My Writing Schedule

When I do it, how much I write and what a day looks like.

I’m writing this substack from the passenger seat of our car while riding back from the Catskills because the kids start school on Monday (why must we start before Labor Day??). I wanted to let you know that because it’s part of my writing routine. I try to take advantage of any bit of “down time” to get a bit of writing done. It isn’t always ideal for me for novel writing, which requires maximum early morning brain power, but it often works for me for any other kind of writing. I attribute it to the fact that I was a newspaper writer on deadline for so many years and I would often be on the road on assignment and just plop myself down on the ground near an electrical outlet with a laptop, a blackberry or a sidekick (remember those, the DeLorean of digital devices) and file a story to meet my deadlines.

I was asked at just about every single Everyone is Lying to You book event about my writing schedule. It is often asked in the context of, “you have three kids, when do you do it?” I never mind getting asked this because I know it comes from a place of genuine curiosity but I do always like to remind people that I have fulltime child care because creative writing and creating other kinds of content is my fulltime job and how I support my family. I treat writing the same way anyone going to an office treats their job. I am working from about nine to four every day, sometimes more (though I have gotten really good at protecting my time by being painfully efficient). Here is how I do it, with time stamps and details.

This week I am marking this newsletter down to the lowest annual price I am allowed, $30 for the entire year. I would love for you to join our community as we ramp it up in the next few months. It’s gonna be a wild ride with more audio and video content and all sorts of delicious new things.