Every writer has a routine, and the routine leads to the
most prolific writing success the author is able to produce. It’s much like
those who walk into an office building in the morning. They stop by the coffee
maker, tuck their lunch away in a shared office refrigerator, say hello to the
boss, a coworker and the neighboring cubical, before sliding into their chair
to check messages and start their day. For an author it can vary by environment
and opportunities. My day of writing is often split between shifts. I have a
morning shift, a day time shift and if I have the energy, a night shift. Of
course that’s not counting the shifts that include insomnia ridden writing
sessions throughout the night.
Every author has a different process but mine typically starts
at four in the morning and I write, edit or revise until six in the morning.
Around then the kids wake up and get ready for school. At eight, after they are
on the bus, and I’ve had a couple of cups of coffee, I return to writing and
editing. By lunch I try to take a break. It’s often not a full break as I spend
it eating and marketing but during that time I’m not writing. Afternoons are
often spent reorganizing my thoughts, drawing together continuity data from
within the manuscript and reworking scenes I like or didn’t like from earlier
in the day to make them better. By the time the kids are home from school, I
don’t have much time or ability to focus on work again until they are in bed
asleep. That’s when, if my eyes are open, the night shift writing and editing
begins.
As each book is edited, revised, edited again from the
outside, revised, rewritten and redeveloped well enough for publication,
formatting, cover art and the like is worked into the process during the day.
Weekends are used to optimize websites, create content like this blog post and
post to my own sites.
My day is often full of intensity, creativity, and children
playing. I love every minute of it and I strive to continue to do so with every
step forward. How does your day go? What kind of goals do you set for your day?
How best do you achieve those goals?
About my guest:
Catrina Taylor is a single mom and a science fiction author
with a love of words that draws her into fictional creations daily. Playing
with her children, reading books and developing strong characters are passions
that are unyielding in their day. Her fictional universe around Xarrok beckons
her generation after generation, commencing with Birth of an Empire: The
Beginning and continuing across five more generations.
Her currently available releases are Birth of an Empire: The Beginning,
Below
the Surface and Change
by Design. Each crafted science fiction story is part of a greater
universe, and series. Adding to both the short story series and the main
introduction series later this year, Catrina has three more titles nearly ready
for release. Consequences is the next book in the Birth of an Empire series.
MindTricks and Through Anguish detail the stories of Keydra Tan and Zaren Rixx,
and their recruitment into the Xenonian Psionic Corps. All three stories will
be available by September first.
