A Day in the Life of Cozy Mystery Author Lois Winston
By Lois Winston
Did you ever have one of those days where you look back and wonder what you accomplished between starting your day and ending it? You check your word count for the day and ask yourself how you could have accomplished so little. Where did the time go? Admit it. We’ve all been there. It’s amazing how all those miniscule tasks that interrupt us throughout the day add up to hours of unproductive nonwriting. When that happens, I turn into a grump.
I’m not someone who has to pound out a set number of words a day. If I can write one scene that I’m happy with, I feel as though I’ve accomplished something. More than one scene? All the better. On average, though, I tend to write about 1,000 words a day—on a good day. Those are the days that end with me feeling that I’ve accomplished something and made headway on my work-in-progress. My day ends with a smile instead of the grumps.
If I could do that every day, I’d be able to write a book every nine or ten weeks. Too often, though, the opposite is true. There are days when so much of the minutia of life takes over that I’m lucky if I’ve hammered out a paragraph on that WIP. But sometimes, I don’t even add a sentence.
So where does my time go? My babies spread their wings and flew the coop decades ago. I no longer juggle three careers simultaneously. (Yes, three! As the Brits say, needs must.) I now have the luxury of being able to do nothing but write all day. Except…
Let’s pull back the curtain and look at an average day in the life of cozy mystery author Lois Winston.
My day begins with typical morning rituals. I wake up (usually far too early), brush my teeth, empty the dishwasher, make breakfast, and eat breakfast while watching the morning news (research!) Then I shower, dress, and head upstairs to my office where I power up my computer and check my book sales. Seeing overnight sales puts a smile on my face. It’s a great way to start the day. No sales? Not so great.
Next comes Wordle. I can’t really start my day before doing Wordle and the NY Times mini crossword. They trigger the firing of all those brain synapses. Except lately I’ve also become obsessed with Connections….
I then check my email. It’s not unusual to find my mailbox filled with fifty or sixty emails that have come in since I went to bed. Most of the emails are writing-related, but there are also quite a few from committees I’m on at church, a few from friends and family, and of course, all those places that bombard you with ads after you’ve purchased something online. And that’s not even counting the spam from Nigerian princes and marketing companies claiming they know someone in Hollywood interested in turning my books into movies. Delete. Delete Delete.
By the time I skim all the emails and answer the ones that need answering, it’s time for a second cup of coffee. But there are days when I need that second cup before I’ve finished with the overnight emails. While the coffee is brewing, I throw in a load of wash.
Before I know it, it’s 10am. Depending on the day, I’ve been up for a minimum of three hours. Usually more because I’m a woman of a certain age, and a full night’s sleep is a distant memory.
More emails have arrived, and I go through them while drinking my coffee. By this point I’m stiff from sitting so long. I jump on the treadmill for half an hour.
I then need to run to the post office to mail a book to a contest winner. There’s one main post office in our city of approximately 85,000 residents. The line is fifteen deep, and there’s only one clerk behind the counter.
Half an hour later, I’m back in my car and realize I need to stop at the supermarket before going home. We used up the last of the milk at breakfast, and I hate drinking black coffee. We’ve also run out of fresh fruit and veggies.
When I arrive home, I put the food away and throw the wash into the dryer. I still can’t begin my writing day because I had agreed to judge a synopsis and three chapters of an unpublished work for a contest. I read the work, then spend half an hour composing a constructive critique that hopefully, won’t make the writer burst out in tears. Although her manuscript needs lots of work, we all had to start somewhere, and my first attempt was no better.
By now, it’s lunchtime. I grab a yogurt, slice an apple, and read the morning newspaper while eating lunch. Afterwards, I load the dishwasher while I brew another cup of coffee. Decaf this time.
Coffee in hand, I head back to my office, finally ready to start writing, but before I can write anything new, I always reread what I wrote yesterday.
The dryer buzzer goes off before I finish reading. I dash downstairs to pull the clothes out of the dryer, so they don’t wrinkle.
I finally get back to my computer, finish reading and begin to write. Two paragraphs later, I remember I have a blog that’s supposed to run tomorrow, and I never wrote it. I open a fresh document and try to think of something pithy to write for the post.
After another hour, the blog is written and uploaded. I go back to my WIP and suddenly find myself staring at a blinking cursor. I jump back on the treadmill for another half hour because if the words aren’t coming, at least I can walk off some calories and maybe while doing so, inspiration will strike.
After grabbing a glass of ice water, I head back to my computer. The words begin to flow. I’m in the zone. Until I happen to glance at the clock and realize, it’s nearly dinner time. Once dinner is cooked, eaten, and the dishwasher is loaded, I collapse onto the sofa to watch the evening news and Jeopardy! Depending on the night, I either continue watching TV or read a book. Eventually, I call it a night—after dealing with more emails.
Total word count for the day? Nowhere near a thousand. I resign myself to the fact that it was one of those days. I go to bed a grump, hoping I’ll be more productive tomorrow. At least we have milk, fruit, and veggies in the fridge, and I won’t have to make a trip to the post office. But…
As I turn off the light, a reminder pops up on my phone, alerting me to a doctor’s appointment tomorrow.
How’s your day going? Post a comment for a chance to win a promo code (US and UK residents only) for a free audiobook download of any of the Anastasia Pollack Crafting Mysteries.
~*~
USA Today and Amazon bestselling and award-winning author Lois Winston writes mystery, romance, romantic suspense, chick lit, women’s fiction, children’s chapter books, and nonfiction. Kirkus Reviews dubbed her critically acclaimed Anastasia Pollack Crafting Mystery series, “North Jersey’s more mature answer to Stephanie Plum.” Seams Like the Perfect Crime is her latest release in the series. In addition, Lois is a former literary agent and an award-winning craft and needlework designer who often draws much of her source material for both her characters and plots from her experiences in the crafts industry. Learn more about Lois and her books at her website www.loiswinston.com. Sign up for her newsletter to receive an Anastasia Pollack Crafting Mini-Mystery.
Officer Friendly by Saralyn Richard
/in Uncategorized/by Saralyn RichardIn the business of writing mysteries, a person can hardly avoid the police. I know. I’ve written seven mysteries, eight if you include my children’s book, which is a bit of a mystery. Throughout the journey, I’ve relied on advice from various law enforcement personnel to help me tell an authentic, believable story.
Sometimes I consult with coroners, sheriffs, jailers, FBI agents, or courtroom professionals, but the people I have the most questions for are police officers, and, fortunately, I’ve never met a single one who turned me down.
I even received a phone call once from the Chief of Police in West Brandywine, the real-life version of Chief Paul Schrik, who heard I was writing about his department, and wanted to make sure his officers were giving me good information.
Depending on which U.S. state the story takes place in, I may need specific procedural information that requires consultation with experts. For example, in some states, there are coroners, while in others there are medical examiners. Certain crimes may be misdemeanors in one state, but felonies in another.
One of the bright lights in my research work is a dear friend, who happens to be a captain in the local police force. I met him when he was teaching a class in criminal justice next door to my class in creative writing. Over the years he’s responded to my calls for literary assistance hundreds of times. There’s probably more of him in Detective Parrott or Sergeant Schmidt than anyone else on the planet.
This week I had the pleasure of visiting the local police station, where historical artifacts lie in glass cases and on the walls. I met with a dispatcher and lieutenant, who permitted me to ask questions and take photos. They also pointed me in the direction of a wonderful Facebook group of retired police officers, who maintain a bank of historical information in their heads.
Everyone has been super friendly and accommodating. They apparently have a vested interest in the veracity of my portrayal of the department, and I couldn’t be happier to have them as partners.
The book takes place in 1903 Galveston, when the city was rebuilding after the Great Storm of 1900, still the most devastating disaster on U.S. soil in history. Here are some photos I took.
If you have any stories to share about immigrants, hurricanes, or crime at that time in history, please share them with me at saralyn@saralynrichard.com.
Saralyn Richard writes award-winning mysteries that pull back the curtain on settings like elite country manor houses and disadvantaged urban high schools. Her works include the Detective Parrott mystery series, Bad Blood Sisters, Mrs. Oliver’s Twist, A Murder of Principal, and Naughty Nana, a children’s book. An active member of International Thriller Writers and Mystery Writers of America, Saralyn teaches creative writing and literature. Her favorite thing about being an author is interacting with readers like you. For more information, check https://saralynrichard.com.
REMEMBERING MADAME CURIE
/in Uncategorized/by Paula Bensonby Paula Gail Benson
When I was growing up, my mother, a schoolteacher, and I spent summers with her family. (My father joined us if his work permitted.) One of Mom’s sisters subscribed to the Readers Digest condensed books series and gave me a volume that contained Eve Curie’s biography of her mother, Marie. Madame Curie made a lasting impression upon me, both as the story of a woman driven to obtain an education and as a daughter’s tribute.
Pierre and Marie Curie
Wikipedia
I clearly remember reading about Marie becoming so consumed by her studies in Paris that she forgot to eat, except maybe some cherries. Her compulsion was discovered when she fainted while with companions and her sister quickly acted to restore Marie’s health. I must admit, I have never been so obsessed with studying that I forgot to eat; however, I’ve been fortunate. I’ve always been able to go to school. In Poland, where Marie grew up, women were not allowed in institutions of higher education. She attended a clandestine “Floating University.”
Also, I remember the unfortunate circumstances by which Pierre Curie died—being struck by a horse-drawn vehicle as he crossed the street and his skull being crushed by a wheel. His death devastated Marie. When she was offered his professorial position, she addressed the first class beginning with the sentence he had last spoken.
This week, I watched the movie Madame Curie that was based on Eve Curie’s biography and starred Greer Garson and Walter Pidgeon. I recognized glimpses of what I remembered from the book, but I also noticed a few Hollywood touches, particularly romantic elements to appeal to an audience.
What the book did not tell was a relationship Marie had with a fellow scientist, Paul Langevin, after Pierre’s death. According to Wikipedia, Langevin was a married man who was estranged from his wife. The press portrayed Marie as a “foreign Jewish homewrecker” (her family was not Jewish). The news of the affair broke while she was away at a conference. She arrived home to find an angry mob at her door and, with her daughters, had to take refuge in a friend’s house.
Additionally, I learned that Pierre and Marie initially were buried with his family, then later, to honor their achievements, they were exhumed and interred in the Paris Pantheon. Because of their exposure to radium, their remains were encased in lead-lined coffins. According to Wikipedia, Marie Curie’s papers, including her cookbooks, also have been contaminated by radioactivity. Those wishing to consult them must wear protective clothing.
Eve Curie
Wikipedia
I looked up information about Eve Curie and found she was the member of her family who was not scientifically inclined. Instead, she gravitated toward literature and the arts. Her husband became the Executive Director of UNICEF and she was known as UNICEF’s first lady. According to Eve Curie’s Wikipedia article: “She sometimes joked that she brought shame on her family. ‘There were five Nobel Prizes in my family’, she joked, ‘two for my mother, one for my father, one for [my] sister and brother-in-law and one for my husband. Only I was not successful.’”
I would disagree. Eve Curie’s words have been an important part of educating people about her mother’s legacy.
Plotting a Murder
/in Families, How to Write, humor, Mysteries, Short Stories, writing life/by Bethany MainesPlotting all the Plots
Recently, I came across a call for a short story anthology focused on murder mysteries that took place in the workplace. However, the stipulation was that the death be dependent on that working situation. As a graphic designer, unless I accidentally stab my business partner to death with my college-era bone folder because she kerned too tightly, I don’t foresee a lot of work-related deaths in my future. So I had to look further afield, or at least into other fields of work, for my murderous plotting.
But having eyed my business partner for death once, I decided that she could be a useful resource – not as a dead body (she was relieved to hear this), but as a contact point for her brother, who works for a railroad. After all, with so much big machinery, a railroad seems a viable location for dangerous deaths. Now, who to kill and how?
As we took our lunch break on a nearby beach, we discussed the whys and wherefores of offing someone. I believe we frightened an older couple with a Yorkie. Saying, “yes, but who should we kill?” is probably not the conversation they were expecting to overhear. Once we had come up with a viable reason to kill someone, we needed a how.
Don’t Put Plotting on Your Brother’s Work Phone
But we also needed to figure out how to ask her brother, because as it turns out, his work provides his phone. Which means that, should there be a problem, his tech support can view his messages. Plotting a murder over text is probably not something he would appreciate having on record. So my business partner accepted the mission to discover how to kill someone at the railroad. She performed this clandestine operation with the simple application of… a phone call. Fortunately, her brother, once he understood the assignment, was more than happy to share a myriad of ways to off a co-worker. And whew! did he have some doozies!
So… How does it happen?
I can’t tell you that! However, I must admit that I had not even realized that death in this manner was a thing that could happen. I was expecting “run over by a train” not baked from… nope, nope, nope, not spilling the manner of death. I’ll keep it close to the vest until I’ve got a story to go with it.
But if you want something funny and dangerous to read sooner than that, you can check out…
Release Date: 9/22
Tech investor Asher Valkyrie hired Harper Smoak to be his fake girlfriend for stress-free social events, but the faux-relationship quickly sends real sparks flying. What began as a simple arrangement soon turns into a high-stakes game of love and survival when Ash’s lies begin to unravel.
LEARN MORE: https://amzn.to/3XEL9id
**
And don’t forget to check out books from all the Stiletto Gang members: Books
What Ever Happened to …?
/in Author Life, Baseball, Families, Gay Yellen, Inspiration, memories, Samantha Newman Romantic Mystery series/by Gay YellenWhatever happened to the classmates in your old school yearbooks?
What happened to their dreams? And what happened to yours? Are all the memories tucked away in a box somewhere, or proudly displayed on your bookshelf? Have you looked at them lately and reminisced? Or were those years best left to be forgotten?
… What to do with these old books book now?
My Dad had saved only one annual from his small town high school. Seeing his teenage smile was a moment to savor.
But, hidden among the pages was something truly wonderful, something I had overlooked when I was hurriedly packing them up.
The dreams of a young man from a small town
And that’s when I found the clipping from an old newspaper.
You see, my father once told me that his first ambition in life was to become a pro baseball player.
After he died, I remembered seeing an old newspaper clipping with the headline “Ace Yellen Does it Again.” I don’t know what happened to that article. I hope it shows up someday. But for now, I’m planning to frame the one I rescued from his yearbook that day as I was about to leave the books there.
In case you can’t read the fine print, the article reports that in this game, he’d pitched an 8-0 shutout and hit a home run. And a double, too. No wonder he loved baseball. Apparently, he was pretty darn good at it.
It’s funny what happens when you start to see your parents as young people, after they’re gone. As a writer, I’m suddenly getting an urge to merge parts of their stories into something I’d like to write. Who knows? Perhaps Ace Yellen will spring to life in one of them and hit a walk-off homer.
Have you looked through your old yearbooks lately?
Gay Yellen’s award-winning writing career began in magazine journalism. She later served as the contributing editor for the international thriller, Five Minutes to Midnight (Delacorte), which debuted as a New York Times “Notable.”
Her multi-award-winning Samantha Newman Mystery Series is packed with suspense and laced with touches of romance, heart, and humor. Available on Amazon or through your favorite bookseller.
The Games People Play & the Value of Improvisation
/in Donnell Ann Bell, Author Life, How to Write, Ideas, writing life/by Donnell Ann BellFor a while now, Lois Winston, Stiletto Gang member and critique partner, and I have been sharing our Wordle and Connections results. Typically, we have no problem with Wordle. (We’re pretty adept at words.) However, when it comes to Connections, it’s a glorious day when I get all four rows right, and there are times I lose altogether. My husband, who is a linear thinker, gave up on Connections completely. He continues to work the New York Times crossword puzzles and Sudoku. My son and daughter, ages 38 and 41, work Wordle and Connections with us and we compare results. It’s a terrific way to hear from your adult kids each day.
I work Connections because, even if I bomb, I like to see where the editor was going with the clues. It’s educational, right?
Know something else that’s educational? Improvisation.
Have you ever watched the game show Whose Line is it Anyway? The program ran for twenty-two seasons, beginning in 2013, ending in 2024. In each episode, these talented comedians and actors, featuring Drew Carey, Aisha N. Tyler, Ryan Lee Style, Colin Mochrie, Wayne Brady, musicians Laura Hall and Linda Taylor, along with other guest stars, performed and excelled at Improvisation.
Acting as host, Carey, and later Tyler, gave the crew a scenario in which they were required to act out skits for points. Other times they were tasked with putting lyrics to music. The show, performed in front of a live audience (who often got into the act), was a hit because the members were so outrageously funny and the cast so good at thinking off the cuff and ad-libbing.
Years ago, I belonged to Toastmasters and reached the level of Competent Communicator. During meetings there is a section called Table Topics. Table Topics was created to help members get comfortable with public speaking. Members are given an unrehearsed topic and must discuss it in front of others for two minutes. As an introvert, I found Table Topics unbelievably hard, which is no doubt why I was so impressed with Whose Line is it Anyway?
As a writer, I love improvisation, especially when I have time to sit back and think about it. I ran a group a while back in which I would assign five random words and the start of a sentence. I took the words from the Merriam-Webster Deluxe Dictionary and the start of a sentence from a book off the shelf.
The instructions for my game were simple. Create a paragraph or two using the five random words. Participants were free to start with the sentence or further inside their narrative.
I think those who participated found the game fun and muse-inspiring. Several wrote exceptional paragraphs; some created short stories.
Would you like an example? Would you like to play a game?
Here’s how it works:
Finish this sentence: Nothing explained the. . .
Five Random Words:
Damage
Firepit
Mirror
Plumbing
Stretch
Do you enjoy playing games? Love a challenge? Be sure to comment here about the games you play. Feel free to work my improv and send it to me at www.donnellannbell.net/contact If I get enough responses, I’ll post three submissions on my next Stiletto Gang blog date, and with your permission, cite you as the author. For purposes of this contest, let’s keep the length to 250 words.
Happy thinking outside the box!
About the Author: Donnell Ann Bell is an award-winning author who began her nonfiction career in newspapers. After she turned to fiction, her romantic suspense novels became Amazon bestsellers, including The Past Came Hunting, Deadly Recall, Betrayed, and Buried Agendas. In 2019, Donnell released her first mainstream suspense, Black Pearl, A Cold Case Suspense, which was a 2020 Colorado Book Award finalist. In 2022, book two of the series was released. Until Dead, A Cold Case Suspense won Best Thriller in 2023 at the Imaginarium Conference in Louisville, Kentucky. Currently, she’s working on book three of the series. Readers can follow Donnell on her blog or sign up for her newsletter at www.donnellannbell.net.
Permission to Put Yourself First
/in Author Life/by Sparkle Abbeyby Sparkle Abbey
During one of our weekly coffee chats, we found ourselves ruminating over the realization that we were busier now than we were when we both had 9-to-5 jobs. How was it that even with the best of intentions, we were distracted by new ideas, pursuing new dreams, and spending time with our families, that we had once again forgotten to prioritize caring for ourselves?
So, here are the three habits we challenged ourselves to kickstart over 30 days.
1. Picture the Day You Want
Take ten quiet minutes in the morning (before the day gets away from you) and imagine how you want it to unfold. What do you want to get done? Who do you want to connect with? How do you want to feel when you crawl into bed at night?
You don’t need a journal or a timer — just a moment with your thoughts while the coffee brews.
Not sure where to start? Try asking:
And then, the important part: take one step to make it happen.
2. Watch That Inner Dialogue
We’ve both caught ourselves thinking things like, “Maybe it’s too late to start something new,” or “Someone else is already doing that.” But we’ve also learned this: thoughts like that aren’t helpful, and frankly, we don’t have time for them anymore.
So now, when those sneaky little thoughts creep in, we ask: would we say that to our best friend? Of course not.
Start tracking those negative whispers in your mind, and swap them for kinder ones. Even something as small as “I love how the smell of my coffee makes me smile” can shift the whole mood of your day.
3. Treat Your Body Like a Friend
It’s time to get real: living our best lives requires us to feel well. That doesn’t mean a two-hour run or a strict diet you’ll only stick to for three days. It means treating our bodies with the same care we treat our best friends.
Here are a few things we’ve started doing (and they’re not hard, we promise):
All the little things matter. And by stacking the little things, they add up quickly.
What about you? Are there any habits or actions you think we should try?
Sparkle Abbey is the pseudonym of mystery authors Mary Lee Woods and Anita Carter. They’ve chosen to use Sparkle Abbey as their pen name on this series because they liked the idea of combining the names of their two rescue pets – Sparkle (ML’s cat) and Abbey (Anita’s dog).
The authors co-write the best-selling Pampered Pets Mystery Series, which focuses on the wacky world of precious pedigrees, pampered pooches, and secrets in posh Laguna Beach, California. The main characters and amateur sleuths are Texas cousins, Caro Lamont, a pet therapist, and Melinda Langston, a pet boutique owner. The two would join forces and work together if they were speaking, but they’re not. Midwest Book Review calls the series “A sassy and fun mystery!”
Clicking Our Heels – Jobs Each of Us Would Never Want
/in Clicking Our Heels, The Stiletto Gang/by DebraIn addition to being authors, many of the Stiletto Gang members have or still are working other day jobs. Some of the jobs include government worker, judge, graphic designer, police officer, newspaper reporter, and realtor. Because most of us thrived with our chosen duo career paths, we thought an interesting Clicking Our Heels would be what job or profession each of us would never want.
Donalee Moulton – Cod dewormer. Really, really don’t want to do this.
Gay Yellen – Garbageman. Imagine smelling the stink of it all day, every day, for years and years.
Judy Penz Sheluk – Flight attendant. I absolutely hate airports and flying, not to mention that I’m a complete homebody. Plus, I’d have to put up with all sorts of rude or entitled behavior, and smile while doing it. Not sure I’d be equal to that task.
Anita Carter – Anything medical. I don’t have the stomach for it.
Debra H. Goldstein – Being only a retiree. I’d go crazy.
Mary Lee Ashford – I know some people say they would never want to waitress. Or work in retail. Or man a front desk. I’ve done all those and found them both challenging and entertaining. They are fabulous jobs for observing people. There are a couple of professions that I would not want to take on, though: Stockbroker – too stressful. Factory worker – too monotonous. And I think I’d be horrible at both.
Paula Benson – I admire greatly the women who were the “human computers” in Hidden Figures, but I could not imagine undertaking their responsibilities.
Bethany Maines – Anything in corporate middle management. The cubicle is not my friend.
Donnell Ann Bell – I don’t think I would want the job of a police officer. They require nerves of steel, a heart of gold, patience of a saint, and courage when they’re most afraid.
Saralyn Richard – When I taught public speaking to high schoolers, I challenged them to come up with an occupation that doesn’t require good speaking skills. To my surprise, one student said, “I know one! A fisherman.” I had to smile. Although I pointed out that the fisherman must use speaking skills to sell his fish, the student had a point. So, I wouldn’t want to be a fisherman. Hours of silence would not be healthy for a person with many stories to tell. Also, I wouldn’t want to bait my own hooks.
T.K. Thorne – A cashier has always seemed an awful way to make a living, but my cousin has done it for many years and enjoys the interactions with people, so maybe it is not as bad as some jobs where you are isolated from that altogether. Our world has changed with the ability to work remotely, but I think that may take a toll on us eventually. Like everything else, it has positive and negative consequences.
Lois Winston – I would never want to be a politician because no matter what you do or don’t do, you always have too many people angry with you.
Enough about me…here’s more about me
/in Judy Penz Sheluk, Anthologies, Interview/by Judy Penz ShelukHere’s the thing. While most chatter on the course revolves around golf, there’s always a bit of personal stuff thrown in, especially if you’ve golfed together a few times over the past five years. But there’s one lady, who shall remain nameless, that fits into a category I like to call “Enough about me, here’s more about me.” You know the type. Everything is, well, about them. In fact, the lady in question often forgets to even ask (over 9 holes and 2+ hours) a simple “How are you?”
Now, I like to think I’m not one of those people (though on my website “About” page, I do have a list of podcasts and articles listed under, you guessed it, “Enough about me, here’s more about me.” And because, let’s face it, part of the reason authors blog is to shamelessly self-promote their latest book, award, or podcast news. And so, only somewhat shamefacedly, I give you my August “Enough about me, here’s more about me.” Thanks for indulging me.
House of Mystery on NBC
And in award news…
Killer Nashville Silver Falchion Award
And because fair is fair, leave a comment if you want to do some “enough about me-ing” too. After all, us shameless self-promoters have to stick together.
When Truths Collide (Part 2)
/in Thorne, Uncategorized/by TK Thorne“Everything is true but false, all at once,” Jim Reed wrote in his tiny treasure of random thoughts, “What More Can I Say?”
The serendipity and resonance of the Universe are startling.
Or, Dang, I’ve been thinking about that!
SEE MORE
A Day in the Life of a Cozy Mystery Author Lois Winston
/in Author Life, amateur sleuth mysteries, Cozy Mysteries, crafting cozies, Lois Winston, women sleuths, writing life/by Lois WinstonBy Lois Winston
Did you ever have one of those days where you look back and wonder what you accomplished between starting your day and ending it? You check your word count for the day and ask yourself how you could have accomplished so little. Where did the time go? Admit it. We’ve all been there. It’s amazing how all those miniscule tasks that interrupt us throughout the day add up to hours of unproductive nonwriting. When that happens, I turn into a grump.
I’m not someone who has to pound out a set number of words a day. If I can write one scene that I’m happy with, I feel as though I’ve accomplished something. More than one scene? All the better. On average, though, I tend to write about 1,000 words a day—on a good day. Those are the days that end with me feeling that I’ve accomplished something and made headway on my work-in-progress. My day ends with a smile instead of the grumps.
If I could do that every day, I’d be able to write a book every nine or ten weeks. Too often, though, the opposite is true. There are days when so much of the minutia of life takes over that I’m lucky if I’ve hammered out a paragraph on that WIP. But sometimes, I don’t even add a sentence.
So where does my time go? My babies spread their wings and flew the coop decades ago. I no longer juggle three careers simultaneously. (Yes, three! As the Brits say, needs must.) I now have the luxury of being able to do nothing but write all day. Except…
Let’s pull back the curtain and look at an average day in the life of cozy mystery author Lois Winston.
My day begins with typical morning rituals. I wake up (usually far too early), brush my teeth, empty the dishwasher, make breakfast, and eat breakfast while watching the morning news (research!) Then I shower, dress, and head upstairs to my office where I power up my computer and check my book sales. Seeing overnight sales puts a smile on my face. It’s a great way to start the day. No sales? Not so great.
Next comes Wordle. I can’t really start my day before doing Wordle and the NY Times mini crossword. They trigger the firing of all those brain synapses. Except lately I’ve also become obsessed with Connections….
I then check my email. It’s not unusual to find my mailbox filled with fifty or sixty emails that have come in since I went to bed. Most of the emails are writing-related, but there are also quite a few from committees I’m on at church, a few from friends and family, and of course, all those places that bombard you with ads after you’ve purchased something online. And that’s not even counting the spam from Nigerian princes and marketing companies claiming they know someone in Hollywood interested in turning my books into movies. Delete. Delete Delete.
Before I know it, it’s 10am. Depending on the day, I’ve been up for a minimum of three hours. Usually more because I’m a woman of a certain age, and a full night’s sleep is a distant memory.
More emails have arrived, and I go through them while drinking my coffee. By this point I’m stiff from sitting so long. I jump on the treadmill for half an hour.
I then need to run to the post office to mail a book to a contest winner. There’s one main post office in our city of approximately 85,000 residents. The line is fifteen deep, and there’s only one clerk behind the counter.
Half an hour later, I’m back in my car and realize I need to stop at the supermarket before going home. We used up the last of the milk at breakfast, and I hate drinking black coffee. We’ve also run out of fresh fruit and veggies.
When I arrive home, I put the food away and throw the wash into the dryer. I still can’t begin my writing day because I had agreed to judge a synopsis and three chapters of an unpublished work for a contest. I read the work, then spend half an hour composing a constructive critique that hopefully, won’t make the writer burst out in tears. Although her manuscript needs lots of work, we all had to start somewhere, and my first attempt was no better.
By now, it’s lunchtime. I grab a yogurt, slice an apple, and read the morning newspaper while eating lunch. Afterwards, I load the dishwasher while I brew another cup of coffee. Decaf this time.
Coffee in hand, I head back to my office, finally ready to start writing, but before I can write anything new, I always reread what I wrote yesterday.
The dryer buzzer goes off before I finish reading. I dash downstairs to pull the clothes out of the dryer, so they don’t wrinkle.
I finally get back to my computer, finish reading and begin to write. Two paragraphs later, I remember I have a blog that’s supposed to run tomorrow, and I never wrote it. I open a fresh document and try to think of something pithy to write for the post.
After another hour, the blog is written and uploaded. I go back to my WIP and suddenly find myself staring at a blinking cursor. I jump back on the treadmill for another half hour because if the words aren’t coming, at least I can walk off some calories and maybe while doing so, inspiration will strike.
After grabbing a glass of ice water, I head back to my computer. The words begin to flow. I’m in the zone. Until I happen to glance at the clock and realize, it’s nearly dinner time. Once dinner is cooked, eaten, and the dishwasher is loaded, I collapse onto the sofa to watch the evening news and Jeopardy! Depending on the night, I either continue watching TV or read a book. Eventually, I call it a night—after dealing with more emails.
Total word count for the day? Nowhere near a thousand. I resign myself to the fact that it was one of those days. I go to bed a grump, hoping I’ll be more productive tomorrow. At least we have milk, fruit, and veggies in the fridge, and I won’t have to make a trip to the post office. But…
As I turn off the light, a reminder pops up on my phone, alerting me to a doctor’s appointment tomorrow.
How’s your day going? Post a comment for a chance to win a promo code (US and UK residents only) for a free audiobook download of any of the Anastasia Pollack Crafting Mysteries.
~*~