Today I’m looking at the grey winter sky from my desk and enduring the cold weather, which I’ve been reliably told, is the coldest anyone in Melbourne can remember. In the summer of 2014 the sun is still shining and in each summer of my life before then. I’m keeping warm by remembering them and also by imagining the summer days to come, for they will. I lived for many years in Western Australian where I didn’t own an overcoat, where cotton garments sufficed in winter, although I do remember I owned several woollen jumpers and a raincoat. I grew up at Cronulla, a beachside suburb of Sydney, and spent my free days on the beach, on hot nights my family often slept on the beach. I was born under the sun-sign of Leo. I love hot weather. I love swimming and the beach. Yet, there are good things about winter in Melbourne: hot chocolate, open fires, red wine, steaming soups, and clouds that will blow away. I read on Allen & Unwin’s website that what makes cold days (and nights) magical are: a large sweater, warm tea, (I like my tea scalding as does a favourite character in the novel I am working on), soft socks, a good book and a box of chocolates. Most importantly, while the days are shorter, writing time seems longer.
Each day, summer or winter, if possible I keep to my writing schedule. In the early morning, after my breakfast, I check emails and by 8 a.m. I’m at my desk ready to write until around 12.00 noon.
I read back over the day before’s pages before I start writing. Like most writers, some days are more creative than others. No matter what type of day it is I keep writing.
I consider the hours I spend researching delightful ones. I research as I go along rather than at the beginning of a story. This way I don’t have thousands of words of research that while fascinating is not used. I save many hours of time this way. A well researched story is better than one, that while quicker to write, has errors of fact.
Writing each day is important. It is not necessary to write a certain amount of words but it is necessary to be consistent.
Sunday is my blogging day which I enjoy immensely.
Good writing
Elise x
what elise wrote 