Changing How I Work

Generally when I send in a manuscript I take some time off from writing while I wait to hear from my editor.  But once I realized I had three books to write before the fall, I started working on the next manuscript in the writer- for- hire series before I even got editorial comments on the first book. 

I also realized I had to change how I worked.  I needed to find more hours in the day that I could depend on being able to work.   I’ve had the habit of writing in a journal in the morning while I drink coffee.  A couple of hours can go by without me even noticing.  So I commandeered that time to work on the next manuscript.

My initial plan included getting dressed first and that worked for a couple of days, but for the past two I’ve started out still in nightwear.  It’s an effort to change habits, but I put the coffee on and push myself to the computer.  I drink coffee and write, just something different.  I know that it will take a few weeks, but then it’s just feel like the normal thing to do.  Already the time has gone from two hours to three or four.

And then when someone interrupts me with something, or I find out when he arrives that Jakey is coming over, I don’t get that horrible feeling that I should be doing something else.

Today it was the coronavirus thing and the CDC person’s advice to stock up on things in case there is a problem with supplies.  My son and I went to Costco and left with two full carts of things like toilet paper and peanut butter.  I’m supposed to go to Chicago next week.  I wonder how that’s going to be?  There’s so much information floating around but nobody really seems to know what’s going on.

I flew a week after 9/11 and as I recall the plane wasn’t very crowded. I wonder if this flight will be the same.  The information about flying and illness is all over the place.  On one hand I read that its flying in a metal tub full of germs and then the next article talks about how the air is so filtered.  Knock on wood, I’ve never gotten sick after flying.  LAX is getting sprayed with some kind of disinfectant every hour.  I’m wondering if the cure is worse than the problem.

My attitude is we got supplies in case there is a problem, but other than that let life go on.