All In A Day's... I'll Get Back To You

Jeff Cohen

A Writer's Typical Day

(Note: The above does NOT say, "A Typical Writer's Day")

 

7:30 a.m.: Time to get up. This used to be 6:20 a.m., but now both kids are in college and there's no reason to get up and pretend they need help getting out of the house on time;

7:35 a.m.: Begin "reading" the New York Times. "Reading" is in quotes because what's really happening is skimming, looking for bizarre stories to recount to wife, and killing time until the crossword puzzle is the only thing left;

8 a.m.: Crossword puzzle. Do not disturb;

8:20 a.m. (Time will vary during the week, depending on difficulty of puzzle--on Monday, could be 8:10; by Friday, anytime before 9 is a plus): First look at Internet for the day. This includes checking in on Doonesbury (the NY TImes does not carry cartoons of any kind), Twitter, Facebook, DEAD GUY, bank balances--depressing--Sitemeter stats--almost as depressing--and the current status of any and all current books;

8:50 a.m.: Exercise. The less you know, the better;

9:45 a.m.: Shower, change of clothes. Again, you don't want to be there for this;

10 a.m.: Walk dog; Even I don't want to be here for this;

10:30 a.m.: Breakfast;

10:40 a.m.: Check Internet. Who knows, something might have changed;

11 a.m.: First mailbox check of the day--nothing;

11:15 a.m.: Phone calls for newspaper article (if there is an assignment; otherwise, more Internet);

12 noon: Lunch;

12:20: Mailbox check--decent chance there's mail;

12:21: Throw out mail;

12:22: Drive to post office (there's always a reason--in good weather, walk to post office);

12:45: More Internet, including any video links or baseball-related content;

1:30 (or thereabouts): Receive phone calls on newspaper assignment, conduct or schedule interviews;

2 p.m.: Walk dog;

2:30: Write newspaper article (as assignments dictate);

3:15: Close eyes briefly;

4 p.m.: Wake up startled, realize no writing has been accomplished yet today;

4:01: More Internet;

4:30: Look at writing from yesterday, decide it's not as bad as feared;

5 p.m.: Begin writing for the day(translation: stare at screen helplessly);

5:15: Greet wife at front door--dog acts as if he hasn't been walked all day. Dog is a traitor;

5:20: Wife goes out for a run--begin writing (more staring, perhaps a line or two);

6 p.m. Start doing something about dinner, even if it's just getting kitchen ready for wife to cook;

6:45: Dinner;

7:30: Sit down with wife and/or son, watch Jon Stewart on TiVo;

8 p.m.: Maybe Cash Cab, maybe not;

8:30: Wife walks dog--get back to writing;

9:15: Wife and dog return--maybe television, maybe not (during baseball season, Yankees);

10:30: Start writing in earnest;

Midnight: Finish 1000 words on each of two projects, head upstairs for sleep;

7:30 a.m. Repeat.

Comments

[Patty Andersen]

As long as it is routine and you keep plugging away at the writing, this sounds just fine to me!

[jenny milchman]

HOW you get any writing at all done with all that is the real mystery!!

[alice@aliceduncan.net]

Sounds about right to me, Jeff :)

[Brenda]

Thanks for the interesting & amusing tale!