94. Writing for several hours each day, seven days a week
“Paula” is a memoir by Isabel Allende, the Chilean-American author, about her daughter who fell into a coma after a serious illness.
The book is structured as a series of letters to her unconscious daughter, sharing the story of Allende's family, her childhood, and Chile's turbulent political history, particularly the 1973 military coup and the subsequent dictatorship and years of exile.
Celebrating the love between a mother and daughter, I loved this heartfelt memoir, which seamlessly blends autobiography and real-life experiences with touches of magic as a tribute to her daughter, incorporating historical narrative. In fact, Allende wrote the book to uplift her own spirit.
Regarded as one of the most widely read Spanish-language authors worldwide, Isabel Allende was a journalist before achieving international fame with her 1982 debut novel, The House of the Spirits, which I must admit I didn’t enjoy.
Still, what is it about her that makes her so fascinating to me?
My response is that there are many reasons, especially her personal discipline.
In 2016, I read an interview where she mentioned that she starts each new book on January eighth. Her reason is that she began writing letters to her dying grandfather, which eventually became her first novel on the same day.
What began as a superstition, as it was a lucky day for her, has now become a routine. She needs to organize her life, including her calendar, for that day. She knows that on January eighth, she’s often cut off from everything, sometimes for months.
During this period of seclusion, she avoids trips, lecture invitations, and other commitments, focusing solely on completing her first draft. Once finished, she relaxes her strict schedule but continues to write every morning, including weekends, from shortly after waking until lunchtime.
“I'm a morning person,” she explains. “I get up at 6:00, sometimes earlier... I enjoy my coffee with my dog, then get dressed, put on makeup and high heels—even if no one will see me because it puts me in the mood for the day. If I stay in pajamas, I won't do anything.”
At lunchtime, Allende pauses her writing to eat a quick meal at home and then attends to the numerous demands of being the world's most widely read Spanish-language author.
Her only other significant activity is a twice-daily walk with her dog, during which she avoids thinking about her writing. In the evening, she prepares a simple dinner and goes to bed around 10:00 or 11:00 p.m.
Although she writes for several hours each day, seven days a week, she keeps a rigorous schedule, writing from Monday through Saturday from 9:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m., and sometimes later if she is deeply involved in a scene.
A practice that I really wish I could follow.