A day with author Caroline Mitchell @Caroline_Writes

Today I have another a day with author……post to share with you and it’s from one of my very favourite authors Caroline Mitchell. I’m a huge fan of this authors books and I would highly recommend each and everyone of them, from the supernatural, to crime thrillers with a few psychological thrillers thrown in there is no end to this ladies talents.

I hope you are enjoying reading these posts as much as I do, I’m so nosey and I find it fascinating to read how different authors approach their writing. Anyway enough of my ramblings here’s Caroline Mitchell’s post…….

A Day In The Life Of An Author…

I used to work really long hours as a police detective, and I wanted more than anything to give up my job and pursue my dream to write full time. I used to scour the web for articles like these for a tiny insight into what it was like. I remember reading an article about this lovely author who said she used to ‘potter about’ in her pyjamas until mid-day. It sounded like bliss!
In reality, I have little time for pottering about but I’ve never regretted my decision to take the plunge.

I still work long hours but thankfully, I love what I do, even if edits sometimes make me want to bang my head against a wall! I get up at around seven and quickly check my notifications on my phone before getting my children out to school. After breakfast, I bring a coffee upstairs to my writing room and open up my laptop to begin. If I’m feeling particularly lazy, I’ll write in bed. I’m either editing or writing my forthcoming novel. If I’m writing, I dictate my first draft, and spend the next couple of hours talking into my microphone, while the house is quiet. I take pauses in between, usually to research online and make notes as I go. That brings me up to lunch time, and I check social media before going downstairs for a bite to eat.

For the last couple of years, I have been writing three books a year, but now I’m working on my tenth book, this can slow down to two. Since leaving my job I’ve been determined to make the most of every minute of my time. I rely heavily on my planner in order to keep track of everything, so I don’t fall behind. After a quick bite, I return upstairs and either write or edit until my kids come home from school. By then I’ve also addressed important emails, and scheduled planned meetings for any forthcoming conferences.

To combat the dreaded author bum I bring the dogs for a long walk while hubby cooks dinner. Then we sit down as a family and chat about our day. After that, I’m back on the computer, but by now I’ll bring my laptop downstairs and sit with my family in the living room while I work. I can edit with background noise and it doesn’t bother me. If I’m writing, I’ll stick on my headphones and listen to some dark music in order to stay focused. In the evening, I might watch a movie if it’s a similar genre to what I’m writing, taking notes as I go. I try to fit in some reading time, although I find audio books great if I’m doing housework or driving to the shops. I squeeze in something into every minute of my day. I usually close my laptop around nine or ten o clock at night. I work every day and when I’m not physically writing, I’m thinking about plot lines and the characters in my head.

That’s an average day in a nutshell, but there is so much more. I carry a pen and paper in my bag where ever I go, and I love people watching. I have regular contact with my agent and publishers, and sometimes pop up to London for a lunch or a chat over coffee. I love those meetings, they are always very positive and leave me buzzing for days. If I have a cover reveal coming up I’m constantly checking my emails to see what they’ve made. Seeing my manuscript take shape is very exciting, although it’s terrifying when the email attachment with the cover comes through. My finger hovers for few seconds before I click on it, as I bite on my bottom lip, praying I’ll love it. I pour a lot of energy into my characters, and they spend a great deal of time in my head. A book cover is a snapshot of my story, so it’s a very big deal for me when it arrives.

No sooner have I recovered from my book launch, than I’m planning my next novel. I am in a constant round of edits, rewrites, cover reveals, social media events and meetups. Working to such tight deadlines, it’s incredibly important that I’m strict with myself. If I’m not, I get sucked into social media and fall behind. Every day is scheduled, and as busy as I am, I try to aside one day a week to write a blog post or study my craft. I’m happy doing what I do, and count myself very lucky to be my own boss. I do think you need to be slightly obsessed about writing to get the most out of it. There are so many fantastic things about being an author, but I’ll leave that for another post.

About the author

USA Today Bestselling Thriller Author.

Caroline originates from Ireland and now lives with her family in a pretty village on the coast of Essex. A former police detective, Caroline has worked in CID and specialised in roles dealing with vulnerable victims, high-risk victims of domestic abuse, and serious sexual offences. She now writes full time.
Set in Shoreditch, London, her DS Ruby Preston trilogy is described as terrifying, addictive serial killer thrillers.
Caroline also writes psychological thrillers. The most recent, Silent Victim, has been described as ‘brilliantly gripping and deliciously creepy’. Her new DI Amy Winter series is published by Thomas & Mercer and launches 2018.

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