settle. I started out with book haul videos but then made the mistake of watching videos of Joseph Morgan and Daniel Gillies from The Originals. Well, that made me fall down a rabbit hole of videos. My e-mail from Jennifer Weiser (my Critique Parner) went unanswered. In here I did my other meds.
Afternoon:
Around 3:00 I went into the kitchen and fixed up some of my medicine stuff for the night time. The doorbell rang!! It was BOOKS!! I went to Barnes and Noble. I bought books there and ordered some. Today I got The Family Romanov and Daily Rituals: How Writers Work. If you want to see the other books maybe I'll do a video. Then I decided I was going to go outside. Maybe that would help me with editing this novel. (Book two of my Beauty of the Dark trilogy.) A change of scenery.
I put what I needed in my tote, put on sunscreen because I burn like crazy, made a cup of tea in an awesome coffee mug that I my mom bought me. Then I took my laptop outside, set my stuff up on the little table on the small balcony attached to the apartment and plugged in my flashdrive. I opened the file for Burned.
And I stared.
I sent off a Facebook message to my best friend. Then one to my sister. Wasted some time chatting with my sister. Typed in some new lines I'd written down at 1:00 a.m. the night before. I opened Gmail. I answered Jenn. I went back to the document. I added some stuff, I typed in the taglines I thought of. I started to write a blurb then promptly sent off an e-mail to Jenn that said "I HATE BLURBS!!!!"
I turned up my music on my Spotify playlist for Trent and Kiara. I ate half a chocolate and peppermint flavored Luna Bar. I ate some blueberries. I finished my tea and then picked it up every two minutes thinking there was still tea there.
I opened up Jenn's e-mail and read her chapters instead, then sent another e-mail to her.
Then I finally got into my manuscript. Got some good stuff in there. I was in the zone for about an hour.
Night:
My mom got home and I kept typing. I told myself I would stop at 5:30. I stopped at 6:15. I did my 6:00 meds. Then we proceeded to try to make sushi for the first time. We also made some spring rolls. I love to cook. It's one of the few things I don't get anxious about. Things went pretty well, considering this was the first time we've done this. And it was really good!!
We sat down to eat around 8:00. My Aunt was with us for a little bit. At 9:30 I did my 9:00 meds. I rested, then proceeded to type this blog post. I'm waching Friends, by the way. And also looking up author's routines. And looking on Susan Dennard's site to see her process for writing a book.
Tomorrow I think I'll go to the community pool--maybe. I'm sure it's freezing. I will go Monday, though. It's the last day!! And I will see my best friend before she has to leave. I also made a note today that I need a back support thingy. (Cue Rory Gilmore: "Just call me back support thingy girl.")
Next Tuesday, my cover designer and I are brainstorming ideas for the cover of Burned!! I need a tagline...and a blurb. And I need to outline this damn book all over again!! And I will stop procrastinating...I will.