Johnny Scarlotti
asked
Dave Cullen:
What's an average work day for you look like? Is there anything you'd change about your book Columbine, looking back on it? Anything you left out, but wish you hadn't? Any reviews challenge your standpoint on anything? I think it would be pretty cool to see your responses on a couple of these 1 star reviews here on Goodreads.
Dave Cullen
Oh God. I don't really have average days. Maybe that's a problem, but they are pretty erratic. Some commonalities:
I start the same: Always right to breakfast: coffee, tea and high-fiber cereal for energy later and some protein. I usually try get myself to do a few cardio bursts while the coffee is going to get my metabolism going.
Over breakfast, I check the morning news on my fake-Tivo while scanning the web for interesting things, checking NYTimes online and responding to emails, twitter, etc.
Then sometimes I read a passage for inspiration, and if it's a writing day, I plunge into writing. Or if it's researching, that.
I can research for 10-12 hours, but writing is far more draining. I have to stop for a break after 2 hours max, or my blood sugar drops so low that I'm worthless. (I guess I'm hypoglycemic. And I have a racing metabolism: I eat 5 meals a day.)
I try to keep the breaks short, though I often wander into thinking things through. 2 good 2-hour stints is good, 3 is great.
(Or if researching, I can go till 3 am and hardly notice, except for meals.)
I also try to get up and stretch throughout the day, because I have rods in my back which gets very sore, and my knees and shoulders are getting bad too.
I try to get to the gym by 7, but sometimes it's 8. (I try to work out 5 days a week.) If it's an off day, I continue writing.
That's a really good day. But so often I'm pulled into other projects. So many Columbine-related things still come up, speaking gigs to prep for, friends work to review and advise on.
That last one is huge. Nobody writes alone (with rare exceptions). Everyone needs feedback, and a lot of it, and you've got to do your share. Plus, I've got many talented friends who are still working for their big break, and it's great to help them.
And some days it's 1 in the afternoon and I'm still doing things like answering questions here. I had a great mega-interview yesterday--4.5 hours--and I'm still kind of jacked from it.
I start the same: Always right to breakfast: coffee, tea and high-fiber cereal for energy later and some protein. I usually try get myself to do a few cardio bursts while the coffee is going to get my metabolism going.
Over breakfast, I check the morning news on my fake-Tivo while scanning the web for interesting things, checking NYTimes online and responding to emails, twitter, etc.
Then sometimes I read a passage for inspiration, and if it's a writing day, I plunge into writing. Or if it's researching, that.
I can research for 10-12 hours, but writing is far more draining. I have to stop for a break after 2 hours max, or my blood sugar drops so low that I'm worthless. (I guess I'm hypoglycemic. And I have a racing metabolism: I eat 5 meals a day.)
I try to keep the breaks short, though I often wander into thinking things through. 2 good 2-hour stints is good, 3 is great.
(Or if researching, I can go till 3 am and hardly notice, except for meals.)
I also try to get up and stretch throughout the day, because I have rods in my back which gets very sore, and my knees and shoulders are getting bad too.
I try to get to the gym by 7, but sometimes it's 8. (I try to work out 5 days a week.) If it's an off day, I continue writing.
That's a really good day. But so often I'm pulled into other projects. So many Columbine-related things still come up, speaking gigs to prep for, friends work to review and advise on.
That last one is huge. Nobody writes alone (with rare exceptions). Everyone needs feedback, and a lot of it, and you've got to do your share. Plus, I've got many talented friends who are still working for their big break, and it's great to help them.
And some days it's 1 in the afternoon and I'm still doing things like answering questions here. I had a great mega-interview yesterday--4.5 hours--and I'm still kind of jacked from it.
More Answered Questions
Corey
asked
Dave Cullen:
Regarding The Basement Tapes, were they really, 100% destroyed...as in zero copies in existence? I read that this has been claimed a number of times, most recently last year. Did you see the tapes (I can't remember if you mention seeing them in your book!)? I can't help but feel that public access to the tapes would shed more light on Eric and Dylan's mindset, but I also understand the fear of copycats. Thoughts?
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