Hi! I’m Keala Kendall, the author of That Which Feeds Us: A Hawaiian Gothic, and today I’m giving you a behind-the-scenes look at my writing routine. Between managing a doggy assistant, navigating book events, and blocking out time to hit my word count, no two days look exactly alike. Here is a peek into my writing life!
7:00 AM:
My alarm goes off, signaling the start of another writing day, but my actual wake-up call doesn’t happen until my writing assistant, Mele, decides it’s time. Some days I leap out of bed, but most days, I choose to scroll through Instagram and answer reader DMs. I get to do this exactly until Mele—who is part Australian shepherd and Bernese mountain dog and takes her job very seriously—decides I’ve had enough screen time and demands breakfast.
Meet my writing assistant Mele!
Aka my alarm clock. Her article would be titled: “How to Wake Up Your Author.” As you can see, she is an expert at resting her head on the edge of the bed and staring judgmentally while I answer emails.
7:20 AM:
As soon as I’m out of bed, Mele herds me toward the bathroom to get ready, then guides me straight to the kitchen for breakfast. She does this every single morning. I’m convinced she thinks I will starve or forget how to function without her supervision.
It’s giving White Witch chic.
7:30 AM:
After we eat, I grab Mele’s leash, her dog pouch, and my belt bag for our three-mile morning walk. If I’m not actively untangling a thorny plot issue or reviewing panel questions for a later event, I listen to an audiobook or podcast. Lately, I’ve been enjoying Soman Chainani and Victoria Aveyard’s podcast Plot Twist. They break down timely topics in publishing every week and share their creative process. As a debut author, I love hearing their insights on the industry.
8:30 AM:
Before heading home, I grab an iced chai latte along the way, or I make my own once we get in the door.
But first...chai
Left: Grabbing chai with the entire office. Right: My younger brother bought me this mug for Christmas after I told him that I signed my first publishing contract. Now it’s my favorite mug for drinking chai.
9:00 AM:
Once I’m at my desk, I deal with my inbox. During peak promo, I always double-check social media for pending collaboration requests from the Underlined team. My favorite days, though, are the ones where I can skip the admin work and dive straight into writing.
Hacks for author admin
Left: I always use blue-light glasses when writing. Right: One of my favorite author purchases was this double-sided rolling whiteboard. I like to use visuals when drafting and planning my schedule. The other side has notes about my next Hawaiian Gothic.
When drafting, I need massive chunks of uninterrupted time to get into the story. I use Apple’s Focus feature to block all notifications from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM and use Scrivener for writing my first drafts. Once notes arrive from my agent, editor, or beta readers, I migrate the manuscript to Microsoft Word and use Track Changes to follow my progress. Because I have ADHD, I often struggle with hyperfocus and forget to step away to eat. Luckily, Mele has an impeccable internal clock, especially when it comes to lunch and dinner, and knows exactly when to pull me away from the screen.
Mele’s favorite place to “work”
is inside our office is under my desk or right behind my computer chair.
1:00 PM:
After feeding Mele her lunch, I top off my water and grab a quick bite for myself. If my inbox still needs to be cleared, I dedicate half an hour toward answering emails and reassessing the day’s remaining priorities. If there is an afternoon event or Zoom meeting on the schedule, this is when I like to start getting ready.
Author talk
Today, I’m heading out to CALIBA’s Spring Forum in Pasadena to talk about my book That Which Feeds Us: A Hawaiian Gothic on a panel about AAPI identity and belonging.
1:30 PM:
I call an Uber. As I head out the door, I grab my bag and my always-packed “event pouch.” Because I tend to forget things when rushing, I keep this bag stocked with just-in-case essentials and makeup for surprise photos and touch-ups, making it easy to throw into my Sunnie Reads tote. On the ride to Pasadena, I review my notes for the panel.
Here is a look at everything I packed for CALIBA:
A copy of That Which Feeds Us for photos and to display during my panel. That Which Feeds Us and How Far I’ll Go: A Twisted Tale themed bookmarks, along with a couple Sunnie Reads ones. I use my Notes app to review panel questions beforehand, but I like to keep a printout of the event details and questions in my physical notebook as well. And extra Sharpies for signing books.
And here are the mainstays inside my tiny “event” bag:
Primer, gel tint, and a colored lip balm. A pair of sunglasses. Business cards for Pacific Islanders in Publishing. A hair serum to protect my hair and to get rid of surprise frizz and static. Mouthwash (you never know, ya know). Mints. And a face mask.
2:15 PM:
Once I arrive, I grab my badge at check-in and head toward the room on my schedule. I’m early, because the plan is to grab some caffeine before the panel starts at 3:20. Instead, I find that most of the other panelists arrive early too, and we chat the entire time. 😅
4:45 PM:
Our panel wraps, and a couple attendees stop by to say hi as a few of them have already read That Which Feeds Us! I also meet several independent bookstore owners and Nicole, the incredible sales rep for my book. Afterward, I spend an hour listening to other authors pitch their upcoming releases, connect with more booksellers, and grab some free galleys and books to take home.
5:50 PM:
The event wraps up, so I call an Uber home. On the ride, I start drafting a social media post about the panel and look through all the photos I took. When I get home, Mele loudly vocalizes exactly how upset she is that I dared to leave the house. I take her out for a short walk as penance.
6:45 PM:
When we get back, I figure out my evening. Even on days without promo, my brain usually starts to slow down around this time. Unless I’m on a strict deadline, I use this window to wrap up what I’m doing, outline my to-do list for tomorrow, and close social media for the night.
My Office
All the galleys I got from CALIBA
and some upcoming Underlined books that I still need to find shelf space for.
However, if I am on deadline, I will jump on Discord and do some online writing sprints with friends using the Pomodoro Technique. We set a timer and write in focused 20-minute bursts. When the timer goes off, we check in to share our progress, then rinse and repeat for an hour or two.
But if I’m not on deadline and I hit all my goals for the day, I might make plans to head out and grab dinner with friends (and Mele, of course, if the restaurant is dog-friendly).
10:45 PM:
No matter which way my evening goes, I aim to be in bed before it gets too late. And as I prepare for the next day, I know Mele will be right there, herding me through it.
My writing routine involves a lot of chai, a relentless doggy assistant, and a strict notification blocker, but remember there is no single “perfect” writing routine. The trick is finding what works for you and your writing. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have to go log off before Mele gives me the side-eye for working overtime.
