Today is a special day here on the blog, we have a great guest post and giveaway for you. Enjoy!
Today I am super excited to have the author of The Trial Rules with us, today she is sharing a glimpse into her day with us.
I’m a firm believer in routine. There’s a saying that it takes three weeks to establish a new habit, and it gets easier to maintain after that point. (But it’s oh-so easy to slip out of habits.) Writing is part of my daily routine, and while I may not write new words every day, I sit in my chair at the same time every day so my body doesn’t fall out of the habit.
Mornings are my preferred time, for a couple reasons. Most importantly, I like to sit down with my characters before the outside world has had a chance to stomp around inside my head. I don’t check my phone, I don’t turn on the TV—I just grab a cup of tea and settle into my writing chair with my laptop.
Mornings are also great because by 8am, I can check ‘write’ off my to-do list. (Yes, I put ‘write’ on my to-do list for every weekday.) Before I got into this routine, I wrote whenever it fit into my schedule and all day I had this thing hanging over me, and the little voice in my head wouldn’t shut up that I still needed to get my daily words. Now I start the day feeling accomplished.
(Side note: I don’t want to give the impression that I’m some magical being that never oversleeps or gets distracted online or has an early appointment. Those things happen. What I’m describing is my ideal; what 95% of my mornings look like.)
When I’m actively writing a book, my goal is 1000 words per day, which is roughly four pages. Since my novels end up being around 75,000 words, in a perfect world I can write a novel in 75 days. But life and other interests are always fighting for my time—and some days I can only eke out 250 words—so it typically takes 4-6 months for me to finish a first draft.
When I’m between books (like I am right now), I still drag my butt out of bed at 6:30 and settle into my writing chair to cuddle with my laptop. Whether it’s book promo (like this!) or other business-y things, I still use this time for writing-related activities. That way when I’m ready to dive into edits or write my next book, my body doesn’t fight it.
The Trial Rules by Melanie Hooyenga
Publisher: Left-Handed Mitten Publications
Published Date: March 9th 2018
Pages: 294 pages
Goodreads * Amazon *
Junior year’s looking up for sixteen-year old Mike. Her new BFF isn’t a sadistic control freak, her boyfriend adores her, and she’s learning to bike in the mountains without decapitating herself on a tree.Well, almost.When she meets a group of riders who welcome her into their pack, she feels like she’s finally found where she belongs. One particular rider—a boy with an amazing smile and an even more amazing ability to see what she’s truly capable of—gives her the confidence to go after what she wants: her own life with her own rules.There’s only one problem—he’s not her boyfriend.Just as things seem to be falling into place, her parents put on the pressure to figure out her future—one that doesn’t include riding. Mike soon realizes that having everything isn’t that great when she’s not the one choosing it. She needs to decide if she’s going to continue to be a follower or step out of the shadows and find her own trail.
Multi-award winning young adult author Melanie Hooyenga first started writing as a teenager and finds she still relates best to that age group. She has lived in Washington DC, Chicago, and Mexico, but has finally settled down in her home state of Michigan. When not at her day job as a Communications Director at a nonprofit, you can find Melanie attempting to wrangle her Miniature Schnauzer Owen and playing every sport imaginable with her husband Jeremy.
This giveaway has two prizes!
- One (1) winner will receive a physical copy of The Trail Rules (US Only)
- One (1) winner will receive a digital copy of The Trail Rules (INT)
