The impression of Mo is she either sits around the house all day doing nothing. Or she's a housewife. I've already addressed the housewife myth, now I'm tackling the "doing nothing" part.
^
I understand how the perception of me being a lazy bum came to be. I'm pretty sure I've been leading that charge with comments like 'I'm a ski/beach bum," depending on the season. Or when people ask what's new I shrug and say not a lot, or nothing.
^
In truth there is stuff going on, and new things are happening. I swear I do not spend my entire life or my entire day at the beach, pool, or skiing. As much as I would love to do that.
^
So you're probably trying to figure out how I do spend my day. So here is a general time line, times vary based on when I wake up.
^
10 a.m. (granted I didn't sleep until noon) to about 1 p.m. I write my brains out. I work on short stories, novels, freelance magazine articles, or free writing. Free writing is just taking a pen and writing whatever. Sometimes it is a list, sometimes a random conversation I insert in something later. Or it's whatever, and I never use it. Or I use this time to update this lovely, lovely blog.
^
1 p.m. to about 3 p.m. RESEARCH! What happens with steroid use? What does an overdose of heroin and cocaine look like? What is the underground world of surfing like? This will most likely involve me either becoming an amazing surfer or kidnapping one. If I'm at the beach or pool, I make notes of what I need to research later, and will take care of it after Chris has gone to bed.
^
I'll also take this time and READ! I'll go to the library and just read. I read everything twice. The first time for the story, the second time on how the author advances the story in first and third person. I think I do more reading than research, mostly because I try to write about what I know, as opposed to making life more complicated.
^
3 p.m. to 6 p.m. Edit what I wrote earlier, and keep writing. I refuse to delete anything until the piece is done. I take the editing time to move stuff around, add details or context. Fight with commas (it's a battle I've been fighting since first grade. I still feel like I'm losing). Again, if I'm someplace without my laptop, I'll use a different colored pen to circle and move what I wrote. Sometimes my notebook looks like the Huns are fighting the Greeks.
^
I'll also just keep reading. If it wasn't that productive of a writing day, like the clock hit 10:30 and all I want to do is destroy my notebook or computer, I don't try to push it. It's not fun trying to write like that, and it's not good writing.
^
Whenever Chris gets home from work until he goes to bed, I don't write. I'll read, or do whatever but I try really hard not to write. One, it's nice to talk to him. Two, it's nearly impossible to get voices on the page or let my characters come to life when other stuff is going on. Three, it's not fair to him to come home and see me with a sign on my back saying "Do not disturb, I'm writing." And finally, he shouldn't have to share me with fictional people. It's not fair to him. On occasion I will jot down notes, quotes, or whatever, but I try really really hard not to.
^
So yeah, that's my exciting day of allegedly doing nothing.
No comments:
Post a Comment