In many ways, today was pretty much a typical working day when I'm not on a show.
I began by returning a call from Germany from Peter Bondy, the writer who translates my MONK books for my German publisher. He had some questions about MR. MONK IS MISERABLE, which is he just about finished translating. I alway enjoy talking to him and really appreciate that he takes the extra effort to double-check names, jokes, and references with me before making any changes.
I answered some emails and then I called a studio executive to make sure he had everything he needed on the written version of a series treatment before he takes it out to possible c0-production partners in January. He did. I wished him a happy holiday and we made plans to touch base in the new year.
I spent the next a few hours rewriting the MONK pages I wrote last night, had a quick lunch, and went to the post office to mail copies of my MR. MONK IS MISERABLE book to the folks mentioned in the acknowledgments. I picked up my daughter from school and came home.
I opened a fresh Diet Coke, grabbed a handful of almonds, and made some small fixes in a screenplay at the request of the producers who optioned it from me. They are about to send it out to some actors for a holiday read and there were a few scenes involving one character that needed to be slightly tweaked. That took an hour or two.
And then I started writing some new pages in the MONK book. So, naturally, here I am procrastinating on my blog. I'll get back to the book once I've posted this, then I'll make dinner for my family, and write until bed time.
Tomorrow, it begins again. I'll probably start by rewriting what I wrote today, answer some emails…
Speaking of routines, author HelenKay Dimon pointed me to this site that chronicles the daily writing routines of famous writers.
Great stuff! There’s your show, either a reality program or a scripted drama. We follow various characters in TV-land Hollywood, trying to make it. It could be called, “THE SHOWRUNNER.”
Remember how fascinating DAWSON’S CREEK was when they were making videos? If the setting had been Hollywood, the show would have been that much better. And the love triangle could remain. And the characters could discuss famous Hollywood types and places. There could be voice-over like SEX AND THE CITY and hilarity like SEINFELD. But with all the added excitement of Hollywood! And told by a Hollywood insider! And all the business details like WALL STREET WEEK!
Thanks for the link on piece about how authors work. That has always fascinated me, and during the years of the Santa Barbara Writers Confab I always asked that question of authors and got some fun replies. Think most mothers did as I did , wrote from 9 p.m. until 2 a.m. when all kids were asleep.. and no phones ring.