My Writing Time

I am very strict about writing. Charlie sleeps for approximately 2 hours each day, beginning at some point in the morning, and that is my writing time. As soon as I have placed him in his cot, I go straight to my computer. I do not stop writing until he wakes up. I do not check e-mail or answer the phone. I don’t run downstairs and quickly put on a load of washing and get myself a vegemite sandwich. I never think, “Huh, I wonder what happened to that boy who stole the breadrolls from the tuckshop in second grade? Maybe I should google his name and find out?” Or: “That sounded like the postman! I’ll just check the mail and get myself a Mini Mars Bar.” Or: “I’m sure I’d write better in my pink-and-green striped pyjamas, I’d better go and put them on.” Or: “Shouldn’t I be cleaning out the fridge?”

And, let’s say I walked into my study one day and found that a spider had strung its web between the frames of the window by my desk – just outside the window by my desk, the spider gazing calmly at my desk chair – well, it would never occur to me to run from the room. Then slip back in to take a photo of the spider through the glass. Then close the study door and go straight back to bed to read Joan Aiken and eat waffles with maple syrup, kiwifruit and plum for the next two hours until Charlie woke up.