A Day in the Life . . .

ByDeborah Raney
23 Comments

One of the things I love most about my job as a writer is that it is rarely boring. Each day looks a little different and if I get weary of one aspect of my job, there’s always another that’s a little more exciting. Today I thought I’d share a “typical” day in the life of a writer with you. To be honest, there really isn’t such a thing as a typical day for a writer, but last Tuesday was a good example of what my work days often look like.

5 a.m. Yes, my days begin before the sun comes up. Maybe a holdover from my childhood on the farm? Sometimes I wake up even earlier, but I’ve been trying really hard to get a good seven hours’ sleep each night. I just feel so much better when I do. Morning is my time to read devotions and blog posts, answer e-mail, and catch up on correspondence I might have missed the day before. I also check my book sales, check for new reviews, and pay bills or take care of any online banking that might need doing.

6:30 a.m. This is usually our time to go hiking, biking, or if the weather is bad, head down to the treadmill in the “dungeon.” But since we’re in the process of moving, we’ve been using our workout time to pack. It’s really helped to pack up 3 or 4 boxes each day so it doesn’t all hit at once. We have the entire second story packed, and all the books and bookcases downstairs are packed up and ready for the movers to load. That feels like a huge accomplishment in itself! We still have a few weeks to finish packing the main floor.

8-9 a.m. Shower and get ready for the day, then have devotions with Ken. My writing “uniform” is comfy pants and a baggy chambray men’s shirt, but I do put on makeup and wash and dry my hair every morning, even if we aren’t going anywhere. I just don’t feel ready to tackle the day until I have my “face” on and hair done. My hair might go up in a bun before noon, but at least it’s clean and de-tangled. 

9 a.m. A big breakfast. Ken and I try to eat just two meals a day with a small snack in the evening. So breakfast is our biggie! We often cook breakfast together but eat different things. He’s a bacon and eggs guy. I’m more likely to choose oatmeal or yogurt and granola.

9:30 or 10 a.m. I’m at my desk and ready to work. This particular morning involved a series of e-mails between my agent and me about some upcoming possibilities. It is wonderful to have a talented and knowledgable agent to guide my career.  

2 p.m. Over a late lunch of avocado toast, I do some critiquing for my writing critique partner, Tamera Alexander. Tammy is on deadline with her newest book so I’m reading for her almost daily now. And it’s pure pleasure! You’re all going to love her next book!

3 p.m. I’m also on deadline with my own novel, the third book in my Chandler Sisters Novels series. Sadly, not much actual writing has been happening these last few weeks since it’s been really hard to concentrate with all the interruptions moving has created, along with some family things we’ve been going through. And then the galleys came back for Book 2, Chasing Dreams, and everything stops so I can get those proofed and sent back to my editor. This is my last chance to catch any mistakes before the book goes to press.

Next week I have a book club event at our local Christian bookstore where they are reading Reason to Breathe, so I spent some time preparing for that. (I’m also trying to sneak in a supper with two dear long-time friends before the book club begins.)

I’ve also been talking with the wonderful narrator of my Raney Day Press novels this week. Julie Lancelot is so very talented and I love how careful she is to be sure she’s capturing my vision for the books. Her current project is my novel Over the Waters, which is set in Haiti and has provided some challenges for Julie with the Creole language and Haitian accents. Julie is doing an amazing job bringing this book to life!

6 p.m. We usually wait until evening after it’s cooled off a little to work in the yard. We’ve had so much rain here recently that we haven’t had to do much watering at all, but the weeds love the rain, too, so instead of watering, we weed. As long as we keep up with things, it really doesn’t take much to keep the yard looking beautiful. A few minutes of watering each evening (unless God does the watering for us), half an hour of weeding each week, and mowing once a week, which Ken does. The yard provides so much enjoyment and inspiration. I love to work outside on the deck whenever the weather allows! (I’m especially excited about the screened porch at our new house in Missouri!)

8 p.m. After a light snack, we like to end the day chilling with a TV series or a movie on Netflix. We’re usually in bed before 10 p.m. and we both read until we fall asleep…usually before 10:30! Oh yes, we lead an exciting life! 😉 But I wouldn’t have it any other way!

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DEBORAH RANEY's first novel, A Vow to Cherish, inspired the World Wide Pictures film of the same title and launched Deb’s writing career. Forty books later, she's still creating stories that touch hearts and lives. Her novels have won RWA's RITA Award, the ACFW Carol Award, the National Readers Choice Award, and the HOLT Medallion. She is also a four-time Christy Award finalist. Deb is on faculty for several national writers’ conferences and served on the executive board of the 2,500-member American Christian Fiction Writers organization for 18 years before retiring in 2022. She is a recent transplant to Missouri, having moved with her husband, Ken Raney, from their native Kansas to be closer to kids and grandkids. They love road trips, e-biking, Friday garage sale dates, and breakfast on the screened porch overlooking their wooded backyard.

23 Comments

  1. Thanks for sharing. It is fascinating to have a sneak peek into someone else’s daily structure and creative process. I like your idea for moving – pack a little at a time. That sounds like a great way to do it.

    1. Thanks, Rebecca. Glad you enjoyed it! The packing a little at a time is really helping us to feel like we can do this…even at our advanced age! 😉

  2. How fascinating to read about your daily schedule! I was interested to read that you’re packing several boxes every day in anticipation of your move. Since my husband and I are of retirement age, we have many friends who are moving out of homes and into retirement communities; that makes us think about possibly doing the same in the not-too-distant future. Thus I’m paying attention to your helpful hints about moving. Thanks for sharing.

    1. I’m not sure we could do it any other way, Suzanne—except the way where you pay a WHOLE bunch of money to have someone else pack your boxes for you! For a while, the thought of moving out of state was so daunting I wasn’t sure it would ever happen, but we adopted a “do the next thing, and the next, and the next…” attitude that has made all the difference! It’s actually a lot like writing a book! If I think too hard about finishing 90,000 words and getting all the chapters in the right order and making all the characters likable and unique, etc. etc. I’ll never finish another book. But if I just right the next page and then the next…somehow it eventually all comes together. Praying for your decision and eventual move. It helps me to remember that people do this every day and survive! Even thrive! 🙂

  3. As we age, my husband and I realize we need to move from Alabama to Texas to be near our children, and your packing hints will be useful. We tend to look at the whole job which seems overwhelming, but breaking it down into smaller parts will make it doable. I look forward to seeing what you do with your new home because I’ve enjoyed seeing you Kansas home and yards. I think you’ll love your screened porch. Thanks for sharing you day.

    1. Thank you, Harriet. Yes, breaking the overall job into smaller parts has been key for us! And the screened porch is one of my favorite things about the new house! I can’t wait until we’re settled in to share some photos.

  4. I enjoyed this “day in the life” post, Deb! All my best wishes with the move. I’ll be excited to see how you decorate the new house inside and fill it with flowers outside.

  5. You live a well scheduled life. Sounds like you spend your time wisely. You are doing well with the packing. I’m wondering when you move if you will leave your potted plants behind or will you leave them for the new owner? Silly question I know but I’m a plant lover too and not sure I could leave my babies behind.

    1. We will take all my houseplants in the van and as many of the outdoor plants as we can, but we know some of the plants in the larger pots won’t survive the 8-hour July trip so we’ll transplant the flowers into other pots to leave for the new owners, but take our favorite, sentimental pots with us to the new place.

        1. Thank you for sharing “a day in the life”. You both have very busy schedules but its nice that you are in the same house. I worked with my hubby for the first 15 years we were together (and that is a year of owning our own convenience store). I loved it and miss it dearly.
          Packing a few boxes everyday sure make a difference, we have moved so many times that I dread moving now. We have made 4 long distance moves and many small moves in the same area (due to buy and selling a condo within 3 years, and when moving long distance we are doing the renting long distance!).

          1. Nice that you and your husband could work together as long as you did. That’s really a blessing, even if it does come with a few challenges. 🙂

  7. When my son retired from law enforcement almost 9 years ago, he knew the date would be his birthday in the fall. They chose to move to a new state, and I would be moving with them. He posted a countdown clock on his computer on January 1, so I actually had 10 months to prepare to leave home of 50+ years. Packed a little every few days. We rented a storage unit for the boxes to get them out of the house. The last few weeks we were sort of camping. Fun!

    1. I love that! Great idea to get the boxes out of the house, too. We’re playing a “game” trying to use up all the food in the house before the move day so we don’t have to move it. Might be having some interesting meals between now and then! 🙂

  8. Really enjoyed the glimpse into your writing life. Hope everything goes very well with your move. Looking forward to reading another one of your books when it comes out.

    1. I’m so glad. I was a little afraid it might be boring, but I’ve always loved seeing how other professions work, especially of those who work from home.

  10. Debora, I’m very sorry to say that Ama… wouldn’t publish my 5-star review of your book because I mentioned the word Christian twice and said Christians should get this book. (Under the southern sky_ I already deleted it.) It was just unbelievable.

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