I enjoy writing (and talking about the things I write about) far more than I enjoy farting about with technology. For me the technology is a means to an end, not the end itself. But do I really want to be a writer full time?
Sometimes I do. Especially on days when things haven’t gone so well with clients. Then on other days I read stuff like Hugh MacLeod’s piece the quiet life of a writer yak yak yak. Explaining how he loved Hemingway and Graeme Greene, he says that even though their books were very different their daily routines were pretty much the same.
Basically, they’d live somewhere cheap, quiet and relatively conducive to getting a lot of writing done. The Florida Keys and Cuba in Hemingway’s case, the South of France in Greene’s.
They’d get up early each morning, then write diligently till noon.
Then they’d head for their local café, drink gallons of booze for hours on end, and stagger home late at night.
Then they’d do the same thing the next day. And the next. And the next. For years on end. Women came and went, friends came and went, children came and went, money and fame came and went, but the daily writing-booze combo remained the great constant.
I’m not sure I like the idea of staggering home drunk every night, but as somebody who likes to write, likes his beer, and likes the simple life, I can’t say I find their overall Modus Operandi unappealing.
On a sunny Friday morning in Sydney, in the city’s most beautiful time of year, I think I agree.
And now, back to reading a company’s office manual so we can build them a CRM system…
After years of doing most of my writing after I’ve finished a day of my day job, I dream about those days where I could get up in the morning, sit in my pyjamas, drink coffee and write for four or five hours before I have to start to the day proper. When it happens it’s a strange, disciplined version of bliss. I’d forgo the alcoholic afternoons for time spent reading to fuel the next day’s writing, and I’d have evenings for friends and art. I’m still searching for the Renaissance patron to fund this lifestyle, alas.
@Quatrefoil: One strategy I’ve been toying with is producing the one completely tacky, exploitative but profitable media object to kick off the rest of the writing projects. But then I still have to find the time to do that in between billable hours. [sigh]
Sounds like a good life to me! Where do I sign up?