I’m undertaking a 1000-day reinvention project, blogging here daily to track my progress. In Wednesday Writing, I consider my writing practice and skills and how to improve upon them.
It’s 3:30 pm in the afternoon. I’m wearing my late stepdad’s extra-extra large fleece bathrobe over my clothes. I’ve prepared myself a glass of cranberry lime sparkling water over ice. I’m ready for the afternoon blogging ritual. It runs from 3:30 pm to 4:30 pm. Then I’ll start making dinner.
It’s a newly-developing ritual but I hope it will stick.
I decided to put a bathrobe on in the afternoon because I’m used to blogging in the morning in my jammies and bathrobe, and thought it might help get me in the mood. The one I’m wearing right now reminds me of my mom’s second husband George, who passed away in February of this year. I miss him. He always wished the best for me, and I know he would be happy to know I am writing while thinking of him.
I chose this time of day to write because it’s a dead zone in between the tasks of the day and starting to make dinner (or driving to Ray’s so he can make dinner for me). The first couple times I tried to blog in the afternoon I was so tired. I could barely force myself to write. But I’ve done it a few times now, and I’m starting to feel some energy at the thought of it.
The sparkling water gets me hydrated without spiking my blood sugar. Once I finish my writing time I might pour myself a glass of wine, but I don’t want to fog up my head while I’m here at the computer.
The morning ritual is still developing too. I’m switching from blogging in the morning to working on the book manuscript. I’m most productive in the morning when I have my first cup of coffee, so I want to spend my time then on my top priority: the book.
I’m doing a developmental self-edit right now so I’m not working at the computer. Instead, I printed out the entire manuscript. and I’m working through it chapter by chapter. For each chapter, I write notes to myself on the printout and also on a pad of paper. I’m using a purple Energel pen. I love Energel pens. Red might be better, but they had purple at King Soopers. As long as the color contrasts well with the black print it works.
Whether I’m working on a printout or at the computer, I spend a couple hours in the morning on the book manuscript, first thing. I have a cup of coffee or sometimes two while I work. I’d like to keep working longer but my dog Bo starts getting antsy at some point and I start to feel like I really need to walk him. That usually cuts off my writing work for the day, at least on the book.
I’m thinking about what to do next to continue improving upon my routine. This change, from blogging in the morning to doing it in the afternoon and putting book work first is a real win. I’ll just celebrate that for now! Cheers!