A Day in the Life of a Dog Writer

5:00 AM: Alarm goes off (read get woken up by wet dog noses). Hit snooze button (read push dogs off bed and bury self deep under covers). Alarm goes off again (read dogs dig under covers and stick cold noses in neck and ear). Get up and take three dogs—one 11 year old Australian Shepherd, one 8 year old Border Collie mix, one 3 year old King Charles Cavalier Spaniel—downstairs to greet the day.

5:30 AM: With everyone fed, watered, and pottied, all traipse back upstairs to the office.  Three bodies settle on dog beds and one body fires up the computer to get going on the day’s writing.

6:30 AM:
Wake daughter for school. Join husband for coffee. Send up my two alarm clocks to finish waking up daughter for school. Kiss husband and daughter on their way out the door.  Take Aussie for her walk.

7:30 AM:
Pick up the house. Start on newspaper article about local dog parks. Gaze out window overlooking fenced backyard and watch dogs play. Laugh. Watch. Laugh. Force self to concentrate on writing.  Finish article. Throw in a load of wash. Write daily pages for fiction book, starring a coyote.

[fusion_builder_container hundred_percent=”yes” overflow=”visible”][fusion_builder_row][fusion_builder_column type=”1_1″ background_position=”left top” background_color=”” border_size=”” border_color=”” border_style=”solid” spacing=”yes” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” padding=”” margin_top=”0px” margin_bottom=”0px” class=”” id=”” animation_type=”” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_direction=”left” hide_on_mobile=”no” center_content=”no” min_height=”none”][expand title=”Read More”]

10:00 AM: Correspond with dog experts to procure quotes for magazine article on dog-bite prevention while folding laundry. Speak with agent while emptying dishwasher. He wants a cover letter for latest proposal package. Write cover letter and email to agent.  Continue internet research for current non-fiction book on dog intelligence. Email editor latest manuscript edits.

12:30 PM: Dogs have had enough of lying around and insist on play time. Balls located, and carried outside. Throw until arm is ready to come out of socket. Rinse and repeat with other arm. Lunch for the two-legged. Kongs for the four-legged.

1:30 PM: Throw in another load of wash. Think about vacuuming, but sun is shining. Head back outside instead. Dig in the vegetable garden with three happy helpers. Percolate more magazine article ideas while pulling weeds.

2:30 PM: Daughter home from school. Hand her a leash in one hand and snack in the other. Take daughter, daughter’s Cavalier, and Border Collie mix for their walk.

3:00 PM: Get done anything and everything else not related to writing.

6:00 PM: Family and animals hang time.

9:30 PM: Last call for daughter and dogs.  Work on a blog post. Read and edit the day’s pages. Make notes for tomorrow’s work. Curl up with a good book until sleep descends.

12:30 AM: Wake up from dream with a great idea for another article.  Jot idea down in notebook on night table. Scratch two furry heads who’ve roused themselves for pets.  Give thanks for a wonderful life. Smile at the thought of getting to do it all over again tomorrow.

[/expand]

[/fusion_builder_column][/fusion_builder_row][/fusion_builder_container]

1 thought on “A Day in the Life of a Dog Writer”

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Scroll to Top