Routine Or None?
Over the last two weeks, we've been hit with over 20" of snow. Of course, I grew up in Boston where 20" might shut down school for a day or two, but here in Oklahoma my sister (a first grade teacher) hasn't been at school since last Monday.
For the storm, The Shutterbug was planning to crash at my parents' house (it's a much shorter drive to work for her from their house than from hers), and so I moved into my parents' house as well, for...well, for what I thought would be two or three days (what has turned out to be nearly two full weeks).
I am a *routine* person. As fun and memorable as these last two weeks have been, you can imagine how they have messed with my routine.
Up until about Wednesday of this week, I still was able to write every day. But I have missed Wednesday, Thursday, and now Friday. I will be back in my house at last, and back to my routine, on Monday. Because I am a routine person - and because my routine has been bent quite a bit - it will probably take me until Wednesday to get some really good writing done again.
I find that a routine helps me stay focused fully on each area of my life, and also helps me to write much better than I ever can when I'm not on a routine.
I have also found that not everyone is like me.
Are you like me, or are you a non-routine person?
If you're like me, what is your routine like?
If you're not like me, how do you do your writing?
I'll post my typical weekday schedule down in the comments. Join in with your thoughts as well.
Weekend reading, in case you missed it:
The last four Weekend Writing Discussions...
Where Do You Find Your Characters' Names?
Computer, Typewriter, or Notebook & Pen?
To Music Or Not To Music?
Writers You Have A Hard Time Not Hating?
Play nice and share with others
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Posts
My typical weekday:
ReplyDelete7:30
Wake up. Eat breakfast. Meditate. Get centered for the day.
8:30
Write.
11:30
Read.
1:30
Answer emails, begin working, and interact online (includes scheduling tweets and writing blog posts).
1:00 (a.m.)
Go to bed.
I try to remain flexible in the afternoons, allowing me to hang out with family or The Shutterbug in the evenings. And sometimes (though rarely) I try to remain flexible in the mornings, so I can go rock climbing or do something else adventurous. But I usually find that my writing goes best if I do it first thing in the morning, when my mind is clear. And the rest of my day goes best if my writing goes well.
I'm a routine person. I find it hard to write when I break my routine but I have at least started to bring my laptop with me if I'm going on a trip. I need to be more flexible since my schedule changes sometimes.
ReplyDeleteCan a person be both routine and flexible? Let me try this; I am like a banoffee pie- the base of my writing is derived from routine. But there are times when it just comes, like the cream of the pie; outside of the hours normally demanded.
ReplyDeleteI can't make it appear, but the routine at least allows me to start, (I am taking a year off work soon which will help immensely.)
But sometimes it happens-you know when you get that shiver down your spine and you just have to write- those times, ah, like a cold shower on a sweltering day.
Does routine enable such times to appear more frequently? I think it does, to a degree, but then writing is all about degrees and perseverance.
Inspiration is just as important as routine to me. Whether that be from the natural world or man made, it all speaks to the inner self.
My main rule is read and avoid television.
Hey there - I didn't know you climbed too!!!
ReplyDeleteI like my routines generally but I am very bad at making time for writing in my routine - so this post is a good `prod` to me to pick up my WIP again! Excellent post as ever :)
SG
I guess I really don't have a routine. I just write when I can and am more of a panster than a plotter. I just go with the flow that my muse dishes out.
ReplyDelete