Writing Wednesdays: A day in the life (summer holidays edition)

When I see news articles about myself, being called ‘Dickens of the iPad generation’, a TIME ‘Most Influential Teen’, etc., it seems really bizarre. Because reading these news articles about myself makes me feel as though, on the outside, I have this uber-impressive lifestyle.

The reality?

Life is actually… pretty normal. I went to school/go to uni during term time, I write in my free time (mostly at night), I study, I watch a lot of TV and movies, I read books. The less normal side: I knit, too, and I like sewing. But my life is, on a day to day basis, pretty average.

Over the summer holidays, I’ve not been too great at getting up early. Don’t get me wrong, I love being up early because then I’ve got an entire day ahead of me – but, it turns out that my body loves a lie-in more than my mind likes to be working early in the day.

Breakfast, maybe an episode of Hollyoaks.

I’ve been volunteering at one of the local libraries over the summer: I’m there four days a week (not Tuesday, because it’s closed then), and work 11am-3pm. The voluntary role is to help with the kids and promote the Summer Reading Challenge to them (they read six books over the summer from the library, and get stickers throughout, and a medal at the end). But I’ve been helping out with returns, shelving, etc., and sometimes I get to just sit there reading (sweet!)

When I’m not at the library working, if I’ve got no plans to go anywhere, once I’m dressed, I’ve either been doing some studying ahead for my classes when I go back to uni in September, or I’ve been on my laptop researching: postgraduate courses, graduate schemes and jobs, or things to do with social media and blogs because they’re pretty cool to read up on.

I also decided, early on this summer, that I don’t like working at the desk in my room. It’s more of a vanity desk than something to work at – plus, the giant mirror is really distracting, and I can’t move it because my room is all fitted. So I’ve taken to sitting on a stool against my bed/chest of drawers, with a fold-out table near my bedroom window. SO much better! I love the natural light to work with.

When I feel like it, I’m writing. I’ve been working on my newest story, I Like Meryl Streep More Than You Do, which I started for Camp NaNo in July. Those of you who’ve been reading all my writing posts know that I don’t like to force myself to write if I’m not really in the mood, though. 

And I’ve ended up being so occupied looking into digital marketing that sometimes I just haven’t been in the mood to write anything but blog posts! I’ve managed to get some writing done in my lunch breaks at the library, too.

Oh, and reading, of course. I’ve been doing most of my reading whilst away on holiday, or because I’ve started reading a book in the library and want to finish it when I get home that afternoon, to take back the next day and get a new one out.

So to dispel any misconceptions, my life isn’t all glamour and expenses-paid trips and champagne (but sometimes it is, and that’s pretty damn cool). The book events are few and far between, usually, so a typical day for me is probably a lot like yours.