I’ve figured out that I work best in the mornings. My mind is fresh and I am able get more done without any distractions.
I drop off my children to school each morning and rush home. I try to be at my Mac for 9.30am at the latest and make sure I leave my phone on silent upstairs, so that I can focus on my work in progress. I write for as long as I can and on a good day (bad in terms of self-care) that can be up till 2.55pm, after which I’ll grab a bag of crisps for lunch and rush out of the door to collect the kids.

Now the way I work is a little odd because our Mac is on the kitchen island. I used to work sitting on a bar stool, but started getting back ache. When I realised the bar stool was causing me pain, I decided to write standing up.
I wrote and edited my first full novel standing up! (I have been meaning to move the Mac to a desk in the same room, but why fix something that ain’t broke eh?!)

I try to write at least 800 words a day, however I have been known to force myself to write over 3000 words in a morning.
I’ve learnt that by writing first thing in the morning and writing for at least two 2 hours, I am able to make good progress.

One of my writer friends showed me that by  being disciplined and writing 800 words a day, she could have her full novel written in 75 days.
I employed the same method and I managed to write my first draft in 6 weeks (if I don’t include the time I lost during the Christmas and New Year holiday period).
I’m not sure I will be able to write my second novel as quickly, but at least I know it is possible! [EDIT: Reader, I wrote my second novel (draft zero) in 18 days! GASP! And editing is a different BEAST!]