How I write

I’m sorry. Did you come here to learn something meaningful about my writing process? Forgive me.

Today’s post is not about how I perch myself in front of my desk, words and fingers at the ready.

It is not about how I plot or don’t plot and which software I use (Scrivener and Word, if you are interested).

It is about the reality of writing when you are a writer with a cat.

Lately my cat has taken to hanging around whenever I’m writing or editing. I love her, and when I’m not writing, I’m happy for lots of cuddles (usually when she isn’t as inclined to hand them out). This must-hang-out-with-human-at-desk is new.

It started like this – I’d like to think it’s about keeping my chair warm, but I suspect this move is more about my comfort than hers:

Then it became this:

How am I supposed to resist this? If I don’t respond, this is the next move:

Followed by this:

And then on to this. Note, there is no actual invite to sit on my lap. It’s taken for granted that there is room for her and I won’t mind. This part usually coincides with the washing machine beeping or the phone ringing.

So, I get up, hang the wash (or whatever) … and then she returns to this:
 And when I give up on writing, this:

That’s how I write (and I haven’t even gone into zoning out the Yahtzee games that get played on the wooden dining table right next to my writing space, or the teens who have no idea that I can hear EVERY word of their conversations when they are playing online games with headphones on).

Sometimes, despite the cat, teenagers and dice being rolled on a wooden table RIGHT NEXT TO ME, words even get added to the manuscript I’m working on.

Tell me how you really write.