Diary of a writer’s day.

Now that I am retired I can write all the time if I want. It’s great.

Looking at my blog I couldn’t help but notice that there are visitors from all over the world and a complete array of cultures. It occurred to me that it might be interesting to see what is happening to me in a fairly typical day. This is a diary of today Sunday 22nd of February 2015:

Following a restless night I woke at around seven a.m. but didn’t get to rouse myself until 7.50. I got up washed, weighed myself and dressed in my track suit (every other day I do my exercise – 30 minutes on the treadmill at 6.1) and headed to the kitchen. I made a cup of tea and took one in for Liz who was still sleepy.

I went out to my room and checked my emails and blog. This usually either makes me feel happy or annoyed depending on how much junk, traffic, likes or comments I get. Today was mediocre – not much traffic, little likes, no comments but not a lot of junk.

I went back in and prepared breakfast for myself, (listened to the news of all the latest atrocities carried out in the name of religion, selfishness, greed or hatred), which was a bowl of porridge. I clear up the kitchen and load the dishwasher. I ate my porridge quickly and took my book to the front room with another cup of tea. I was finishing ‘One of our Thursday’s is Missing’ by Jasper Fforde. It took me an hour and a half.

I repaired a curtain rail that had pulled loose and was hanging out of the wall.

I went to my room and began work on my Rock Tributes book rewrite. I had finished the first draft of the Nick Harper book the day before and fitted the photos in. I needed to put some distance before going back to it.

My room is about twenty by fifteen feet and jammed full. I am surrounded by my hundreds of Sci-Fi books, about 100 Beat Generation books, my collection of three thousand vinyl records, ten thousand CDs, hundreds of biographies and books on Rock Music, drawers of vinyl singles and my two computers. There is a big window over the garden. I find this conducive to writing. I am cocooned with my stuff (This is all the things Liz doesn’t like cluttering up the house. But I am allowed to keep my mainstream novels in doors). I am a little obsessive!

I started reading through, correcting, editing, adding and reworking passages. I break twice for loo and cups of tea. Outside is cold  around 7 degrees C. and drizzling. My treadmill is in the garage and I put off doing my exercise; besides the writing is going well.

I occasionally check the blog and emails. Liz calls me in for lunch at 1.00 pm. just as I was about to steel myself to do my exercise.

Lunch is salad, salmon, pasta and fried mushrooms. I started reading a new book – about adoption – by Sally Donovan.

I wash up. Liz asked me to cut up a Buttermilk squash that she wants for soup. I do that and head out to do some more writing. At four fifteen I go and do my exercise, shower, make some tea, lay the wood-burning fire so that it’s ready to light this evening and head back to my room.

I then write this diary.

I will write for another hour, go in and make some more tea and a cinnamon bagel with butter.

This evening I am off to York to see John Cooper Clarke live at the Duchess. I’ve got my camera and a couple of albums to sign. My mate Mike Green is going with me. It’s about an hour’s drive away. I’ll get back about 1.00 am. We’ll have a laugh and a pint. We’ll get to have a chat with Johnny.

That’s about how it goes. I wonder how that compares with your day?