So a lot of people ask me what exactly I do all day as a writer. Here’s a glimpse into my day today.
My “to do” list started off with:
1. Do PR work for Client #1
2. Phone consultation with franchisee at noon
3. Write 4 articles for Client #2’s magazine
4. Work on book promotion
5. Do Xmas cards
6. Write article for major magazine (due Dec. 2 before I leave for trip)
Of my list, I ended up working on book promotion almost all day – plus the PR call. There were so many interruptions – emails and phone calls from clients, friends and former students asking about my book coming out, urgent emails from consulting clients needing questions answered, and an unexpected glitch in my Web site’s links to buy my books on Amazon (which obviously had to be fixed ASAP!)
So, I bump almost all of my ‘to do’ list to tomorrow because by 4:30pm I had to leave to get my toddlers. (Next to impossible to work with them at home.) After they sleep, I may be able to get back to work, but boy does the stress of not getting through an important “to do” list weigh on me – especially when I still have so much to do before the book’s release.
Would love to hear how others prioritize and juggle deadlines with “vital” interruptions all day!
Ask Wendy-The Query Queen 
That sounds pretty much the way it goes for me, too. I make a list, get to item one or two, get interrupted by trivia, then get interrupted by something important that must be attended to….glance back at list five minutes before I must wrap it up for the day (kids coming home from school, etc.) and realize that much will have to be carried over to the next day. I usually head back in the office at some point after dinner, some nights work for an hour or two more — and final task of the day – make a new list.
One thing I’ve found is to make shorter lists; to get realistic about what I can accomplish in a limited number of hours. True bliss is when the rest of the family goes camping for a weekend and I can stretch out and work/write without breaks at conventional times for meals, etc.
I used to beat myself up for not gettting through the list each day, but then I realized that I have NEVER, not once, missed a deadline, and never had to do a complete rewrite because something was too rushed or thrown together at the last minute. So, now I’m trying to be a bit easier on myself. I’ve also been making a different list at the end of every week: What I GOT Done This Week. Much more fun.
Thanks for sharing what a freelancer’s day is like.
Lisa’s comment pretty much covers the basis of what I want to say. I also wanted to add that waking up extra early is good especially at the time the whole world’s asleep and no one’s going to disturb you (unless they’re friggin’ insomniacs or something). I did this before but because of work pressure I’ve slid down on this and can’t get any work done. Paradise for me is when it’s summer vacation and I could finally be my own boss, decide my own hours and work on my OWN PERSONAL GOALS which of course, is on writing.
I also used to beat myself a lot. The problem is I want to get a lot of things done yet just accomplish a few stuff on the list. I’ve got to work on being less delusional.;)