Tyler Omichinski

How I write, Or Fail to

Very recently I had the opportunity, due to a variety of con-fluencing factors, to set out with trying to make a real go of having writing as my career. I freelance, work from home, and pretty much have done nothing but work on my writing career for a few months now. I’m incredibly lucky to have this opportunity and imagine that I will be back at a day job soon. I’ve caught the bug though, and I’m going to be writing no matter what from now on.

So, for right now, here is my daily schedule for writing.

Time unknown: Wake up. Stumble to kitchen, make first espresso of the day.

9:15 am: As espresso permeates blood-brain barrier, watch a little bit of television. Usually The Daily Show.

9:45 am: Second espresso is made. Take it out with me to take “The Young Lord Byron Laskin” (my dog) for a walk. Meander for a while. Listen to a podcast or an audiobook while I do so, and natter inanely to the dog while he puts up with me and deals with far more interesting things, like the raccoon that lives near us.

10:15 am: Get home from walk. Deal with emails, social media, and other stuff. Maybe read some reddit, other articles, etc. Usually open a LOT of tabs of things “To Read.” Notice the number of open tabs that I already have. Ignore them.

11:00 am: Figure out priorities of writing for the day and get to it. Put on my patented Tyler Omichinski Writing Outfit: a black and silver paisley silk scarf and a red terrycloth robe over my clothes that I took the dog for the walk on.

11:05 am: If having a good day, I’m steadily at work. Woo! Otherwise, I’m trying as hard as I can not to keep dealing with emails (at the time of writing I have 54 unread emails staring at me. Must resist Siren’s call).

12:00 am: Lunch and television break. Realize that I haven’t eaten since breakfast. Check webcomics, pieces of news, and usually another social media visitation.

1:15 pm: Realize that I have, again, overstayed my welcome in lunchtime break space. Get stressed. Think about how many deadlines I have coming up, the time I need to spend getting more work, and how I really should do one of a hundred things.

1:30 pm: Actually get to work.

2:30 pm: Usually in the zone by this point. Tear through things for a bit.

3:05 pm: Ask my fiancé what we’re eating for dinner. A fifteen-minute conversation ensues. Make myself tea. Admonish myself for needing more caffeine.

4:15 pm: Work falls off. Quality starts to go down. Question self-worth, and end up spending time reading or working on other things. Attention becomes too divided.

4:47 pm: Start making dinner; resume audiobook or podcast from earlier, or choose another one.

6:00 pm: Dinnertime! Occasionally includes a dance with either Ashley or my dog. Usually a quick bit of television, which is often punctuated by Ashley and I talking over and critiquing whatever we’re watching. We save our “bad television” for this period of time.

7:45 pm: Realize we have watched too much television. Bemoan human foibles. Take the dog out for another walk with audiobook or podcast.

8:35 pm: Evening relaxation time. Usually filled with reading, a quick tidy of our home, etc. Usual evening things.

11:00 pm: Head to bed.

11:25 pm: Finish reading, put on a different audiobook (often, but not always History). Start writing in bed.

Approximately 11:45 pm: Ashley nods off.

Some period between 12:00 am and 4:00 am: Finish writing for the day. Realize that I have a terrible system. Wonder about life’s work. Go to bed.

Tyler is an up-and-coming writer and game designer, whatever that means. He currently writers as a reviewer for a number of different websites including Comix I Read and Roleplayers Chronicle, works as a freelancer slinging words for a few different roleplaying companies, as well as writing for himself. He has recently had a rash of short stories published, and is currently hard at work on his first novel.

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