Wednesday, July 12, 2023

Writer Wednesday - A Day in My Life; Reality vs. Fantasy

Hocus Pocus and All That 
with Maureen L. Bonatch
A Day in My Life; Reality vs. Fantasy 
I wear many hats, and a ‘day-job’ day differs from a ‘nurse freelance day’ to an ‘author/writer day,’ but I’m assuming you care more about the glamorous author life that most non-writers envision it to be. Spoiler alert—they’re usually not all that glamorous. 

Granted, there are days like that, the fantastic magical ones that come as close to resembling that ‘cabin in the woods’ (the good kind, not the one where an ax murder shows up) as you’re going to get. Then there’s reality. 

Dream a Little Dream 
We all have them. Whether we write them down and meticulously check off the boxes or we’re mentally following them in our mind. Our To Do list. We usually start each day with grand intentions of wrapping up the day with a sense of accomplishment and a plethora of tasks to complete. Snuggling into bed with a satisfied smile. That’s my fantasy author day. It would go a little bit like this…

Magically Kicking Ass & Taking Names
A fantasy—aka Fantastic Author Day—occurs every now and again. Those days when I’m up at my usual weekday time before most of the world is awake, but my muse is. The words flow onto the page like magic. I spend the morning writing and then devote some time in the afternoon to either editing another story I already have written or writing blog posts, scheduling promotions on Twitter and Facebook, and completing freelance writing assignments.

I make sure to plan a quick easy dinner in the crockpot so I’m not interrupted from my writing too much, and perhaps take my laptop down to my DIY treadmill desk to edit or complete other tasks.

I wrap up the day before the family starts returning home around 3- 3:30 p.m. by clearing out most of the emails that have been accumulating for days. I feel a huge sense of accomplishment for my day. Then my family looks around at the empty cupboards and the unclean house and says, “What did you do all day? Nothing?”
 
Magic Doesn’t Clean The Bathroom
Most of my writing days dance to the beat of a different drum. The day starts out the same way, with an early rise and a To Do list just waiting to be annihilated, but then one of two things happen. Life or Procrastination.

I’m interrupting my writing/editing because I have to go to an appointment, or get groceries, or take the dog to the groomer. Or I realize the house isn’t going to clean itself and end up working out story plotlines as I’m cleaning toilets, or doing laundry. These days often result in a happier, well-fed, clean-clothed family but restless fictional characters. 

One Common Element
Although my days are awkwardly balanced between family, writing, freelance, day job, and life, they all have one thing in common. I’m constantly thinking about writing. Whether it’s a story I’m working on, a new one brewing, a blog post, or freelance articles, my muse never rests. It wakes me up at night, drags me from bed in the morning, and fills my day with stories.

What’s Your Day in the Life?

*Blog previously published on www.maureenbonatch.com

© 2023 Maureen Bonatch All Rights Reserved
Maureen Bonatch believes music can be paired with every mood, laughter is contagious, and caffeine and wine are essential for survival. When she’s not doing the bidding of a feisty Shih Tzu, she’s a mom to twin daughters, exploring the beautiful woods of PA with her hubby and dancing as much as possible. She writes paranormal cozy mysteries as M.L. Bonatch, paranormal romance and other genres as Maureen Bonatch, and her latest urban fantasy will be as Amber Wrath. http://www.maureenbonatch.com/

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