Gillian and Routines

 So, Gillian and I would NOT get along. 

As a part of my prepping for NaNo I'm reading more about other writers and how they work. I read about Gillian Flynn in the WSJ today. She wrote Gone Girl and is writing Utopia now. So, she's super talented, but it's sad to see that she and I would never, ever get along. 

How do you kick off your workweek? Do you zip down to your office?

I’m not a “zipper” of any sort. My husband and I are very well matched in that he is a morning person, so he gets up with the kiddos, who come barreling into our bedroom. I put my head under my pillow, because some of the best writing I ever do is usually from 11 o’clock at night till about 2. I sleep until about 10, then I amble downstairs; I pretend to be a little sheepish for my husband’s sake—like, “Oh, my gosh. Did I sleep in again?”— then some athletes carbo-load; I definitely caffeine-load. First, I have my bowl of cereal, which is Lucky Charms. That’s my ritualistic cereal. I eat all the marshmallows and good stuff. Then, the sweet milk is left, so I pour it into my coffee mug. It’s the most colorful coffee you’ll ever have. And then, I’m embarrassed to say, my second drink of the day is a Cherry Coke Zero. By about 10, 10:30, my Cherry Coke Zero bandwagon begins.

That's the first question and answer in the series and it only get's worse from there. I don't know how anyone could function like this. I just don't get it. 

My best writing? My best writing comes from a long early morning run or walk with Sadie, followed by a cup of coffee and a computer, with quiet in the house before anyone wakes up. usually this occurs on weekends. Everyone else sleeps in and I get to work on the fun writing. Sometimes it happens on weekdays since Covid started. Lately too, I've been working on weekend afternoons and evenings.

I'm gonna need to up my game some for NaNo. I doubt that just weekends will do it through November, but we shall see. 

If you'd like to see the rest of the article, you can find it here: https://www.wsj.com/articles/why-gillian-flynn-gets-her-best-writing-done-after-midnight-11600691875 or for you that do not have a subscription, feel free to write me and I'll send you a copy.