❤️A Day in the Life of an Author: Makitia Thompson
Writing, Creating, and Living in the In-Between
Part One: Writing Life
People always ask me what my writing routine looks like. And the honest answer?
It doesn’t exist.
From Monday to Wednesday, I can be on fire—writing all day long, finishing entire chapters in one sitting, and plotting two or three new stories while still emotionally tangled in the one I’m drafting. But then Thursday rolls around... and it’s like I hit a wall. The words slow. Sometimes they stop altogether. From Thursday to Sunday, I might not write at all.
It used to frustrate me. I thought, Am I doing something wrong? Shouldn’t I be more consistent?
But I’ve come to realize that this is just how my creativity flows. It’s not tied to a calendar. It’s tied to the energy of the story itself. I don’t force it. I let the work speak to me when it’s ready. When a story wants to be written, it lets me know.
There’s a kind of rhythm in the chaos—one that works for me. It’s unpredictable, but deeply intuitive. And as a fairly new author, I’ve learned to trust that rhythm.
I Need a Map
One thing I’ve tried—many times—is writing without an outline. Just opening a document and letting the story come to me on the spot.
And every single time? I’ve failed.
It fascinates me that some authors can write 400 pages from a single thought without mapping a thing out. I admire it deeply. But that’s just not my process.
I outline everything. From beginning to end. I want to see the full lives of my characters—main and supporting—before I ever write the first scene. Plotting helps me connect to the world I’m building. It lets me become the character as I write.
I don’t do first, second, or third drafts. I write one continuous document until the story is finished. Then I spend a week to three weeks editing that single file. That’s it.
I know that might sound intense. But I’ve found that challenging myself to write as if it’s the final draft on the first try gives the story a raw, unfiltered emotional core. It doesn’t feel overly processed—it feels real. And real is what I’m always aiming for.
Falling in Love With My Own Story
My favorite part of writing? It’s that moment, maybe ten or fifteen chapters in, when I catch myself getting anxious to read what happens next—even though I’m the one writing it.
It’s the moment when the story grips me. When I’m no longer just creating it—I’m invested. Obsessed. In love.
There’s something powerful about surprising yourself with your own story. It’s like confirmation that you’re doing something right. That what you’re building has meaning, even to you.
When I’m Stuck, I Game
Here’s where I might throw you a curveball: when I hit a creative wall, I play The Sims 4.
Yes, really.
It might sound strange, but it works. The Sims is a limitless game. You can create lives, destroy them, start over, build entire legacies from scratch. When I’m stuck on a plot point, I sometimes recreate my characters in the game. I let them live. Make choices. Break things. Fall in love.
Watching those simulated lives unfold often sparks something in me. Suddenly I see where the real story should go. The Sims helps me reconnect to the human part of storytelling—the messiness, the unpredictability, the possibility. It’s more than a distraction. It’s an imaginative reset.
The Truth Always Finds Its Way In
Let me share something personal with you.
I’ll be 21 years old this August, and for every single one of those years, my father has been absent. I’ve told myself I’m fine without him—that I’ve never needed him—and I meant it. I’ve had an amazing mother. A whole life built around love, resilience, and strength.
But something shifted when I started writing character studies.
At first, I didn’t realize it. I was just exploring how abandonment affects people—how it reshapes their self-worth, their ability to trust, their quiet moments. I didn’t know I was writing about myself.
It hit me during one particular character breakdown: this is me. This is how I’ve been feeling. This is pain I hadn’t faced out loud. My stories—without my permission—began helping me confront it.
And now I see that part of why I gravitate toward deep, emotional narratives is because I’m still learning how to navigate my own. My characters are vessels for the parts of me I don’t always know how to say out loud. The writing becomes healing.
So when people ask if my personal life influences my work, the answer is: always. Even when I don’t know it’s happening.
Part Two: Personal Life + Balance
People often assume writing happens in a vacuum. That once you have “the calling,” the stories just appear and life pauses so you can write them in peace. I wish.
The truth is, I’m juggling life just like everyone else. I don’t write in a quiet cabin with no distractions. I write in the in-between. The before work, after chores, between tea breaks and real life kind of moments.
But one thing I do every single day—no matter what—is listen to music.
Music clears the fog. Whether it’s upbeat or slow, loud or soft, it helps me reset. On days when my mind has been going nonstop and the noise of the world is still ringing in my ears, I put in my headphones and let the music empty the day out of me.
That’s when my stories can come through—when the real world quiets just enough for my fictional one to speak.
Balancing Art and a Day Job
Right now, I’m a part-time call center agent—or “market researcher,” depending on how fancy you want to make it sound. I started writing professionally in September of 2023, and by November, I landed my first job.
It’s a balance. And I won't lie—it’s not always easy.
Of course, my dream is to write full-time. To make storytelling my career. To wake up and dive into my books without worrying about shifts or bills. I’d love to retire my mother early and give back all the peace and strength she’s given me.
But until then, I work.
Because I have to. Because this is what building something from the ground up looks like.
Working part-time helps because it gives me some freedom, but there are moments where it hurts. Like when a burst of inspiration hits right before my shift starts, and I have to walk away from my notebooks and let the spark fade. Those moments are tough.
Still, I try to remind myself—it’s all for the good of my future. The sacrifices I make today are helping pave the road toward the life I’m building.
And while I try to take care of myself, I’ll be honest: sometimes I get caught in a writing spiral and forget to check in with my own well-being. So yes, I’m still learning how to balance writing, work, and myself. But I’m learning. And I’m trying.
What Does a Perfect Creative Day Look Like?
If I had to describe my ideal creative day... well, it kind of depends on the day itself.
Some mornings, I wake up refreshed instead of tired. I shower, brush my teeth, skip breakfast (I’m not a morning eater), and sip a cup of tea while watching something on my phone. I don’t open my laptop right away. I give myself a few hours to exist outside of writing—just to breathe and settle into the day.
After that, I’ll open the document of whatever I’m working on, re-read the last few paragraphs, and if the words start to flow, I write. If they don’t, I leave the document open and go about my day, waiting for a spark.
Rainy days affect me. If it’s pouring heavily, I struggle to focus. But if it’s a light rain or a sunlit afternoon, I can write for hours. Sometimes until my wrist aches. So really, my creativity doesn’t follow a clock. It follows the weather, my emotions, the mood of the day itself.
Family and Support
I let my family read my work if they want to. They’re always excited to. But when it comes to critiquing my writing? I’m careful.
It’s not that I don’t trust them. It’s just that they’re family, and sometimes love clouds judgment. I want feedback that’s honest, objective, and unfiltered. That doesn’t mean I don’t value their thoughts—it just means I need different eyes when it’s time to polish the final draft.
That said, my family is always there to support me.
They’re usually the first people to buy my books. They help me promote, share my work online, and celebrate every little milestone. My mother and my stepfather (who I just call “Dad”) have been especially incredible. Always beside me. Always cheering me on.
That support matters. More than I can probably express in words.
Part Three: Final Touches + A Few Surprises
If someone followed me around for a day, they’d probably be shocked by how little I actually write. They might catch me on one of those slow days where I struggle to get even 100 words down—which, believe it or not, happens at least twice a week. 😅
And honestly? They’d probably start wondering how I’ve written full books at all.
But here’s the thing—after days of silence, I usually come back swinging. Sometimes I’ll go from zero words to 5,000 in just a few hours. My creative process doesn’t move in straight lines. It’s bursts, pauses, storms, and stillness. And yet, somehow, the books always get written. 🌊✍️
A Message to the Writer I Was
If I could go back to the version of me writing her very first book, I’d be brutally honest.
I’d say, “This book is going to be terrible. You’re going to hate it. You’re going to wonder why you ever thought you could be a writer.” But I’d also say, “Write it anyway.”
Because that book? It would be the one to pull me back into storytelling. It would reignite my love for creating. That messy, flawed project helped shape the voice I have now—and without it, some of my best work wouldn’t exist. ❤️
Growth doesn’t always look beautiful. But it always matters.
That Book Cover Feeling
You know what still gives me butterflies? 🦋
Book covers.
There’s something magical about finishing a story you poured your heart into and then seeing it dressed in its final skin. That cover is the cherry on top—the moment when everything clicks into place. The words, the emotions, the effort... all wrapped in a piece of visual art that says, this is real now.
I get anxious, excited, and borderline obsessed whenever a new cover comes together. And if I made it myself? Even better. There’s something so fulfilling about crafting the inside and outside of a story. It reminds me that I’m not just writing—I’m building worlds, piece by piece.
If Nothing Stood In My Way...
If absolutely nothing stood in my way—no financial limitations, no time blocks, no external stress—I’d be a bestseller. 📚✨
Not because of the money or even the career security (though yes, I’d love to write full-time and retire my mom). But because being a bestseller means something deeper: it means that a massive number of people found joy, comfort, escape, or connection in the words I wrote.
I don’t just want to entertain—I want to speak to people’s souls. I want to write the kind of story that wraps around someone on a hard day and makes them feel seen.
And if one of my books was ever adapted into a film? I think I’d cry in disbelief. Watching something I wrote come to life on screen would be the ultimate gift. 🎬💭
Because the words on the page already feel magical… but seeing those words move, breathe, exist in a new form? That would be storytelling in its most vivid form.
💬 In Closing...
If you take anything from this post, let it be this: there is no perfect routine, no flawless system, no straight path.
I’m a fairly new author. I’ve only been writing professionally since 2023. I work a part-time job. I get writer’s block. I burn out. And still—I keep going. Because this is what I was made to do.
Whether you're just starting your first page or publishing your fifth book, know this: you're not behind. You're building something. And it's okay to grow slowly.
We’re all on this journey together.
So keep writing. Keep learning. Keep showing up—even on the days you can’t write a single word. The story is still unfolding.
And it’s going to be beautiful. 💫
— Makitia Thompson
✍️ Minds In Design
#Mindsindesign #Makitiathompson #MID
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