Time is different when you’re a writer.
First, the days of the week. You forget them. If I didn’t have kids in school, I wouldn’t know Monday from Saturday. All the days blend in together. Since I DVR or purchase all the television shows I watch, I couldn’t even tell you what day it is based on television programming. I realized this was getting bad during Christmas break — when the kids didn’t go to school, I had no idea what day it was, especially the two weeks after Christmas. In fact, one day after Christmas I thought it was Tuesday. I told the kids it was Tuesday, I told my neighbor it was Tuesday, and I talked about things I needed to do the next day (on Wednesday.)
I didn’t realize until I woke up the next morning that it hadn’t been Tuesday. It had been Monday. Groundhog’s Day anyone?
If I didn’t have my calendar up on my computer, I would really be lost.
When I worked in the Capitol, Fridays were great. They were casual dress, we could take long lunches, and catch up on all those little pesky things that get put aside for crisis management. But as a writer? Fridays are just another day of the week. We don’t get weekends. One day is just like any other …
As if confusing the days of the week wasn’t bad enough, hours jam us up, too.
If I have something planned in the afternoon, I find myself constantly looking at the time because I’ve been known to get lost in writing and then rushing around to do everything I need to do. Or, when the kids go to bed and I’m totally in the groove with writing, my husband will often come into my office and say, “It’s one in the morning.” And I’ll say, “No, it’s — oh, it is. I’m on a roll.” But inevitably, that interruption messes me up and I keep looking at the name clock and thinking I really, really should go to bed.
Today, this Friday, I’m driving on a field trip. So help me. I rarely do field trips because I really need to write every day, but I try to volunteer for each kid once a year. Tomorrow is my 10 year old daughter’s science field trip to the bowling alley. I suppose bowling is scientific, but all I’m thinking about is the noise.
Tomorrow — which would be Saturday — said daughter has a basketball tournament and my youngest son may try out of baseball. He hasn’t decided if he wants to play, but he has to make his decision by 5 pm Friday in order to go to the try outs on Saturday. (He’s 9, so he’s guaranteed a spot, but he doesn’t know if he wants to play again.)
But because I’m a writer, I can do all these things and simply stay up later at night to make up my writing time. I write every day, seven days a week. Not as much on the weekends as during the week, but I put in a few hours most Saturdays and Sundays. Because, as a writer, those days aren’t much different than any other day …
Some fun things!
There’s a fun interview about me and NOTORIOUS up at Examiner.com, written by Terry Ambrose. The story about the dinner party is all true.
There’s still time to enter the giveaway for NOTORIOUS — my publisher is giving away 100 copies of my debut hardcover to US readers. The deadline is January 29th.
MSW Alum Kendra Elliot has a new book out — ALONE! Don’t miss it!
Last weekend I read Lee Child’s WITHOUT FAIL, one of his earlier Reacher books. Loved it! This weekend I’m reading my RITA books — for those who don’t know what those are, it’s the Romance Writers of America contest. I have six books to read, I’ll finish two this weekend. Probably during the basketball tournament …
What are you reading? And have you ever gone an entire day thinking it was a completely different day?
Allison Brennan is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of nearly three dozen romantic thrillers and mysteries, including the Lucy Kincaid series and the Max Revere series. She lives in Northern California with her husband, five children, and assorted pets.
I had a tough enough time before, but at least I knew M-F because of the Kid’s school days and my husband’s work days. After she graduated and the Hubs retired, I almost never know what day it is. I do use what was on TV the night before to try and figure it out, though. But that only works when I watch a regularly scheduled program. As I was reading your post, I was like ‘is it Friday? It can’t be Friday. :hover the mouse over the time: Oh it is Friday’
I knew it was Friday because of the field trip, which beeps me on my calendar so I don’t forget 🙂
I worked nights for 5 years and would get my days sooo mixed up. I was lucky to make it to work in matching shoes. One time I walked downstairs and out the back door and was getting in the car when I realized I had two diff sneakers on!
I’m gonna start The Accident by Linwood Barclay today.
LOL, when I worked in the Capitol, I (a couple of times!) had on different colored shoes …
This is so true. All of it. I’ve taken to setting alerts on the calendar of my smart phone to keep me sort of paying attention. Lawyer Guy still works so I sort of keep track that way. But yeah…the days all run together. I’m reading RITA books, too. I got eight and I hope to finish the 4th one tonight. I’m taking The Only to a doctor’s appointment this afternoon because her hubby is working. With luck, I’ll get some reading time in the waiting room. Or not. LOL
I’ll be glad when contest season is over and I can get my focus back totally on writing. I miss getting lost for the day. 🙁 And Happy Friday! Hope you enjoyed the bowling. 😉
Bowling was fun — I didn’t bowl, but the kids had a great time.
Yep, I’m taking my books to the basketball tournament tomorrow .
When I decided to quit work I thought I would be able to do everything I wanted, whenever I wanted. I spent the first 6 months feeling guilty if I sat down and just read a book. But now I really like having my days run into each other. And if I get lost in a book and spend the whole day there, it’s okay. Course, I don’t have kids at home. The grandkids remind me when the weekend is here, they want to come here.
There is absolutely nothing wrong with reading all day. If anyone tells you otherwise, they’re wrong. They can come see me. 🙂
Vacation time can sometimes bring the, “What day is it?”, but otherwise, not so much.
I am on a Lee Child jag. Holy smokes! Can that guy write! I’m giving myself a break right now — it’s like eating an entire chocolate cake — best to pace oneself. I’m trying to read in order of publication, but I’m getting the e-books from the library, so I read what shows up, but that’s okay. Each book is basically a stand alone.
Susanne