THE WRITER IN RETIREMENT

Don’t let the title fool you. Unless they are incapacitated, writers do not retire. No, what this is in reference to is someone who works full-time and weaving in their literary pursuits in between the drollness of routines and schedules. Some wake up early, have breakfast, shower, and go to work. Others, like myself, wait until the day has ended and squeeze in creative pursuits wherever and whenever.

I’m not close enough to retirement to be “counting down the days” but I can see that light at the end of the tunnel. Unlike the classic writers of the first half of the 20th century who worked when necessary, I find myself in the position of building up, shall we say, to more fruitful creative endeavors. It will be necessary to fill the gap of time that has become almost a death march for 40+ years. You can say you hate it but it has been so long since you lived without it that you can’t imagine what you would do.

Therein, as the bard says, lies the rub. I will still workout/exercise; cook, bake, make interesting and new dishes; do whatever household chores and maintenance that are required (and that I can still perform); and socialize within my means and desire. I will have more time to sleep without the rigidity of a schedule; look into volunteer or part-time work opportunities; devote myself to the artistic endeavors of others.

Believe it or not, it’s the writing part that I’m worried about. Oh, not that I would ever retire. But I have found the capacity to work in brief bursts. An hour here or there. A quick blog post or some research on an important matter within a story. What would it be like to have a three-hour block of time, all to myself, to sit and write. Perhaps work on one book, or maybe a couple of short stories. Naturally, there would be more time for reading.

Then again, one could fall back into aimless scrolling, watching YouTube videos, or mentally meandering. When there is a fixed time you need to get to bed because something important (though not necessarily desirable) is awaiting the following day, there are definitive starting and stopping points. Take that away and the need to be focused is a prerequisite.

I would suggest to anyone in my position to examine your plans in the same fashion that one plans their finances. Ok, I can see myself for the first week not setting ANY kind of alarm at all (except for cats wanting their breakfast). That feeling is the same as a diver coming up for air or a pardoned prisoner seeing the sun and feeling the breeze. But there has to be a plan. Yes, a new schedule but one that is geared more toward personal artistic freedom.

If there is more time to write, then write more. If vacation day availability at your job limited your ability to attend conferences or weekly/monthly meetings, get out more often. If your personal finances do not allow you to travel for insight and inspiration, then read a greater variety of things.

I’m not at the point of needing to restructure my schedule but it is invaluable to think about it, plan for it. A bored person makes a bad writer. While I look forward to unburdening myself from that “9 to 5” job, I never want to be boring.