Routine in a Rut

The process of writing in the trenches

Hey! What makes you feel comfortable?

A cup of coffee or a scroll over the latest news, there are a lot of habits we fall into without realizing it. The little things that ramp up to a new day.

My uncle sent me a message asking about how I write my novels. One he had just finished included an excerpt from the author and prompted his curiosity.

With the first rough draft of Rhean nearly done, that also got me thinking about how exactly I settle down and jump into a story—how exactly I find the motivation and inspiration to write.

Cups of Coffee

For reference, here is what my uncle shared with me, George Pelecanos’ perspective on writing routines:

Rather than describe the details of my own habits, I think a response to his would be more interesting. The first being an insistence on rigidity as a means to find productivity.

For me, I find this sometimes borders on superstition. I would struggle to make a clear list, but there seems to be specific, random aspects of my desk and day that need to be well aligned if I’m going to fill pages and pages and pages more.

I need to spend a certain amount of time preparing breakfast and coffee.

I need my messy desk to remain unorganized.

I need complete isolation.

I share that general distaste for heavily focusing on outlines as well. I tend to have an idea coalesce around a theme and a setting first and foremost. Without a strong feeling of how and why a story feels a specific way, I doubt I would be able to write much of anything at all.

However, I definitely don’t go back to edit a single day’s worth of work. For long-form content like a novel, that would almost certainly drive me mad. I start with very minimal barriers to having a completed text. In the past, most of my writing would even begin on either a physical notepad or the most basic document editor I could find on my computer.

Having grammar and spelling suggestions can be an unwanted distraction when first trying to get everything onto a page.

I also do not struggle to jump back into a story or remember characters after a break. In fact, I find that helps me have a clearer image of how I want to shape them.

Notably, stepping away from a manuscript allows for a fresh perspective. Looking over a document with cleaner eyes—an integral part of my overall writing routine. I find that space to be something that really helps me refine a draft.

Not mentioned in George Pelecanos’ response, but I would also add the importance of finding the right soundtrack for what I’m working on. It can be a little silly, but I will sometimes spend hours making sure the music I’m listening to matches the mood I’m trying to capture.

Amazon Flatline

I’m keeping the topic short as I’m still focusing on finishing Rhean, but I wanted to include another update on the free Kindle book adventure.

There has been a return to zero from the exact moment the promotion ended. Not the most surprising development, but that makes me curious about possible retention.

How many of those people actually end up reading the book?

How many would buy one of my other books?

I could try to somewhat gauge it by comments, conversations, or reviews. I’ll keep my eyes out for any in the coming weeks and see if there are insights hiding within.

Otherwise, I’d love to hear about your own routines—how do you get ready for your next day?

Until next time.

Cheers,

JMB