Hi there! Welcome to March’s Readerly Ramblings. Whether you’re new to my psychological thrillers, or whether you’ve been here for a while, it’s great to have you here. This blog post is also available as a video on my YouTube channel.
As you may know, I’m an author who releases four psychological thrillers each year, which I actively market, and I also teach creative writing. I’m often asked how I fit it all in, so this month, I’m going to talk about my writing day.
As a reader, I love hearing the routines of other writers, and gaining a snapshot of their real lives! We writers are very nosy!
This is one of the things I love about being on TikTok too – that peek into the lives and homes of others! If you’re on TikTok, do follow me there – there’s an awesome community on there for readers. Just search for Maria Frankland.
So this is my typical day:
7am Wake and read for half an hour with a cup of hot water/lemon and ginger.
7.30 to 9:00 Pilates and Yoga on YouTube – 10 minute Daily Calm and breakfast. Does anyone else have the Calm app? It’s awesome, especially for my hyperactive mind that’s always turning plot ideas around!
9.00 to 10:00 Check emails, social media and ads.
10:00 to 1:00 Novel in progress – either 2500 new words or three hours editing/proof reading. Research. (This is where my dodgy Google searches come in – luckily if the police ever come-a-knocking, I can prove I’m a thriller writer!)
1:00 to 2:00 Lunch and a walk – sometimes the only day this pasty writer sees daylight but even then, I’m often listening to a podcast about writing, or turning a plot point around in my head!
2:00 to 6:00 Marketing, planning, ad design, blogging, recording videos, learning, teaching work, admin, etc, etc – the list and the jobs are never-ending!
6:00 to 7:00 Checking emails, social media and ads.
7:00 to 9:00 Legs, Bums & Tums, Body Pump or Circuits at the gym, then dinner.
9:00 to 11:00 Watch crime dramas, yes – I can’t get enough of them. The latest one I’m watching is ‘Our House,’ which is based on a fantastic novel by Louise Candlish.
11:00 Read for as long as I can keep my eyes open!
So yes, as you can see – this writing is very much a full-time job. But I LOVE it and consider myself to be in a very fortunate position to be able to earn a living whilst living out this dream I've had since childhood of being a full time author.
And obviously I have YOU to thank. Without readers, an author is nothing. And my husband - without his support and belief, I wouldn’t have got anywhere near nine novels. I’d probably still be at three books or thereabouts!
I’m just about at a point where I’m going to start giving myself Sundays off! Additionally, I try to take one full day every month where I have an ‘artist’s date’ – I pinched this idea from The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron.
This is where I take myself to somewhere inspirational to fill my ‘creative well.’ And in between looking at an exhibition or a landscape, I give myself lots of opportunity to get amongst people where I can eavesdrop and people watch!
And now for my regular updates:
What I am reading:
Hostage by Claire Mackintosh. This is a fast-paced psychological thriller centred around an aeroplane journey between London and Sydney, which is taken hostage. There’s lots of twists and turns, and I definitely recommend it.
What I am writing:
I’ve just started writing Frenemy, the novel I have planned for release in November. I’m at the first draft stage of writing 2000 words a day. I love this most creative stage where anything could happen!
What I am editing:
I’m putting the finishing touches to In His Shadow, scheduled for release on 1st May. It’s currently out with my awesome Advance Reader Team, who are enjoying it, which is very encouraging! Early feedback is that it is very dark, but then would you expect anything else from me!?
I have three copies of In His Shadow to give away in paperback. If you’d like one, click here to be entered into the prize draw.
I’d like to thank everyone who’s been in touch with feedback about Drowned Voices or even better, left a review on Amazon.
Reviews are one of the driving factors of any author’s success. If you’ve read Drowned Voices, and would like to let me know your thoughts, drop a line (or three!) of your opinion on Amazon by following this link.
Thank you for coming along to my blog and for your interest in my books. I’m grateful to each and every one of you who support me. And you’d make me even happier if you did one of the following…
- Join my ‘keep in touch’ list by clicking this link. I’ll send you a free novella and will be able to keep in touch with you about special offers and new releases more directly.
- Buy me a coffee. If you love my books and would like to add extra fuel to my creativity, visit buymeacoffee.com/mariafrankland. For everyone who buys me a coffee in 2022, I’ll send you a free eBook of a collection of short stories I’m currently working on.
Happy reading and I’ll be back next month with a Yorkshire-themed video about the places my books are set in. Bye for now!
With best wishes, Maria
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