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Goodness, that was a hard day.  Remember how non-writers imagine that writing involves sitting down somewhere picturesque, refreshments to hand, and waiting for inspiration to strike?  I learned fairly early on in the Sam series that it doesn’t work that way – or at least, only on a few blessed days a year – and the rest of time it comes down to discipline and bloody-mindedness.  Today was a discipline day.

I have taken to blocking out days in my diary for writing, on the grounds that if I wait until a free day presents itself, it never does.  The upside is that I do get writing time.  The downside is that I have to use it for writing, otherwise it’s a terrible waste.  Today was a writing day and so I allowed myself only until 8.30 am to clear any “day job” work and then I turned off that computer, left the office and went upstairs to my “study” (i.e. back bedroom, next to the boiler) and my writing computer.  And barring twenty minutes each for elevenses and afternoon teasies and an hour for lunch, I have stuck with it.

I was writing a key chapter – I can’t tell you what, with spoilers and all that – and I did manage to plough my way through it, clocking up just over 1,500 words.  I feel sure that most of them will fall by the wayside later in the process, but I always try to remember one of the most helpful writing tips I know.  I can’t remember where I read it or who said it, but here it is: you can always edit something, but you can’t edit nothing.

And now I’m going to sit in the garden.  Tomorrow is another timetabled writing day – fingers crossed for inspiration!

While I have your attention, may I just remind you that if you sign up here for my free monthly updates on the history behind the Sam books, you will get a free glossary of Regency terms to thank you.  And if you fancy reading the first chapter of each of the Sam books for free, you can find out how on this page.